LA Kings Draft: Jesper Wallstedt 2021 NHL Draft Prospect Profile
Jesper Wallstedt will be the number one goalie off the board in the 2021 NHL Draft? Will the LA Kings shock everyone and grab him?
The LA Kings have more or less handed the reins to Cal Petersen for goaltending duties with Jonathan Quick in the twilight of his career. As an organization, the Kings have guys like Lukas Parik, David Hrenak, and Jacob Ingham to be excited about. Of course, before Quick’s emergence, it was a carousel of hopeful goaltenders before the third-rounder took the job in the 08-09 season.
Jesper Wallstedt is, without question, the best goaltender in this year’s draft. His rankings suggest he could go anywhere from the top five to where Yaroslav Askarov went last season, 11th overall to the Nashville Predators.
Depending on the draft order, the Kings may be in a position to take the best player available, which could be Wallstedt.
Jesper Wallstedt, G
Vitals
- Age: 18
- Height: 6’3″
- Weight: 214 lbs
- Catches: L
Related Story. Luke Hughes 2021 NHL Draft Prospect Profile. light
Rankings
- Ranked #8 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
- Ranked #5 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
- Ranked #7 by FCHOCKEY
- Ranked #17 by NEUTRAL ZONE
- Ranked #4 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
- Ranked #12 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
- Ranked #4 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
- Ranked #10 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
- Ranked #8 by SMAHT SCOUTING
- Ranked #10 by THE PUCK AUTHORITY
- Ranked #10 by TSN/McKenzie
Scouting Report
December 2020 – Jesper Wallstedt is a name you’re going to want to remember. The Swedish netminder has long been on the radar as a top-flight prospect and he’s done nothing to dispel that notion early on in 2020-21. The 18-year-old recently posted his first-career SHL shutout when he stopped 22 shots in a 4-0 victory. That improved his record to 5-2-0 on the season to go along with a league-leading .933 save percentage and 1.66 goals-against-average. This upcoming 2021 draft class is a unique one. There are a handful of very talented defenders who will litter the top-10 selection. There is not one obvious elite forward talent. And then there’s Wallstedt. Just like the hype surrounding Yaroslav Askarov a year ago, we will have the same type of thing happing this year with Wallstedt. A likely top-10 talent, but will he go that early? My guess is he lands around the same spot as Askarov. Dobber Prospects/Robinson
Production
- 19-20: 2.53 GAA, .923 SV%, 2 shutouts, and a 16-11-0 record in 28 games for Luleå HF J20
- 19-20: 2.82 GAA, .922 SV%, 1-5-0 record in 7 games for Team Sweden’s U18 group
- 20-21: 2.23 GAA, .908 SV%, 2 shutouts, and 12-10-0 record in 22 games for Luleå HF (SHL)
- 2021: 2.40 GAA, .923 SV%, 0-1-0 record in 2 games for Team Sweden at the World Juniors
Video Highlights
Pro Comparison
