Colorado Avalanche 2016 Draft Prospect: Carl Grundström
The Colorado Avalanche have six picks at the 2016 NHL Draft. It’s possible left wing Carl Grundstrom could be one of the team’s selections.
The Colorado Avalanche will be making six selections at the 2016 NHL draft, missing only their fourth-round pick because of the trade that brought forward Shawn Matthias from the Toronto Maple Leafs. The NHL draft takes place June 24–25, 2016, at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York.
One of the prospects the Colorado Avalanche might consider is Carl Grundstrom, a Swedish-born and trained forward currently with Modo of the Swedish Hockey League. Grundstrom has also represented his country in Under-18 and Under-20 IIHF competitions.
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Carl Grundström Statistics
Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 194
Age: 18
Minor Team: Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League
NHL Player Most Like: Jamie McGinn/Carl Soderberg
Probability of NHL Success: 2-3 years, second or third line
Here’s Carl Grundstrom in action:
Carl Grundström Scouting Report
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It’s hard to get a general consensus about Carl Grundstrom, which is why I had a hard time deciding if he was more like Jamie McGinn or Carl Soderberg — honestly, with a little splash of Dustin Brown.
That lack of decision shows in Grundstrom’s scouting. He’s ranked as the #6 European skater. However, he’s scouted to go as high as #28 or as low as #39, which might put him outside the Colorado Avalanche’s drafting — they have #10 in the first round and #40 in the second.
That said, Carl Grundstrom certainly is an interesting player. He’s been called both a power forward and a pure goal scorer. He shoots the puck a lot and displays a heavy wrist shot.
Grundstrom doesn’t play a complicated game. He can be quick on his skates, and he has good agility. He has a powerful stride that comes from his lower body strength — which also plays into his willingness to hit. Carl doesn’t show a lot of creativity, but what he does, he does extremely well.
Grundstrom isn’t so big, but he’s strong. What’s more, he likes to crash the net. He’s especially adept at using opponents as a screen.
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Carl Grundström Potential Fit with the Colorado Avalanche
Carl Grundstrom’s work ethic would be a boon to the Colorado Avalanche. He’s scouted as speedy, but I doubt he’s in a league with true speedsters like Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon. He has the physical, gritty game that Colorado prizes, but he lacks the size. That said, he could grow a little, and he could certainly bulk up.
Drafting Carl Grundstrom would be like the Jamie McGinn and Carl Soderberg acquisitions — useful for the team, but not super sexy.
What I mean by that is that Grundstrom is a talented plodder. He’s not going to show a lot of flash and brilliance. He’s not going to radically change the team for which he’s playing. However, he’s going to be very convenient to plug into any line — first through fourth — that needs stability.
I definitely don’t see the Colorado Avalanche spending their #10 draft pick on Carl Grundstrom — there are simply much more talented players who would fit in the team’s mold. If Carl were still available at #40… maybe. I think the Avalanche are more likely to select a defenseman in the second round, or a really big and powerful forward.
Next: Possible 2nd Rounders for the Avs
Maybe if the Avalanche somehow end up with an extra second-round pick — then they might spend it on the changeable Carl Grundstrom.