The Scouting Report:
Axel Landen from Jonkoping, Sweden, born on March 29th, 2005, is a draft-eligible prospect for the 2023 NHL entry draft in Nashville. Axel Landen has one of the cooler names in his draft class, but as I’ve said before, I will try to not spend too much time on prospect names and focus on their actual game. Listed at 6’1″ and 183 pounds, Axel Landen is a solid defensive prospect and works hard to make a name for himself and elevate his teammates.
Related Post: 2023 NHL Draft – Nashville
Unranked by Inside The Rink
Ranked #44 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters)
Ranked #73 by TSN/Craig Button
Conrad Jack of Inside the Rink has Alex Landed projected at 93rd overall.
I’m really fond of Axel Landen, he can become a solid draft prospect and I don’t see him falling past the fourth round. His playstyle is unique for a defenseman and helps him stand out among hundreds of other prospects.
Diving Deeper:
Axel Landen is a great prospect to look at, especially if you’re trying to build a solid depth player in future years. Let’s take a deeper dive into Axel Landen’s attributes and areas for improvement.
Defensively Sound:
I’m really high on how defensively sound Axel Landen is, he is certainly a true defender and underrated as such. I like his mobility and the size he brings is a commonality, but he makes his style of defensive play unique. I see Landen’s physical nature and his heart for the game, for all of the right reasons. Landen is a solid penalty killer and holds down HV71 J20 and their third pairing. Landen is exceptional at what he does and doesn’t show many errors in his game.
Areas for Improvement:
The one area that Axel Landen could improve on is his skating, and most players, specifically prospects, could probably use improvement in their skating. Landen could also be more offensively inclined, though he has shown an exceptional defensive inclination to anchor the blueline. If Axel Landen isn’t looking to improve offensively, he could improve in a shutdown defenseman role.
On-Ice Abilities:
Axel Landen is one of those players that you can rely on, and he’s shown that consistently. Landen played for both HV71 J18 in the J18 region and then the J18 Nationell before going to the HV71 J20 club in J20 Nationell. Landen showed significant development as he also got to play for Sweden’s U18 team in the World Junior Championship and International Juniors. Landen can provide defensive depth given the opportunity and I see him as a fringe-NHL player.
Final Thoughts:
Thoughts
Stats via Elite Prospects
Highlights via MyNHLDraft.com
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