Second City Hockey’s 2019-20 preseason Blackhawks Top 25 Under 25 series ranks the organization’s top 25 players under the age of 25 by Oct. 1, 2019. The rankings are determined by a composite score from six SCH writers and more than 70 readers. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production against future projection to rank each player. The six SCH writers will make their ballots public after the series is completed.
After two full-time SHL seasons with Brynäs, Lucas Carlsson signed with the Blackhawks in May 2018 to make the jump to North America to play in the AHL. It was a smooth transition for him as he became the IceHogs most consistent defensemen. He led the group with 33 points, including 21 (six goals, eight primary assists) during 5-on-5 play, according to prospect-stats.com. He was also on the ice for 41 goals for and 45 against.
He’s a smooth skater like most Swedish defensemen, looks comfortable skating the puck in transition out of the defensive zone and played on the team’s power play. However, there were times later in the season he didn’t look as engaged to close his gap against opponents. That might’ve been due to the increase in physicality and number of games compared to the SHL.
There’s always discussion about the Blackhawks three musketeers on the blue line with 2017 second-rounder Ian Mitchell and 2018 first-rounders Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin, but Carlsson showed last season he shouldn’t be forgotten among the team’s defensive prospects.
Here’s Carlsson’s PNHLe value from DobberProspects that projects a prospect’s point potential at the NHL level.
What’s next?
At the end of last season, it looked like Carlsson might be in the mix to be a call up and he still could but the additions of Olli Maatta and Calvin de Haan via trades push him to stay in the AHL where he can keep logging heavy minutes.
Is Lucas Carlsson ranked too low, just right or too high?
| Low | 32 |
| Just right | 126 |
| High | 42 |