One of the three players the Vancouver Canucks received in the Quinn Hughes trade was winger Liam Öhgren. The 21-year-old is from Sweden and has already played 46 games in the NHL. Listed at 6'0", 187 lbs, Öhgren was drafted 19th overall by the Minnesota Wild in 2022.
Öhgren's name should sound familiar to Canucks fans as he spent his pre-NHL career in Sweden playing alongside Jonathan Lekkerimäki. The two played for Djurgårdens IF and were often on a line together both for their club and when selected to play internationally for Sweden. It is clear that these two have some chemistry, which could help Lekkerimäki and Öhgren get more settled in the NHL.
Here is what The Hockey News' 2023 Draft Preview edition said about Öhgren. In the edition, he was ranked 20th overall. As for his best-case comparable, that was Filip Forsberg.
"The Captain of Sweden’s world under-18 team, Ohgren was a solid contributor for the gold-winning side, especially in the final when he had two goals and three points in the 6-4 win over Team USA. But the template for success was set earlier, as Ohgren ripped up the Swedish junior ranks. “He’s well-built and has a heavy release,” said one scout. “He has a shoot-first mentality, but he can also make plays. More of an up-and-down winger with compete level and skill.”
Ohgren spent half the year up in the SHL, and while he didn’t post numbers, that experience is good for a teenager. Unfortunately, Djurgarden was relegated, so his next action with the team would be in the second-tier Allsvenskan. Nonetheless, he has a great skill package.
The only question is what his ceiling will be. “He’s strong and well along the way (in his development),” said another scout. “Well built, strong skater, easy to project, and he’s got unbelievable numbers in junior. It just depends on whether people think it will translate. Is he a point producer or more of a hardworking, up-and-down winger on projection? I mean, he’s been a goal-per-gamer.”
Öhgren is known for his heavy shot. He isn't afraid to get pucks on net, which is evident by his 40 shot attempts in 18 games this year. Where Öhgren's shot comes in handy is on rush attempts, as he can drive pucks on net and create rebounds off the wing.
Öhgren is also a player who uses his speed to get in on the forecheck and throw hits on defenders. He has 29 hits this year and, as per the NHL stats page, is averaging 10.13 per 60 minutes played. At this point, he is still learning how to be an impactful player at the NHL level, but that is not uncommon for prospects of his age.
This season has not gone the way Öhgren had planned. He doesn't have a point in his first 18 games and is averaging just 9:32 of ice time. That being said, his game has started to trend upwards over the last two games, as he had 13 shot attempts for the Wild.
If Vancouver can develop Öhgren correctly, they may have just added a key part of their top-six for the foreseeable future. He is an intriguing prospect who has the potential to contribute both at even strength and on the power play. Ultimately, it was a savvy move to include him in the Hughes deal, as Öhgren could have a bright future ahead of him.
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