Hurricanes Draft William Håkansson 51st Overall

With the 51st pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, the Carolina Hurricanes have selected William Håkansson from Luleå HF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

About William Håkansson

While two points in 22 games in the SHL with Luleå HF may not stand out to many, William Håkansson is more of an old-school defenseman. He will not light the world on fire offensively, but he has the skill to be impactful, and his game really shines on the defensive side of the puck. Playing in Sweden’s top professional league as a youngster, Håkansson proved that he could more than hold his own and played with great discipline at both ends of the ice.

After representing Sweden at the Under-20 World Junior Championship (WJC), Håkansson put his defensive game on full display and was rock solid from the backend of the ice. With more time in the SHL and the further development of his all-around game, he could end up becoming a strong defensive defenseman who can eventually chip in on the offensive side of the game.

THW Prospect Profile Excerpt

“He is hard to miss on the ice with his size, standing at 6-foot-4, but relies more on his stickwork and reach defensively to keep opponents either out of high-danger areas or to shut down rush opportunities with strong gap control. When he does throw his weight around, the hits are crunching, but seeing him become more physical could help him become an even tougher defenseman to play against.”

“On the offensive side of the game, Håkansson is far from being flashy, as he plays a simplistic and straightforward game when he has the puck on his stick. He uses his skating to be a solid breakout starter and in the neutral zone when given space, but overall, he is more of a first-pass defenseman with the puck on his stick.”

“Overall, Håkansson may not end up being a defenseman that lights the world on fire with his offensive output, but if he can continue to develop and possibly get a full season in the SHL this next season, his offensive game could end up maturing, and he has a chance to become a strong shutdown defenseman with some flashes of offense.”

Continue reading the full player profile here.

How This Affects the Hurricanes’ Plans

The Hurricanes have been the premier place to develop defensemen, especially shutdown defensemen. The legend of Jaccob Slavin is one of the many notable examples of the Hurricanes’ developing an NHL-caliber defenseman, and he was selected in the fourth round. With the resources they have and the small number of defenseman prospects in their stable, Håkansson could carve out a role if he makes the NHL.

Carolina has a ton of winger and center prospects, with Alex Nikishin, Noel Fransen, Kurban Limatov, and Dominik Badinka the most notable defensive prospects. Nikishin has been involved in trade talks as well, so if he gets moved, that makes it easier for Håkansson to make the NHL. Either way, it’s a perfect fit.