Puck-moving defenceman? Check. With a clear offensive upside? Check? A Swede? Check. Somewhere there will always be comparisons with other skilled blue-liners from Sweden, be it Viktor Hedman, Erik Karlsson, or Rasmus Dahlin.
Mattias Norlinder is trying to build his own reputation among some of Sweden’s top defenders. It is a tough thing to do, and with the Capital of Hockey being a defender down, all eyes turned to Sweden and Norlinder as he signed with the Montreal Canadiens this spring.
Can he make that jump with his training camp performance? That is the main question in Montreal, and that is why he is ranked fourth in the Top 25 Under 25.