By Mike Beasley /
It all boils down to two players.
Either John Tavares or Victor Hedman will be selected first overall at the 2009 NHL ?Entry Draft.
Some scouts say it will be Tavares while others prefer Hedman.
It’s the classic stalemate.
One thing is for sure, both players are in a class of their own.
Playing in front of dozens of NHL general managers and scouts at the 2009 IIHF U-20 Championships in Ottawa, Tavares’ and Hedman’s every on-ice move came under close scrutiny.
Everybody knew that Tavares was an offensive machine, which he proved to be during Canada’s six games, picking up 7-8-15 points.
Tavares was named the tournament’s Top Forward and MVP, which could make him a lock to be selected number one in June but it all depends on what a team is looking for.
If a team needs offence, Tavares will be their man; if they’re looking for a large mobile presence on the back end, Hedman will be the way to go.
While many spoke about the Swedish defenceman’s immense talents, a select few had seen them on display.
The first thing that you notice about Hedman is his size.
At 6-6, 220 pounds, the Swedish defender is one, if not the biggest player on the ice.
After that, the skill level and calmness that he plays with is extremely impressive considering he only turned 18-years-old last December.
Off the ice, he speaks with the confidence of a man – not a teenager. When asked about the possibility of playing in the NHL one day, Hedman answered without any hesitation.
“I want to play in the NHL as fast as possible. I know that I have to show people I can play in that league. I know that the scouts have been around for a couple of years and were really watching me in Ottawa. But I didn’t do anything differently just to impress them.”
Despite his young age, Hedman was never fazed by the amount of media attention he received at the World Junior Championships in Ottawa.
He courteously answered the endless amount of questions that were thrown his way, regularly keeping the team bus waiting until he was done.
Playing in the spotlight didn’t seem to hamper his play at all, regularly putting in 20 to 25 minutes a game and never wilted under the pressure of trying to win a gold medal or wowing the NHL’s decision makers.
“I hope the pressure affected him a little bit, otherwise he wouldn’t be human,” said Pars Mart, Sweden’s head coach. “Victor has seemed to live with it. It’s almost like he has let go of all the pressure and started to think less on the ice and just play. At last year’s tournament, he was just another player. Now he has learned to play with everything around him.”
He’s already one of the youngest Swedish players ever to make his debut with the national men’s team, having played an exhibition game this past fall while still 17.
Don’t be surprised to see Hedman represent Sweden at the 2009 World Championship.
Hedman certainly has all the tools to be a pro player. At full speed, he needs about two to three strides to skate between the blue lines. His passes are always tape-to-tape.
On defence, his immense reach forces his opponents to take the long way around, very often ending up with the opposing player being crunched into the side or corner boards by the ?big guy.
Offensively, he likes to drift into the opposing end and call for a pass with a flick of his stick or a tap on the ice.
Comparisons have been made to Zdeno Chara and Chris Pronger. Hedman likes fellow countryman Nick Lidstrom but sees the resemblance in Chara and Pronger.
“I’m Victor Hedman the hockey player, my goal is to play to the best of my ability everyday and continue to improve so that one day I will skate in the NHL. That’s my dream.”
The dream will begin for Hedman on June 26 in Montreal. |