Love Harenstam
2024-25 Team: (J20 Nationell – Sweden)
Date of Birth: Jan 18, 2007
Place of Birth: Stockholm, SWE
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 195 pounds
Catches: Left
Position: Goaltender
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2025 first-year eligible
Rankings
- TSN/Button: 52nd
- NHL Central Scouting: 2nd (EU Goaltenders)
- FCHockey: 88th
- The Hockey Writers/Forbes: 84th
- The Hockey Writers/Baracchini: 95th
After playing in only 16 games last season, Love Harenstam has played in a full season, including two international competitions. It has also been a long campaign personally for the young netminder. In October, Harenstam decided to leave Lulea and transfer to Skellefteå AIK. Harenstam posted a 10-9-0 record on that team with a 3.31 goals-against average (GAA) and an .895 save percentage (SV%.) While those numbers are not staggering, he did go 9-3-0 with a 2.18 GAA and a .909 save percentage in two international tournaments for U18 Team Sweden within the past year. He also had to deal with mocking of his play by a Lulea employee after that team defeated Skelleftea in February.
Harenstam is regarded as a goaltender with athleticism, technical skills, and mental fortitude. He possesses remarkable agility and quick reflexes, allowing him to efficiently cover the net. His post-to-post coverage is a standout trait. His explosive lateral pushes and strong hip flexibility effectively allow him to handle wraparounds, cross-ice passes, and net-front scrambles. His head is constantly on a swivel, and he recognizes threats from all areas of the ice.
Related: 2025 THW NHL Draft Guide
He plays the crease with a great deal of intensity and compete. It is rare when you hear anybody say “he took the night off.” He battles for pucks and plays with urgency in scramble situations as well, if not better than his peers. He will get down on himself occasionally, but overall, he resets very well when giving up a goal.
His size is one reason he may not be ranked higher. At 6-foot-1, Harenstam is below the NHL average for starting goaltenders. However, in international competitions, he shows that his size is not a shortcoming by using his athleticism to make jaw-dropping saves. Despite the perceived height deficiencies, he seems to get more length out of his legs and plays like a larger goalie in his positioning.
Harenstam has very good control of his crease. He stands at the top of crease and tracks pucks actively, almost on his toes. He then moves quickly down to the proper position for the shot because he is always active and moves quickly in all directions. Harenstram is hard to beat in close due to subtle arm/hand-movement and quick feet while being down on his knees. Even down on his knees, he is quick sideways because he keeps his skating blade in touch with the ice.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Love Harenstam – NHL Draft Projection
Harenstam can add a lot to his draft stock with his performance in the U18 World Championships. Likely a third or fourth-round selection, he could easily see his name called earlier with a solid showing.
Quotables
“Harenstam is a promising goaltender who has emerged as a noteworthy talent known for his impressive athleticism, technical skills, and mental fortitude. He possesses remarkable agility and quick reflexes that allow him to cover the net effectively. He often showcases explosive lateral movements, enabling him to shift from post to post with impressive speed.” Jocke Andersson – FC Hockey
“From a pure, raw talent perspective, I like Harenstam’s athleticism. But it’s just not refined yet, and it can get him into trouble too often. But his glove hand and his sightlines through traffic, even as a mid-sized goaltender, are solid right now.” Steven Ellis – Daily Faceoff
“Härenstam has great post play with his RVH positioning, which was one of Wallstedt’s biggest strengths in his draft year. Härenstam is a battler and does a great job finding pucks in tight, not giving much room for shooters on second chances. He’s 6-foot-1 and the way to beat Härenstam is over the shoulders due to how much they drop when he drops to his knees.” Danny Tiffany – Recruit Scouting
Strengths
- Athleticism
- Solid crease management
- Post-to-post coverage
Under Construction – Improvements to Make
- Puck tracking
- Rebound control
- Play Under Control
NHL Potential
Harenstam plays a smart, positional game, and with his athleticism, he has the potential for a shot in an NHL lineup. Being such a promising goaltender, he has emerged as a noteworthy talent known for his impressive athleticism, technical skills, and mental fortitude. These traits could, at the very least, make him a reliable backup in the NHL, with the chance of earning a starting position if he can improve his deficiencies and play bigger than his 6-foot-1 frame allows.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 3.5/5, Reward – 4/5
Awards/Achievements
- 2024 U18 WJC Bronze Medal
- 2024 U18 WJC Top Three on Team
- 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Bronze Medal
Love Harenstam Stats
Videos
