Detroit Red Wings Mock Draft: Fixing the Top Six
By Evan Mead
2.40: Simon Forsmark, LHD, Orebro HK
Simon Forsmark has kind of fallen in my opinion not because of his lack of play but because other people have been on a bigger stage and done better on said stage. That’s not said to discredit Forsmark but to explain why he is going in the second-round because in my eyes, he is a first-round talent that we just got at pick 40 in this mock draft.
Birthday: October 17, 2003
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 194 lbs.
Shot: Left
Where Does Simon Forsmark Rank?
- Ranked #33 by NHL Central Scouting(EU Skaters)
- Ranked #33 by Draft Prospects Hockey
- Ranked #37 by The Puck Authority
- Ranked #60 by Eliteprospects.com
- Ranked #77 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
- Ranked #83 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
What Are the Scouts Saying?
Corey Pronman of The Athletic:
"“Forsmark is a solid two-way defenseman who doesn’t offer a ton of flash. He makes good decisions with the puck at both ends, using his brain and size to make stops. I don’t think his skating is a strength, but I’ve seen worse feet and have seen him get past checks and escape pressure well enough. There are flashes of skill and legit offense with him, but it’s not consistent. There’s enough to his tool kit to potentially be a third-pair defender.”"
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic:
"“Forsmark is a mobile, pro-built, offensively-inclined defender who plays an active, engaged style that involves himself in all three zones. He’s eager to join and lead rushes in transition with his long stride (though there is some work to do on his footwork and timing). He gaps well back the other way. He’s physical and uses his size to win battles and leverage pucks away from opposing carriers. And he has learned to manage the game and the puck with more poise and efficiency. His October 2003 birthday makes him one of the older players in the draft, but he’s also further down his pro trajectory in the SHL to reflect that. He’s got some work to do on his shot (which is a little stilted). I like the components of his game and frame a lot, though. If Örebro use him in a more offensive role next season, I think he’s capable of making a statement in them.”"
My Analysis
Similar to what I said about Cutter Gauthier, my reasoning behind this selection has to do with what I said to start this article: What the Red Wings need is a goal scorer, a center behind Dylan Larkin, and a left-handed defenseman to play with Filip Hronek. That’s where Simon Forsmark comes into play.
Forsmark is nothing too fancy, nothing flashy, he’s just a solid all around two-way defenseman and honestly, that’s all we need. We need consistency, dependability, and most importantly, and I can’t stress this enough- a capable player.
We’ve seen too many defenseman come and go because they can’t play the position to a high enough standard and then when we decide to get rid of them, or trade them away, we are at a loss trying to fill that hole. I don’t expect that problem with Forsmark. In fact, I think he could truly surprise some people.
In this past season he did not produce because he didn’t have the shot or chance to play in the offensive zone. He is an offensive defenseman which is something that I feel we don’t really have. I mean, Seider is a very good defenseman and can do spectacular things in transition and in the O-zone, but he needs someone who can complement him on the back-end of the defense. Someone that can keep momentum otherwise the Red Wings will be chasing the puck around all night and no one likes to see that. They need to find a way to fill out their defense and Forsmark could be a good depth piece for the time being.
Now, with me saying that I’m sure you’re saying “why am I drafting a depth piece with a second-round pick?” Well, that’s easy.
As you probably read in the earlier scouting reports on him, he’s a solid two-way defenseman. However, if you read even closer, pretty much both scouts talk about him being an offensive minded defenseman and I’ve even mentioned that multiple times and it’s because he’s not much of a defenseman.
His lack of skating and ability to move his feet at ease makes him a liability at the blue line when drawn out to the perimeter. He doesn’t have the speed or agility to catch up to a player when they make a move around him. Therefore, his first year with the team would be working and questioning which path they want to go with him.
First, they could develop his skating in order to make him more of an complete two-way defenseman. Or second, they could use his size to the clubs advantage and use him along the lines of how Zdeno Chara is currently used. Be an enforcer down near the crease and make sure that nobody screens the goalie.
Deciding between those two things is why I said he could be a depth piece for a couple years. But, I do feel that with some coaching and working with some of the other players in the locker room and the professional coaches, he could turn into a very good player for the Wings.