As we near the end of the BSH community draft board, we come to a player who I have valued highly for a long time, but whose stock has dropped in recent months, either fairly or unfairly depending on who you ask.
Personally, I think this is due to other prospects improving at a more rapid rate than anything he has done to limit his stock, but Zion Nybeck has certainly been valued less than previously thought. Nybeck has an impressive toolkit, and it’s clear watching him play that he is every bit as gifted as the players above him. However, scouts have knocked him for his small stature and lack of top end speed. He also isn’t the best defensively, but when you watch his play in the offensive zone, it’s clear to see a path to greatness for him.
BSH 2020 Community Draft Board, No. 30: Zion Nybeck
2019-20 Season
Team: HV71 (SHL, U-20)
Statistics: 27 G, 39 A in 42 GP (U-20), 1 G, 0 A in 15 GP (SHL)
Pre-draft rankings
No. 29 (European skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
No. 30 by Future Considerations
No. NR by ISS Hockey
No. 24 by The Athletic (Wheeler)
What’s there to like?
Nybeck is an amazing stickhandler, and he is easily up there in that regard with the top 10-15 picks in the draft in terms of his ability to turn defenders inside out. His hands are lightning quick and he’s able to very quickly read what defenders are doing, allowing him to make them look foolish. He is very good at going “inside-out” on defensemen skating backwards, and his unpredictability makes him very difficult to contain when he gets going.
Nybeck can also create off of the perimeter however, I would say he is more of a central goalscorer. He doesn’t have an “A” grade shot, but he shoots well enough, and you’re really going to notice his puck skills which allows him to work past defenders to get to the areas of the ice where he can be dangerous. You aren’t looking at a pure sniper here. However, regardless, he is lethal offensively
What’s not to like?
Nybeck’s skating is fine, but isn’t going to set any records in how quick he gets from point A to B. This doesn’t mean he’s a clunky skater, however. He is fairly elusive, however, because he is such a small player, many are left disappointed by his average speed.
Nybeck has also been knocked for his play style. He doesn’t use his physicality on the ice near at all. Now, I don’t need him to be a physical forward, but I worry he could get hurt at the NHL level quite often unless he adds something to his game to bulk him up, improve his speed, or add a hidden element to his game that we haven’t seen before.
Lastly, I’ve seen other players improve exponentially through this past season, whereas Nybeck has more or less stagnated. I don’t think that Nybeck has become any worse, or that his future is less bright, but other prospects did excite me more.
How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?
As an offensive, goalscoring winger, Nybeck would fill a gap in the Flyers’ prospect ranks. However, I think there are better fits. A player like Tyson Foerster or Jacob Perreault, more of a sniper, would fit better for the Flyers since they don’t really have anybody like that at the NHL level. Bobby Brink is the closest prospect in terms of that role, but it isn’t a perfect comparison. Nybeck’s skill and dangles make him a great fit anywhere, but in this specific instance, perhaps the Flyers are best going elsewhere.
Could the Flyers actually get him?
Yes, as he’s getting a very late first/high-mid second round comp. Therefore, however, unless the Flyers traded to move down from their spot in the first round, or even simply trade that pick in some fashion, I wouldn’t want them to take Nybeck that high. However, in the second round, I would be more than happy with the selection. The Flyers scout very heavily in Sweden and like to draft from the country, so I’m all but certain they’ve had more than a cursory glance at Nybeck.
2020 BSH Community Draft Board
- Alexis Lafreniere — LW, Rimouski (QMJHL)
- Quinton Byfield — C, Sudbury (OHL)
- Marco Rossi — C, Ottawa (OHL)
- Tim Stützle — LW/C, Manheim (DEL)
- Cole Perfetti — LW/C, Saginaw (OHL)
- Lucas Raymond — RW, Frölunda (SHL)
- Jamie Drysdale — D, Erie (OHL)
- Alexander Holtz — LW/RW, Djurgardens (SHL)
- Yaroslav Askarov — G, SKA (KHL)
- Anton Lundell — C, HIFK (Liiga)
- Connor Zary — C, Kamloops (WHL)
- Seth Jarvis — RW/C, Portland (WHL)
- Jake Sanderson — D, USNTDP (USHL)
- Noel Gunler — RW/LW, Lulea (SHL)
- Jan Mysak — C, Hamilton (OHL)
- Jack Quinn — RW, Ottawa (OHL)
- Jacob Perreault — RW, Sarnia (OHL)
- Mavrik Bourque — C, Shawinigan (QMJHL)
- Dylan Holloway — LW, Univ. of Wisconsin (NCAA)
- Rodion Amirov — L, Neftekamst (VHL)
- Hendrix Lapierre — C, Chicoutimi (QJMHL)
- Kaiden Guhle — D, Prince Albert (WHL)
- Braden Schneider, D, Brandon (WHL)
- Dawson Mercer — RW, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
- Lukas Reichel — LW, Berlin (DEL)
- Helge Grans — D, Malmo (SHL)
- Jeremie Poirier — D, Saint John (QMJHL)
- Kasper Simontaival — RW, Tappara (Liiga)
- Emil Andrae — D, HV71 (SHL)
- Zion Nybeck — LW/RW, HV71 (SHL)
