Each day over the next month leading up to the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, held on June 22 in Dallas, we will be taking a look at the top 31 prospects available, starting with the 31st and leading up to number one.
Next in the series of prospect profiles is our 18th-ranked prospect, defenseman Rasmus Sandin.
Rasmus Sandin
2017–18 Team: Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Date of Birth: March 7, 2000
Place of Birth: Uppsala, Sweden
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 184 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: D
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 11
NHL Central Scouting Midterm Ranking: 15
NHL Comparable: Jake Muzzin
Rasmus Sandin is a Swedish-born defenseman playing in the Ontario Hockey League. Sandin has elite decision making and hockey sense, the crown jewels of his game, making him a very enticing prospect.
Sandin is regularly described as being a smooth skater, albeit not the fastest. He has a stable base, which he uses well to maintain balance and generate seemingly effortless power. Sandin uses his feet well, often times making up for mistakes or positioning with his skating and play recognition. He effectively uses his skating to shut down the opposition and excels with keeping opponents to the outside because of his good footwork.
The best aspect of Sandin’s offensive game is his vision and passing ability. Sandin sees the ice very well and is able to predict plays before they take place, allowing him to make impressive passes which set up his teammates well. Sandin frequently makes the best decision with the puck, in part due to his ability to remain patient under pressure. He is able to make difficult passes look easy and very rarely makes an ill-advised pass thanks to his top-notch decision making and play recognition abilities.
While Sandin is not known as a scorer, he did manage to tally 12 goals this season. He tends to use his wrist shot more than a slapshot and has been very effective getting pucks on net. Sandin’s ability to keep shots low generates scoring opportunities for teammates via deflections or rebounds. Sandin has an above average release and is able to generate decent power on his shots, though not overpowering by any means.
Defensively, Sandin is a very sound player. His skating ability allows him to effectively close out players as they enter the zone. He positions himself very well, which gives him an edges on attacking players. His hockey sense and play recognition aids him in breaking up plays, often times using a very active stick to disrupt the offensive flow. When he picks off passes, Sandin is able to quickly transition the puck to his teammates. Sandin enjoys using his body to check opponents and win board and net-front battles, and does so very effectively because of his smarts.
Sandin needs to bulk up a bit in order to maintain his physical defensive style and withstand the grind of NHL hockey. Added strength should also help his shot to become more powerful, which will increase his offensive ability. Sandin also needs to improve his speed and acceleration to maintain his skating edge when jumping to the NHL.
Implications for the Blackhawks
Sandin’s draft stock is intriguing because it seems many feel he is worthy of a mid-first round selection, whereas others feel he should be toward the bottom of the first round or maybe even the second round because of a lack of high-end offensive ability. A team will likely take a shot on him because of his elite hockey sense and decision making, meaning he will probably not be available when the Hawks pick at 27. However, if he is available, he could be a nice addition to the Blackhawks’ defensive prospects, especially if the team either selects a forward or a more offensively minded defenseman with the eighth pick in the draft.
Timeline
Sandin definitely needs more time to get stronger and faster, whether by staying in the OHL or going home to Sweden to play for Rogle in the SHL, as they own his Swedish rights. Do not expect Sandin to turn pro until at least 2020–21.
Projection
Upon development, Sandin should become a mainstay as a top-four defenseman at the NHL level. He is able to play big minutes and is capable of generating offensive opportunities and playing sound defense. Because of his hockey sense, Sandin is widely considered as a safe pick who will achieve his potential.
What others are saying
“Sandin is an extremely intelligent player. He is poised with the puck on his stick and makes smart plays. Sandin has great vision and the ability to thread the needle to the open man with good passing skills. He can make the long stretch pass to create a breakaway or odd-man rush when it is available. When the home-run type play is not there, he does not try to force it, instead finding a quicker, shorter pass to start the transition game. Sandin also has the vision and skills to set up plays on the power play. … Sandin’s strong positioning and understanding of the game extends to the defensive zone as well. He is a physical player, willing to throw hits on the rush, battle in the corners, and clear the front of the net. However, he picks his spots well, not getting himself out of position to chase the physical play. Sandin maintains good gap control and funnels attackers to the outside. He anticipates plays well and cuts down passing and shooting lanes.”
— Ben Kerr/Last Word on Hockey
“In terms of puck poise, Sandin’s one of the calmest teenage defensemen you’ll see get drafted this year. He played alongside Adam Boqvist at the Hlinka and I thought he was just as good. He’s a very good skater but his puck distributing and one-on-one play is what should make him an NHL mainstay for at least a decade.”
— Steve Kournianos/The Draft Analyst
“Smart is an adjective you will hear a lot about Sandin. Any disadvantage he has, he overcomes because of it. In the defensive zone he possesses excellent gap control with near flawless positioning with his body or very active stick. He is very adept at angling players out and keeping them to the outside, although he can sometimes be beaten on the outside by a speedy forward.”
— Dominic Tiano/OHL Writers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHKcNaszURk