E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Joachim Nermark #75

By Eldon MacDonald

75. Joachim Nermark - “Dr. Jekyll” - C - Sweden

Vitals: Size - 6’1”, 187 lb.; Shoots left; Born 12-May-93 - Sunne, SWE
Team: Linköping J20, SWE J20
2010-11 Stats: 37-8-18-26-16 + J20 playoffs 3-0-0-0-0 + U18 - 5-1-0-1-4-(-2)

Rankings:
45 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (8th European skater)
75 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
88 - The Scouting Report's Top 100 Skaters
89 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
116 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
Draft result:
93 - Colorado Avalanche

Will, the real Joachim Nermark please stand up??? Do we get the uber-fine superstar Joachim as we saw at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament where he was outstanding with 5 goals and 7 assists in just 5 games. Do we get the just OK Joachim that we got during the regular season playing Swedish J20 hockey, 26 points in 37 games. Or do we get the disappearing Joachim as we got in the U18 tournament, just 1 goal and a -2 in 5 games.

The uber-fine Nermark is noted for his skating, quick shot, passing, hands, hockey sense and his willingness to compete down low. However, we didn’t get to see much of that at the U18’s and not enough during the regular season. Unless some team thinks they have the magic formula to turn this guy’s Dr. Jekyll performances into something more like the uber-fine Mr. Hyde performance at the Ivan Hlinka, I am hard pressed to believe this guy will be taken before the third round.