With their fifth round pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks drafted their sixth straight forward by selecting Joel Svensson with No. 138 overall pick.
Svensson, who turned 19 in April, is a smooth skating overager who was originally eligible for the draft in 2023, but injuries impacted his original pre-draft season. He had just 12 points (6 G, 6 A) in 22 games with the Växjö Lakers HC in the J20 Nationell league. Luckily for him, Svensson was healthier this past season and was able to improve that production to 33 points (24 G, 9 A) in 25 games in the same league. His improved play gained him a promotion/loan to Hockeyettan (third tier of ice hockey in Sweden), where he added another 8 points (5 G, 3 A) in 10 regular-season games and 9 points (4 G, 5 A) in 12 playoff games for Kristianstads IK.
Svensson is an athletic player with high-level skating skills but also remains a project, as those skills need a lot of rounding out and development. He’s expected to vie for a roster spot with Växjö Lakers HC in the SHL next season.
Here’s some extra information on Svensson from the EliteProspects 2023 NHL Draft Guide:
“Svensson’s skating and awareness of space are his two strongest attributes. He’s most effective when reading gaps and exploiting them, whether that’s by making a quick pass to a moving teammate or driving the net around a passive defender.”