The Draft Board: Magnus Svensson-Pääjärvi

In preparation for the NHL Draft, we're going to run down the top 15 players as ranked by the ISS and have our users vote for how good they think each player iwill become to help us prepare our draft board. We're starting to get some good momentum so up next is the ISS #4, Magnus Svensson-Pääjärvi.

Magnus Svensson-Pääjärvi is the best of both worlds. The skill of the Swedes with the drinking ability of the Finns thanks to his grandparents. He became Sweden's version of Crosby, Bouwmeester, Lindros, and Spezza when he represented the country at the 2008 World Hockey Championships. He made even more waves a year later during the tournament in Ottawa when he predicted that if the Swedes got two quick goals that Canada would be in trouble. As you can imagine, it became kind of a big deal and he tried to mend some fences:

"It is not impossible to beat them," Paajarvi explained. "If we face them in the final again, we will beat them."

Well, that turned out as well as most predictions from Swedes. At least we know what'll go on his Hockey-Reference page if he ends up playing for a rival. Like his countryman Victor Hedman, MSP has been playing with men for the past two years so his numbers look a bit depressed. He actually has another year left at his club which, if you are looking for good omens (and I just realized that Steve used the same awesome picture), also developed Henrik Zetterberg:

He's done a lot better when playing with his peers. He put up 12 points in 6 games in the previous U18 Championships after getting 7 points in 6 games in Ottawa. His game certainly seems to fit a need that the Leafs have in the forward ranks:

An Extremely fast and fluid skater, and quite possibly the second best player in the 2009 draft. Many comparisons between Magnus and many of the other great Swedes like Forsberg and Sundin who's numbers were comparable at the time. More fairly a comparison between Naslund and Svensson-Paajarvi is a more precise pairing, as his defensive game is not anywhere near the quality of his offensive game. Although he's got a great physical makeup, his style of play ie away from the physical stuff. Aside from that he's a tremendous playmaker and stout goalscorer, putting in quite a few goals, and is adept on the breakaway. He's a guaranteed top 10 pick and may play himself into a top 5 selection.So PPPers how good of a NHLer do you think Magnus Svensson-Pääjärvi will become? Weigh in on our poll and then defend yourselves in the comments.

Rate Svensson-Pääjärvi on a scale of 1-5. Highest average rating will be our #1 player and so on.