Rob Eh Posted September 16, 2023 Share Posted September 16, 2023 BORN: Feb. 18, 2005 BIRTHPLACE: Enebyberg, Sweden DRAFT YEAR: 2023 DRAFTED OVERALL: 107 ROUND: 4 HEIGHT: 6'6" WEIGHT: 214 lbs https://www.capfriendly.com/players/vilmer-alriksson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyCuddles Posted September 16, 2023 Share Posted September 16, 2023 One of the prospects I was most interested in after the draft. Especially so after committing to the CHL this coming year. Normally I think the CHL is mid for development. But it's better to be in the CHL than Sweden's version of the CHL. Especially if he has NHL aspirations. Size, good skater, good hands given the nice re-direct against Calgary. Cool name also goes along way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PickleCanuck Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 I'm gonna say I was thoroughly impressed with his performance in the first game! Excited to watch how his first ohl season goes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rypien-Punch Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 He is better than I thought he would be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWJC Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 Could 6’6 Vilmer Alriksson be another Swedish gem for the Canucks? PHOTO CREDIT: CANUCKS.COM By Noah Strang 8 hours ago One of the Vancouver Canucks’ most intriguing picks from the 2023 NHL Entry Draft was Vilmer Alriksson. You would be excused if you had not heard of Alriksson before the draft, as he was not a hot name heading into the event, projected to go in the final rounds, if he was to be drafted at all. The Canucks brass clearly saw something in Alriksson that they liked and if you watch his tape, it’s not hard to see what it is. At 6’6″ and with a smooth skating stride, Alriksson looks as if he could be the perfect modern-day NHL power forward. “Vilmer Alriksson started off last season as more of a finesse-type player, I think he started to find more of his identity in the second half as he became more of a power forward that played a two-way game with better details and started to understand that he is a big kid and used his size to his advantage,” said Canucks amateur scout Bobbie Hagelin. “For being a big guy, he is pretty fluid and smooth and has a good release.” Alriksson introduced himself to the fanbase by scoring the first Canucks goal of this year’s Young Stars tournament on a deflection in the first period against the Calgary Flames. The big winger was rewarded for his forechecking efforts as he fought to get the puck back to the point before heading to the slot where he managed to get his stick on the puck. Canucks fans should get ready to hear more about Alriksson over the coming years as the big forward has all of the tools to be a very exciting prospect. What does Vilmer Alriksson bring to the ice? The first thing you notice when watching Vilmer Alriksson play is his size. At 6’6″, he stands out as one of the tallest players on the ice, no matter who he’s playing against. For most wingers that size, the question becomes if they have the skating to keep up with the fast-paced modern NHL game. However, Alriksson’s skating is actually seen as one of his better attributes as he moves very well for his height. Despite those positive qualities, Alriksson has never been able to put it all together and dominate a league. He played the majority of last season in the Swedish U20 league and managed 21 points in 43 games for 0.49 points-per-game. Canucks first-round draft pick Tom Willander managed 0.64 points per game in the same league as a defenceman. Points are not the be-all and end-all for prospect evaluation and the Canucks have definitely taken a more holistic approach to evaluating prospects in recent years, targeting specific traits more than elite raw numbers. “Obviously attributes, that has a lot to do with it,” Todd Harvey said to The Athletic after the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. “You might say the numbers aren’t there, but we’re projecting them to get better and the numbers will get better.” Alriksson is a great example of this concept as watching him play, you can see that he oozes potential. He’s huge, a more than decent skater, and has some solid offensive instincts. Finding a way to put it all together, as well as adding a ton of strength to his teenage frame, will be the key to Alriksson becoming a contributor at the next level. What’s next for Vilmer Alriksson? While there are reasons to be excited about what Alriksson brings to the table, he is still a ways away from playing any type of professional hockey. He needs to do a lot of physical maturing, as well as work on his game, before we come close to talking about Alriksson playing in the professional ranks. The 6’6″ winger was selected by the Guelph Storm earlier this year in the CHL import draft and will be playing in the OHL this season. The move to North America should allow the 18-year-old to start to acclimatize himself to the smaller ice surface, as well as the culture away from hockey. “Where he is physically, you got to be patient. It’s going to take some time for him to grow into that body but I think that moving over to Guelph and playing on the smaller ice will be a really good fit for him,” Canucks scout Bobbie Hagelin said. “He’s so dialed in to go there and become better and he understands the areas he needs to work on and he is the type of kid that you want to work with if you work with development.” While Alriksson has got a long road ahead of him, the move to North America is one that will hopefully help fast-track his development. The Canucks organization will surely be keeping a close eye on the big Swede. An easy transition to the smaller ice where Alriksson is a significant contributor for the Guelph Storm would mark a successful 2023-24 for the Canucks recent draft pick. https://canucksarmy.com/news/ian-clark-project-goaltender-nikita-tolopilo-canucks-win-flames 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honkin Hronek Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 He was DOMINANT against the Flames. Obviously just a prospect game, but I really like what I saw. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gawdzukes Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 Nice looking prospect. He's got some skill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowman955 Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 Great size,mobility and health. Excellent draft pick for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick_theRyper Posted September 19, 2023 Share Posted September 19, 2023 This guy had some moments (young stats game today) where he showed his strength for sure and didn't look out of place. One shift he had three guys on him trying to get the puck away from him against the boards, could be a piece of the puzzle down the road if he puts in the work! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
204CanucksFan Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 (edited) First OHL goal for Vilmer: Edited October 1, 2023 by 204CanucksFan 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PickleCanuck Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Nice! A great night for our ohl prospects Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillisD Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Congrats Vilmer! Nice goal for a big man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRAZY_4_NAZZY Posted October 2, 2023 Share Posted October 2, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRAZY_4_NAZZY Posted October 8, 2023 Share Posted October 8, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
204CanucksFan Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 One VERY nice assist for 'Ricky' so far tonight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_Cathode Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 34 minutes ago, 204CanucksFan said: One VERY nice assist for 'Ricky' so far tonight. Ricky is an intriguing prospect, combining size and skill. I wonder if he has finished growing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AatuD2 Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 4 hours ago, Ray_Cathode said: Ricky is an intriguing prospect, combining size and skill. I wonder if he has finished growing? Hmmm interesting to see if he'll get stronger or perhaps work on his agility/speed. He's got very good hands and vision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip The Mesh Posted October 17, 2023 Share Posted October 17, 2023 (edited) Pretty nice shot! High hopes here for sure... Edited October 17, 2023 by Rip The Mesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blitz-Pix Posted October 21, 2023 Share Posted October 21, 2023 Vilmer Alriksson scores the go-ahead goal for the Storm. Make that 3 on the season for the Big Man. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
204CanucksFan Posted October 21, 2023 Share Posted October 21, 2023 (edited) HF. Did I miss something. Are you VC? That's the 3rd time today you've beaten me while I was typing Edited October 21, 2023 by 204CanucksFan 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AatuD2 Posted October 21, 2023 Share Posted October 21, 2023 6 minutes ago, 204CanucksFan said: HF. Did I miss something. Are you VC? That's the 3rd time you've beaten me while I was typing 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blitz-Pix Posted October 21, 2023 Share Posted October 21, 2023 (edited) Vilmer Alriksson opens the scoring for the Storm. 4th of the season for Vilmer Edited October 21, 2023 by Blitz-Pix 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_Cathode Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 Big players are often interesting. Big, skilled players are really interesting. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip The Mesh Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 2 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AatuD2 Posted October 22, 2023 Share Posted October 22, 2023 51 minutes ago, Rip The Mesh said: \ Sorry Vilmer, if this was any other year, we'd be excited. But we already have Tom and Hunter. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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