Fabian Lysell

2020-21 Team: Luleå HF
Date of Birth: Jan.19, 2003
Place of Birth: Goteborg, Sweden
Ht: 5’ 10” Wt: 168 lbs
Shoots: R
Position: RW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2021 first-year eligible

Rankings

• NHL Central Scouting: A- Level Prospect
• Future Considerations: 10^th
• Recruit Scouting: 8^th
• THW Peter Baracchini’s March Rankings: 2^nd
• THW Andrew Forbes’ February Rankings: 9^th
• THW Matthew Zator’s February Rankings: 8^th
• Bob McKenzie’s Rankings: 12^th
• Smaht Scouting Winter Rankings: 5^th
• DobberProspects March Rankings: 3^rd

In a draft year where the forwards don’t have many household names like last year’s draft with Alexis Lafrenière and Quinton Byfield, Luleå’s Fabian Lysell is one that should garner a lot of attention at the top of the draft board.

Lysell has been a major standout at the junior level throughout his career. He registered 34 points in only 14 games with Frölunda’s J18 team and was above a point per game at the J20 level with 13 points in 11 games. According to Pick224, Lysell has a really good primary point estimated per 60 (P1/e60) rate of 3.5 in his draft year.

Related: 2021 NHL Draft Guide

While two goals and three points in 25 SHL games doesn’t seem like a major eye popper in terms of production, Lysell has done a good job since he requested a transfer from Frölunda HC citing that he wanted a “fresh start”. The fact that he’s holding his own at the senior level is a great sign for his development. 

Lysell is an offensive dynamo with excellent awareness and the ability to hurt you offensively. His greatest asset lies in his skating abilities as he has a very smooth stride and quick movements when navigating the ice. He has great speed to evade and blow by the opposition and moves the play very quickly when the puck is on his stick. He has great balance and edges that allows him to maneuver easily in difficult situations. 

His playmaking abilities are also a major part of his game. His quick hands allows him to out play his opponent in high traffic areas, be it along the boards or in front of the net. He has great vision to swiftly make plays and easily connect with his teammates. Even in difficult situations, he always seems to make the right play. He provides great support for his teammates, as he’s there to help take some of the pressure off and creates the space necessary for him to set up a play.

Lysell is very quick in transition and is hard to contain when he’s cycling the play in the offensive zone. He’s always in constant pursuit for the puck to battle and gain possession. While he’s not the biggest player on the ice, he isn’t afraid to be aggressive on the forecheck as he always comes out on top in those one-on-one battles. 

He’s also effective defensively, as his speed allows him to come back quickly and help on the backcheck. He has a quick stick to break plays up and can make a quick stick lift to easily steal the puck. He applies great pressure when on the defensive side providing great coverage and giving little time for the opponent to make a play. 

While he does need to grow and get stronger, there are times where he could keep things simple. However, it doesn’t hinder his play or harm the team. Good things always tend to happen when he’s on the ice.

Other THW Draft Profiles

• Kent Johnson
• Fyodor Svechkov
• Dylan Guenther

Fabian Lysell- NHL Draft Projection

There’s no doubt that Lysell has the skillset to be a first round selection in this year’s draft. His draft position will vary as many early rankings have him in the top five or even just outside of the top 10. It’s very possible that his name could be called earlier than expected. 

Quotables

“Dynamic is an understatement when it comes to Lysell. His combination of hands and speed are breath-taking. It is rare for even an experienced, skilled, NHL player to have the puck control, poise and confidence to make the moves Lysell does with ease in full-stride. Puck-on-a-string comes to mind. His feel make it seems like he was born with a stick in his hands, or simply that it is an extension of his body itself… Defensively he works hard, and is great at picking off passes, disrupting lanes, and turning defense into offense. While no stalwart I would argue that he is at very worst “average” defensively for a winger his age. He is not physical in the slightest, which may draw some into the conclusion he does not commit enough in his own end… but when you key in on him he hustles hard inside his half of ice, and can cover for his center when they get caught up ice.”- Alexander Appleyard, Smaht Scouting

“Lysell’s greatest attribute is his skating, with speed to burn and the agility to adjust and play through traffic. He is an excellent puck handler and can make moves at high speed, as well as in tight around the net. He lacks size and strength but does a good job of protecting the puck on his outside hip while looking to make a play. Lysell hunts pucks while closing quickly on the forecheck and does well to evade defenders in confined spaces by using his low center of gravity to get underneath checks. Able to turn on a dime due to his great edges and ability to transfer weight quickly, Lysell is slippery along the boards. He is a responsible defensive player who supports the play well in the offensive zone and does an even better job of tracking the play in defensive transition, taking intelligent angles in pursuit.”- Nick Richard, Dobber Prospects 

“He is a truly electric talent, using his fantastic speed, hands and hockey sense to blaze around the ice and make dramatic things happen. He is a machine when it comes to zone exits and entries, taking no time at all to hit his excellent top gear while also having the hands and the crossovers to smoothly dart around or through traffic. Not only can he play fast, he also knows where to go and where his teammates are headed. Even more impressive, he’s not just blindly trying to go fast all the time, as he picks the right situations to stop, curl and set things up for his team in the offensive zone. He’s equally as dangerous in the cycle as on the rush, as he can circle the zone and play keep-away with the puck until he finds an opening. His passes are crisp and accurate, and he can make backhands, saucers and backhand sauces all look easy.”- Derek Neumeier, Future Considerations

Strengths 

• Skating
• Passing
• Forechecking
• Puck Possession 
• Vision

Under Construction- Improvements to Make

• Size and Strength
• Keep things simple

NHL Potential

Lysell has the potential to be a real steady top-six player at the NHL level. Seeing himself as a first line winger isn’t out of the question as he can be a valuable point producer with his smarts and skillset. With his quick puck movement, he also has the ability to be a major contributor on the first power play unit.

Risk/Reward Analysis

Risk- 2/5, Reward 4/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense- 8.5/10, Defense 7.5/10

Awards/ Achievements

Lysell has won a U16 SM silver medal in 2017-18 along with a gold medal in 2018-19, being named most valuable player for that season. He also won a J18 gold medal for that season.

Interviews/ Links

• Dobbert Prospects Game Tape Breakdown

Videos