E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Oscar Klefbom #22

By Eldon MacDonald

22. Oscar Klefbom - “Captain Sweden” - D - Sweden

Vitals: Size - 6’3”, 204 lb.; Shoots left; Born: 20-Jul-93 - Karlstad, SWE
Team: Färjestad, Swedish Elite League (Elitserien)
2010-11 Stats: 42-0-4-4-12 + U18 6-1-3-4-(+4)

Rankings:
10 - ISS's 30-May-11 per TSN
12 - Dean Millard -The Pipeline Show Top 30
14 - Kirk Luedeke's Top 50
19 - The Scouting Report's Top 100 Skaters
22 - Craig Button's Top 30 of 8-Jun-11
22 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
24 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
24 - Future Considerations Final Rankings
32 - hfboards Readers’ Poll
37 - The Hockey News per TSN
43 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (6th European skater)
45 - Bob MacKenzie's January 2011 NHL Scouts Poll
68 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
Draft result:
19 - Edmonton Oilers

Who wants a large physical, puck moving defenseman with leadership qualities and offensive capabilities??? The answer is just about everybody and Oscar Klefbom could be everybody’s answer. So, Oscar Klefbom is the prototypical defenseman of today with:

1. Skating - Mack truck with F1 pick-up and agility
2. Passing - Brett Favre like - long or short
3. Shooting - Slapper has the power, just needs some refinements to the aim; wrister is above average
4. Leadership - As Captain of Team Sweden (U18’s), Oscar has shown he can take charge on or off the ice
5. Physicality - Shown a willingness to engage physically which will only be enhanced when he crosses the pond
6. Passion - A big game guy needs passion and Oscar has got it

As for negatives, Oscar’s defensive game is still a work in process and he does not have that instinctive hockey ability that, for example, his defense partner at the U18’s, Jonas Brodin, has. Scott Campbell has a good description of how his strengths and weaknesses relate at the TheScoutingReport when he says, “One of the biggest strengths Klefbom has is the amount of passion he plays with. He’s a natural leader and is carries himself in that regard on the ice. Competes hard and can make life difficult for opposing forwards with his tenacity and willingness to engage physically. Klefbom could benefit from some temperance as he is prone to making undisciplined plays, but it’s difficult to tone him down too much without negating that aspect of his game”.

The price for a take charge dude with size and skills is going through the roof these days. Oscar started this year as a mid-second rounder (per Bob MacKenzie’s scouts poll) but has definitely worked his way into the first round. ISS has him as high as ten and it could happen although the pack has him mid to late first round.

Oscar Klefbom is number 19 in the YouTube video by DrPabloRamirez below.