2017 Draft Prospect Profile: Erik Brannstrom
Size doesn’t matter when you are tough.
Erik Brannstrom
Position: D
Current Team: HV71
Date of Birth: September 2nd, 1999
Hometown: Eksjo, SWE
Height: 5’10” (179 cm)
Weight: 179 lbs (81 kg)
Shoots: L
Don’t let Erik Brannstrom’s size fool you. Not only can he outskate most opponents, he outmuscles the competition as well. If you have the puck and are heading for the goal, you probably won’t get far while Brannstrom is on the ice.
Let’s take this even further. If you are a member of the opposing team and you have the puck, Brannstrom is not going to allow you to keep the puck for long. He will strip you of the puck by any legal means necessary.
When Brannstrom has the puck finding his teammate seems easy. No matter where they are on the ice, Brannstrom seems to know how to get the puck to his mates.
Many scouts have said Brannstrom is comparable to Cale Makar, who is slated to go be taken early in the first round.
If the Jackets were to take Brannstrom in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, it would be in their best interest to start him out in the AHL. They need to see if Brannstrom can handle being double teamed and the rough style of play many posses in the league.
He and Gabriel Carlsson have a very similar style of play as well. The organization could benefit from having multiple two-way defensemen to use during a game.
Career Stats
Erik Brannstrom Career Stats
| SEASON | TEAM | LEAGUE | GP | G | A | TP | PIM | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | HV71 U16 | U16 Elit | 23 | 7 | 20 | 27 | 22 | |
| HV71 U16 | U16 SM | 8 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 4 | ||
| HV71 J18 | J18 Allsvenskan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | |
| 2014-15 | HV71 U16 | U16 Elit | 8 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 24 | |
| HV71 J18 | J18 Elit | 15 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 8 | 11 | |
| HV71 J18 | J18 Allsvenskan | 18 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 6 | 8 | |
| HV71 J20 | SuperElit | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| Sweden U16 (all) | International-Jr | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2015-16 | HV71 J18 | J18 Elit | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| HV71 J18 | J18 Allsvenskan | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | |
| HV71 J20 | SuperElit | 41 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 26 | -4 | |
| HV71 | SHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | |
| Sweden U17 | WHC-17 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | ||
| Sweden U17 (all) | International-Jr | 10 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 1 | |
| Sweden U18 | WJC-18 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 0 | |
| Sweden U18 (all) | International-Jr | 17 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 18 | -1 | |
| 2016-17 | HV71 J20 | SuperElit | 19 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 18 | 13 |
| HV71 | SHL | 35 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 10 | |
| Sweden U18 | WJC-18 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | -5 | |
| Sweden U18 (all) | International-Jr | 17 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 39 | -12 | |
| Sweden U20 (all) | International-Jr | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | -1 |
Scouting Reports
A diminutive, but highly skilled offensive blueliner…a smooth skater who is mobile and able to escape pressure…has great poise with the puck and tremendous vision…makes great outlet passes and has the ability to run a PP…a good puck-mover who can skate it up ice himself and he also boasts a heavy point shot… extremely smart…makes great reads at both ends and knows when to get involved offensively…able to keep up with the quicker skilled opponents not only because of quickness but because of his awareness and smarts… - Future Considerations
NHL teams who favour a smart possession game will love Brannstrom. Undersized by traditional standards (5-foot-10, 179 pounds), but moves the puck great. At the Five Nations Tournament he played like every shift was his last and tried to make something happen every time he was out there. Scouts noticed. - Jeff Marek - Sportsnet
Gap control is an attribute of Brannstrom’s that really impresses and makes him a great prospect that has really been overlooked. His stick work in the neutral zone and coming back on the rush are superb. He is quick to efficiently estimate the appropriate amount of space he can allow with the incoming opposition, and then he pounces to dissolve the potential threat. - Last Word On Sports