With the 65th pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders have selected Calle Odelius from Djurgårdens IF of the J20 Nationell in Sweden
About Calle Odelius
In his first year with the Djurgårdens IF J20 team, Calle Odelius led all defensemen on his team in scoring with 30 points in 43 games. His solid play and consistency earned him a seven-game stint in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), which is a tremendous accomplishment for the 18-year-old. While he didn’t record a point, the experience he gained far exceeds any short-term production.
Related: 2022 NHL Draft Tracker
He represented Sweden at the U18 World Junior Championship and posted three assists in six games. Odelius will likely remain with Djurgårdens IF following their demotion to the HockeyAllsvenskan B-league. The step down in competition compared to the SHL could lead to an increase in scoring, which could aid in his confidence and development ahead of a move to North America in the near future.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“On a team that features other notable draft eligible players to come through the ranks like Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Liam Öhgren, Odelius is another 17-year-old to dominate the J20 circuit. He’s producing extremely well offensively as he’s currently eighth in team scoring. Among defenders in their draft year, he’s 14th in primary points per game with 0.48 and has a strong 1.44 P1/e60 (total primary points per estimated 60 minutes).
“Odelius is everything that you would want in a modern two-way, puck-moving defenseman as he displays excellent composure and situational awareness. His smarts allow him to think the game quickly and effectively, but it’s his skating that is always on display. He has great movement in all directions and he’s very deceptive with his motions and movements. He never rushes an opportunity and uses his skating and edges to get out of tough situations. Just like this clip where he’s able to turn on a dime and evade his opponent.
“Odelius gains control of the puck and as he’s moving the play down low along the boards, he immediately drags an opponent. His skating allows him to evade any sort of pressure quickly using his edgework. He then quickly finds the middle of the ice to carry the puck and quickly get a shot off through traffic, eventually getting deflected in for a goal.
“Which brings us to his next strength, his play making and passing. Odelius possesses very strong play making abilities, especially when he’s in transition as he’s extremely confident in that department. He’s at his best when making strong breakout passes to stretch the game while also making strong tape to tape plays in close proximity with his teammates.
“Odelius always able to find the open spaces on the ice and open things up for his teammates while placing the puck in a great spot for them to receive it. He’s extremely calm when he has the puck, as he has excellent control and patience with the puck in order to find the right opportunities to make a play. He can make those short passes in the offensive zone while also utilizing his strong point shot for second chance opportunities or even a shot on goal. He has great accuracy and strength as he’s able to get the puck on target even with a lot of traffic in front of the net.
“Defensively, Odelius does a great job in taking away the passing lane and closing in on the opposition to keep them to the outside. While he has good coverage in front of the net, he could look to utilize his strength a little more, but the positioning and instincts are already there. The awareness is there to know when to pick his spots to jump in and when to back off to get back into position to prioritize defense and negate a zone entry. He does a great job at providing support along the boards to try and regain control of the puck and even on the eventual breakout where he thrives.”
Full player profile can be found here
How This Affects the Islanders Plans
The Islanders are building a strong rapport of dependable two-way players who can move the puck and are strong skaters. Odelius will take some time to add some muscle to his frame and learn to use his strength during physical plays in corners, but he possesses a strong hockey IQ and evasiveness when handling the puck that makes him someone who will last a long time in the NHL.
