Albin Grewe’s T-Rex level aggression has him within picking range. Should Boston be his next stomping ground?

Analysis:

So about that description.

Robert Ohlsson is the coach of Djurgardens IF, Grewe’s hockey club. After a 2-1 victory that involved Grewe playing at his best, he chose some fantastic words to describe his young talent post-game:

He is the highest in the food chain, a t-rex, eats everything and believes that everything is under him.

High praise for a 17 year old playing against men who couldn’t quite get a point in the SHL, but watching him? You immediately get the impression that he’s not messing around.

Grewe’s game is that of a speedy skater with a level of single-minded aggressiveness for the puck and for making his 6’0 frame seem like a much larger, scarier thing just by his relentless forecheck. And did I mention the physicality? I really should point out his physicality.

TRAIN’S COMIN’ THROUGH

Of course, now that I have your attention, I should point out that isn’t the biggest thing in his arsenal, it’s his ability to keep the play alive and create scoring chances at a near moment’s notice, which makes him a terror on the open ice of the SHL and in international competition.

Indeed, Grewe doesn’t much care for defenders trying to get in his way or get the puck away from him, and as a result he seems to know intuitively just the right pass, shot, or to take defenders off of their positions and try to stop him. Which is of course, way harder than it looks.

Where Grewe falls short on the other hand, is discipline. Grewe embodies all aspects of the T-Rex, and we have to assume then that he’s also picked up it’s temper. If he gets particularly heated, he’ll commit a stupendously dumb penalty here or there and as a result will be putting his team at a significant disadvantage because he can’t control himself. There are also some concerns about his skating agility, in that he’s not super great moving horizontally and that is a skill you’ll need for neutral zone play in the NHL. Another area of need is puck control, in that his incredible hands sometimes get ahead of him and force him to go pick up a puck that could’ve been a pretty slick shot due to his body just not being able to match up with what his hungry mind is telling him. Another nasty little snag is that he’s often gotten hurt at the worst possible time, delaying his chances to prove himself on the international stage as well as the swedish stage. Drafting him will be almost entirely be about putting him in front of the skating coach and the athletic trainer and ensuring they’re well acquainted.

Grewe appears to be set up to go either very late in the first round due to his upside, or drop to the second round entirely due to his concerns on all-sides mobility and puck control. If he drops to the 2nd, there’s not much the Bruins can do about it this year...But, if the B’s think they can make this kid work? I don’t see any reason why they can’t use pick #30 to help nature find a way.

Rankings:

• #48th by The Athletic
• #88th by HockeyProspect.com
• #40th by Future Considerations
• #56th by McKeen’s Hockey
• #13th by NHL Central Scouting among Europeans
• #25nd by EliteProspects.com
• #48th by TSN/McKenzie