Erik Hedman - Defensemen
Player Info
Name: Erik Hedman
Age: 19
Height: 6'6
Weight: 225 lbs
Born: Ornskoldsvik, Sweden
Position: Defensemen
Shoots: Right
Team: Moscow Red Wolves
Player Bio:
Hedman grew up in Sweden playing hockey the day he was born and is the younger brother of NHL Star Victor Hedman. He plays a lot like him too. Part of a big hockey family, Erik has played all his life. He graduated high school with honours and is considered a scholar, the only one of his three sibling that can claim that. He made the move to Moscow just this year and has made an immediate impact. Hedman is fluent is Swedish, and is still adapting to English and Russian which is thrown around a lot in Moscow where he currently plays.
Strengths:
Strength: Hedman is one of the bigger defensemen in the league and makes it known. At 6'6 he is a strong presence and is tough to knock off the puck. He can outmuscle a lot of forwards in front of the net and on the rush. His strength also translates to a heavy slapshot but slower agility.
Checking: Erik can lay out some big hits without losing position. Using his size and strength he is one of the most feared defensemen out there for opposing forwards. He is a brutal foe in front of the net or along the boards. He can knock players over simply by skating into them or getting in their way.
Defense: Being a defensemen Hedman plays the position exceptionally well. While he is known for making big hits and using his body, he is very adept at using his stick to break-up plays or staying with his man. Not many players can beat Hedman one on one in the defensive zone. He is very defensively sound and is a must on every team's penalty kill.
Leadership: Hedman has the tools to be a future leader and has the right personality. Language difficulties could be the only thing getting in the way of that but Hedman has captained many teams in his youth and is a scholar.
Weaknesses:
Scoring: Hedman hasn't yet perfected his ability to shoot the puck. While he is big and defensively sound he won't contribute significantly on the scoreboard. He has a booming slapshot but needs to work on his accuracy. This isn't a terrible weakness to have as a physical defensemen however, and he can improve yet.
Puck Handling: Hedman isn't going to deke players out of their jocks, he is average at best at handling the puck. His strength still makes him difficult to knock off the puck but he can certainly improve this part of his game yet.
Discipline: While he is not by any means a 'dirty player' Hedman has his fair share of penalty problems which is to be expected of a 6'6 physical defensemen. Hedman will put your team down shorthanded every once in awhile, but he is also your best penalty killer when he's not in the box.
Final Comments:
Hedman is a defensively sound, physical defensemen that hits hard. He is strong with the puck and without and is a feared defender. Offensively he has potential but don't count on a lot from his right away until he develops that part of his game. He is calm, collected and a physical force.