Linus Karlsson | C

[Boudrias]

14 hours ago, 48MPHSlapShot said:

It's the third best league in the world.

NHL-AHL-KHL-SHL?

[saucypass]

12 hours ago, Boudrias said:

NHL-AHL-KHL-SHL?

I'd rank AHL after SHL bumping the SHL to 3rd. 

[4petesake]

 

 

[J-P]

On 12/9/2021 at 10:54 PM, Baer. said:

SHL is a pretty low tier league. Players need to be well over PPG to be considered possible NHLers. But he's still young and has time to improve.

Hogs was 0.39 PPG in SHL and is 0.45 PPG in the NHL. There are only five players over PPG currently in the SHL. Younger players are usually not near PPG in the SHL unless they are at the level of Sedins/Forsberg/EP etc.

 

That said - Karlsson is 22 so as a younger player he's a bit on the old side so to speak. Seems to be a late bloomer, wouldn't predict him as top 6 in the NHL but could be a very nice 3rd liner if he pans out. Don't think anyone can tell his ceiling quite yet.

[204CanucksFan]

Karlsson is currently 2nd in SHL scoring among all U24 skaters which is even more impressive considering he is in the U22 age category.

[LegionOfDoom]

Anyone else catch don taylor say we traded dahlen for a guy that will more than likely never make it to North America….. lots of people sleeping on this kid 

[Furevanucks]

This kid will come to NA no matter what Murph says...hope this ages well

 

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by Furevanucks

[86Viking]

5 minutes ago, LegionOfDoom said:

Anyone else catch don taylor say we traded dahlen for a guy that will more than likely never make it to North America….. lots of people sleeping on this kid 

You mean Dan Murphy I assume?

[-Vintage Canuck-]

Canucks prospect Linus Karlsson off to a great start in first SHL season:

 

It’s undeniable that whenever one-for-one transactions occur, even at varying degrees of notoriety, the players involved are forever linked, their production and organizational value forever pitted against each other. Whether it is at a trivia night at a local bar, on social media, or in a professional board room, these valuations can be swift as time roars on. 

 

This is the case for San Jose Sharks forward Jonathan Dahlén and Vancouver Canucks prospect Linus Karlsson — a February 2019 trade seeing the exchange of the Swedish products. 

 

Since then, Dahlén has had a productive resurgence in value, manning a significant role on an opportunity rich San Jose Sharks team. In what has been somewhat of a heroic effort over the years, the 24-year-old has been dominant in the Allsvenskan, helping Timrå IK on a path to promotion to the highest level of hockey in Sweden, the SHL. Evaluators balked at his resistance to play against higher competition and an early AHL departure being a factor, but in the end, Dahlén stayed loyal and his play has frankly translated. 

 

The question now begs, what of Karlsson?

 

The 22-year-old has been humming along, just recently seeing his first SHL minutes with Skellefteå AIK this season — and it’s going well. 

 

In 27 games played, Karlsson has produced 21 points, including 10 goals, playing almost exclusively on the wing. This has him tied for 20th in the SHL in overall points, and 10th in overall goals. 

 

Historically, his current 0.77 points-per-game pace is better than Vegas Golden Knights forward Mattias Janmark, former-NHLer Marcus Sörensen, and Los Angeles Kings’ Lias Andersson when looking at forward production in the past 10 years from 22-year-olds. 

 

Karlsson actually ranks fifth in points-per-game for that age group currently. Not a lot of hearty examples, but there is some NHL presence. 

 

 

His impressive shot

 

Karlsson has mainly been productive through a weaponization of his shot.

 

Currently sitting fourth in total shots on goal in the SHL, he represents as a volume shooter who has legitimate shooting skill. 

 

 

While his shooting percentage is only roughly 11%, you will soon get the sense of why he is second in the SHL in game-winning goals. 

 

 

Karlsson victimizes goaltenders in two ways; distance shooting when he has space, and inside-oriented drifts into soft areas of coverages. 

 

 

When evaluating his right-hand shot, his mechanics are immediately impressive. Possessing the ability to place pucks with a pin-point level of execution, Karlsson leverages synced weight-transfer, unlocked arms, and a massive amount of down-force to create a powerful release. 

 

What’s almost more impressive is his ability to identify developing pass lanes, set his body, and complete centring feeds. Able to shoot across his body, he is a bishop chess piece, surprising, effective, and valuable to his line. 

 

This inside play extends to his passing. Karlsson often hides his intentions by holding pucks in his hip-pocket, or looking in other directions to manipulate defenders to slip pucks through passing lanes. Deception often equals translation. 

 

 

Karlsson is also deft at handling physical pressure. An accurate stick, a penchant to establish early body positioning, and an ability to string plays out of board battles help aid further shooting and passing opportunities. He doesn’t read pressure off his back all that well, but that can be learned.

 

 

Creative and aggressive puck handling 

 

 

The Skellefteå winger is an advanced puck-handler in transition, embarrassing opponents at times. Continuing to hold the puck at his hip, Karlsson actively sets up his dekes through early scanning. He then targets the defender’s triangle, and selects effective handles. His upper-body and lower-body act independently from each other, an unlocked top-left-arm allowing full range of motion. 

 

 

He does some interesting things like shooting for rebounds, and pushing play inside. However, an inability to shoot in stride is a major deficiency. 

 

Forechecking threat and defensive potential

 

While Karlsson’s stride mechanics and pace can waver at times, he has proved to be an effective forechecker at the SHL-level. He envelopes puck-retrieving defenders, proactively places his stick to disrupt pass releases.

 

Increases in pace help push this style of play. 

 

 

Where the former-third round pick can sometimes falter is in scenarios where shift duration and stopping and starting become a necessity. The effort and lane occupation is here, but degradation in stride mechanics occur frequently. He scans often, however, mental-mapping opponents’ movements.

 

 

Being two years younger than his trade-linked contemporary, Karlsson might have a chance at providing some NHL value. He probably will never occupy a similar role as Dahlén, presenting more as a bottom of the lineup asset, but there is a runway with his current skill-set. 

 

Nevertheless, the question begs if he fits the mold of a future Canuck? The team is undoubtedly trending to speed and pace under the newly minted president of hockey operations, Jim Rutherford. If you truly believe that the centre position is in Karlsson’s future, his value as a right-hand pivot, who isn’t fast but plays fast, could catapult him up the organizational depth chart and even into an entry-level deal.

 

As it stands, Karlsson should be a player that is more front and centre in Canucks fans’ consciousness, because at the very least, he is fun to watch. 

 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canucks-prospect-linus-karlsson-great-start-shl

[Devron]

Same amount of points as Canucks Legend Anton Rodin who’s 31 years and wasn’t he SHL MVP one year? 

[Coconuts]

Wouldn't it be something if he turned out to be an NHL player, I'd never have to hear about Dahlen again 

[Coconuts]

21 hours ago, Devron44 said:

Same amount of points as Canucks Legend Anton Rodin who’s 31 years and wasn’t he SHL MVP one year? 

I believe you're right, if not for bad luck with injuries he'd have probably stuck with the team

 

Talented dude, just piss poor luck

[-Vintage Canuck-]

Better quality:

 

 

[-Vintage Canuck-]

 

[Jester13]

I'm liking the potential. He's also right handed, which need many more of with our forwards. 

[JM_]

I hope we hear about contract talks with this kid soon.

[Rush17]

NHL

KHL

AHL

SHL

 

Is the order imo. Kids who crush the AHL would struggle in the KHL. Kaprizov was just over a ppg in the khl before coming to the NHL. He would have had way higher margins in the AHL if you look at who's a ppg in the AHL vs kaprizov during his time in the KHL.

[aGENT]

4 minutes ago, Jester13 said:

I'm liking the potential. He's also right handed, which need many more of with our forwards. 

 

3 minutes ago, JM_ said:

I hope we hear about contract talks with this kid soon.

Karlsson, McDonagh, Zlodeyev, Costmar, Klimovich etc, etc... Not sure why I keep reading we have "no prospects"...

Edited December 28, 2021 by aGENT

[JM_]

Just now, aGENT said:

 

Karlsson, McDonagh, Zlodeyev, Costmar, etc, etc... Not sure why I keep reading we have "no prospects"...

dunno. Drance didn't mention them? who knows.

[Dazzle]

53 minutes ago, aGENT said:

 

Karlsson, McDonagh, Zlodeyev, Costmar, Klimovich etc, etc... Not sure why I keep reading we have "no prospects"...

It's the same tired and fallacious narrative that Benning can't draft/develop, while ignoring the fact that it's his draft picks in the roster, whereas Gillis couldn't draft one without it being a first round pick, or a defenseman named Hutton or Connaughton (who never played for the Canucks after being drafted).

 

Gillis was horrible for this franchise because he overspent the team's treasure chest of prospects/draft picks to make a push, and had no plan on recovering lost picks, nor a plan to nail the draft picks themselves. It seemed that the draft days were nothing more than an afterthought.

 

But yeah, the back to back President's trophies are sooo important in validating how good of a job he did as a GM, so much so that he's allowed to suck at his other parts of the job. The hypocrisy from some people in this fanbase is amusing sometimes. Whereas Benning got buried alive for being bad at his other parts of the job, Gillis is given excuses after excuses.