E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Gabriel Landeskog #6

By Eldon MacDonald

6. Gabriel Landeskog - “The Swedish Idol” - Left Wing - Sweden

Gabriel Landeskog : Wikicommons courtesy of Bridget Samuels from College Park, MD

Vitals: Size - 6’1”, 204 lb.; Shoots left; Born: 23-Nov-92 - Stockholm, SWE
Team: Kitchener, OHL
2010-11 Stats: 53-36-30-66-61-(+27) + OHL playoffs 7-6-4-10-4-(+1)
Rankings:
2 - Kirk Luedeke's Top 50
3 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (2nd North American skater)
3 - Future Considerations Final Rankings
3 - Craig Button's Top 30 of 8-Jun-11
3 - Dean Millard -The Pipeline Show Top 30
3 - hfboards Readers’ Poll
3 - The Scouting Report's Top 100 Skaters
4 - Bob MacKenzie's April 2011 NHL Scouts Poll
4 - Guy Flaming - The Pipeline Show Top 30
5 - ISS's Top 30 - 30-May-11 per TSN
5 - McKeen's June Top 30
6 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
7 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
13 - Cory Pronman's Top 100

Draft result:
2 - Colorado Avalanche

Hmm, Gabriel Landeskog has played for the following teams over the years:
Team Sweden U16’s - Team Captain - Gabriel Landeskog
Team Sweden U17’s - Team Captain - Gabriel Landeskog
Team Sweden U18’s - Team Captain - Gabriel Landeskog
Team Sweden U20’s - Alternate Captain - Gabriel Landeskog
Kitchener Rangers - Team Captain - Gabriel Landeskog
So, I think it is fair to see that Gabriel Landeskog could be considered a leader. Hmm, I also think it is fair to say that he has that rock star personna, good looks and vibe of someone who makes things happen. For example, at the Combine he went shopping in Toronto with Mika Zibanejad and someone made him an offer to model for them.
And on a more hockeyish note, he has the physique and mental outlook as well as the skills of someone who will be playing in the NHL next season and not just for nine games either. He says that he trys to pattern himself after Jerome Iginla and I think that is a pretty fair comparison of the type of player Gabriel will become. And oh yeah, he is from Sweden but speaks English without an accent and talks and plays like he was always from North America.

So what kind of skills does this future team captain offer up?

1. The bod - NHL ready size, good to go tomorrow
2. Leadership - Yes, we already discussed that but I just wanted to make sure you were listening. He is also an especially good mentor to the younger players.
3. Physicality - Gabriel can do the boards, lay the bod and is noteable on the forecheck, wins the battles. And yes, he can even fight.
4. Vision - Can read plays well and acts accordingly
5. Skating - Very good, just under elite. Very strong on his skates.
6. Shooting - Shot with big-time accuracy
7. Work ethic - does what it takes to win and is prepared to work for it on and off the ice.
8. Defense - NHL ready after a few games in the bigs

So Gabriel Landeskog can be considered a complete NHL ready guy who will have an immediate impact in the NHL. The major criticism leveled against him is that he doesn’t have the dangle or puck handling skills of some of his peers in the top ten rankings and therefore may not have a high offensive ceiling. However, despite the validity of this criticism I think that his other attributes are enough that he will produce NHL offense of at least second line variety and maybe even first. His work in Kitchener last year would look even more impressive if hadn’t been injured and had to miss a fair number of games.

What is the price for a future NHL captain these days? Through the roof, as can be seen from the above rankings which have him as high as two to as low as thirteen.