Fantasy Summary
Engström is a mobile defenseman who shines brightest with the puck on his stick in transition; he sparks quick counterattacks and jumps in to support the rush in the offensive zone.
Observations
July 2023 – Engstrom’s D+1 season went better than anybody could have possibly expected. Rocketing up to Rogle’s first-pairing, Engstrom was one of the better U20 players in the entire SHL. He has gone from a relatively unknown player to an NHL option very quickly, and he could quite possibly be a second-pairing guy. Habs fans should be very excited by Engstrom, and fantasy owners may still be able to buy low before everybody catches up to the hype. Aaron Itovitch
August 2022 – The Canadiens selected Engström with the 92nd pick in the 2022 draft. Engström did not get the same attention this year as a handful of his Djurgårdens teammates did. He is a mobile defenseman who has a long way to go to fill out his frame and develop his physical game but who has a very interesting profile in transition. Engström senses pressure very well and can weave out of tricky situations with control. He likes to carry the puck up the ice but is also a capable breakout passer. Upon entering the offensive zone, he happily joins the rush as a trailer to give his teammate a passing or rebound option. His stride is mechanically sound and features a good knee bend, which makes him a fairly powerful straight-line skater. His defensive play has quite a long way to go to project to NHL-average. He is passive in defending transition and despite having an active stick and scanning frequently, passes get through him regularly and the man he covers is rarely fully neutralized as a threat. Offensively, he flashes deception and evasion along with his decent puck management as a passer, but frequent point shots that lack power lead to many turnovers and he lacks a high-end offensive mind as of right now. He will likely spend this upcoming season in the J20 once again but with Rögle this time around. He is a project pick but has some intriguing tools to build around and could develop into a decent #5 defenseman, and possibly even a #4. Sebastian High
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