Position: Defense
Age: 17
Date of Birth: July 20, 1993
Place of Birth: Karlstad, Sweden
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 200
Shoots: Left
Oscar Klefbom is young, but managed to make his debut in the Swedish Elite League, playing with Färjestads BK for 23 games. Much like countryman Adam Larsson, Klefbom is blessed with a huge frame and the size to go with it. Central Scouting has him ranked as the 6th European skater heading into the draft. Klefbom isn’t yet known for his offensive game, though he was playing pretty high above his age level this past season. Despite his size, he’s a very good skater and can recover back into position after joining the offensive rush. He’s a good passer and has a decent-but-not-great point shot.
2010/2011 Regular Season Stats:
| GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM |
| 22 | 1 | 1 | 2 | +1 | 2 |
Scouting Report (The Hockey Writers):
“Despite being a big defenseman, Klefbom has very strong skating skills. He a great first stride which helps him join the rush if need be. He can cover a lot of ice in a short amount of time, which helps him get back into position if he gets beat one on one.
Overall Oscar Klefbom is strong with the puck especially at a young age. With an average shot from the point, and good passing skills he should see his point totals increase while playing for Färjestad next year. He needs to work a little bit more on the offensive aspect of his game however, to take it to the next level.
Oscar Klefbom’s defensive game is his strong point this early in his career. He needs to improve his positioning, but has already mastered using his body as a strength. His strong skating has also helped the defensive aspects of his game. With his size he brings a good amount of grit and aggression to the game as well.”
Why he’d be a good fit in Columbus:
In a word, size. He’s a huge body and can skate, though his lack of offensive polish at the moment would hold him back for what Columbus would like to do on defense. Klefbom will probably be a mid-to-late first round pick, so it’s not like he’d be on the Jackets’ radar without some serious movement down the draft board. That said, given his youth he has room to improve offensively, and can continue to use his size and mobility on the defensive side.