Claimed:Niels Skovgaard Rookie Profile [FINAL: 8/8]

[Tim 182]

Niels Skovgaard

Position: Right Wing

Age: 18

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 195 lbs

Birthplace: Copenhagen, Denmark

Niels Skovgaard is one of two Danish prospects expected to be selected in the S46 VHL Draft. Currently playing for the Saskatoon Wild of the VHLM, Niels has been regarded as one of the main pieces that brought Saskatoon to the conference finals. Skovgaard's play style has generally been team-focused, but he has been known to find the back of the net occasionally. Expected to be taken near the end of the first round or at the start of the second round, Niels should have all the tools to make an impact on his VHL team within 2 seasons. 

Strengths

Vision: Skovgaard's hockey sense could be regarded as one of the best in his draft class. He can see plays developing very well, which complements his team-centered play nicely. The way he is known to set up other players for quality chances can change the flow of games. Skovgaard can be a real offensive treat if he is paired with a skilled goal-scoring threat. 

Endurance: Niels has been known throughout his career as a forward who can eat minutes. In S45 in the VHLM, Niels had the 3rd most overall minutes played among all players. This trait allows Skovgaard to thrive on the penalty kill and power-play, along with playing regular-strength minutes. Niels' endurance could be the reason he makes it into the VHL directly after he is drafted.

Two-Way Play: Another reason Skovgaard can thrive on the penalty kill is his two-way play. This also relates to his vision as he has a good ability to read the offense to try and break up any scoring chances. He won't just linger on the blue line waiting for his team to make a play; he will get try to make the play for his team himself.

Weaknesses

Leadership: On and off the ice, Niels has been known mainly as being a follower, rather than a leader. He is known to be quite quiet most of the time, and he won't say much unless he is being talked to. Some say that him coming to play junior hockey in Canada, somewhere he couldn't speak the language very well, might have been a reason why he was not very communicative. 

Durability: Injuries are nothing new to Skovgaard as he attempts to make a VHL team. His defensive play style means he will get down to block shots occasionally, but a lot of the time this doesn't end very well for him. This is something he is always looking to improve on, as he does not want to be known as the Derrick Rose of the VHL. 

Position: Scouts are saying one of Skovgaard's main downfalls is that he isn't a center. When people look over Niels' skill set, it is obvious that he has all the tools to be a great two-way playmaking center. The only problem is that he has never been able to take faceoffs in his career. Some people have said that Niels' ranking could be even higher if he was entering the draft as a center. 

 

 

 

 

[boubabi 4,725]

good stuff mate 

[eaglesfan036 4,598]

cool

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

Overview: 2/2 - Overall, was a nice piece that did a great job of introducing your player in a short and concise manner meant for a rookie profile.

Pros & Cons: 3/3 - Meets the word minimum and does a good job of describing your player. Nothing wrong with a good playmaking winger.

Grammar: 2/2 - Didn't notice anything. Good job!

Presentation: 1/1 - Nicely done.

Overall: 8/8

[CowboyinAmerica 2,889]

Claimed