The Draft Board: Victor Hedman

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 is to help us prepare our draft board. Since PPP doesn't write features for the site anymore I'm going back to back to bring you draft coverage. Up next the ISS #3, Victor Hedman.

6'6" and 225lbs at the age of 18, Victor Hedman is, to quote fellow Swede Borje Salming, a "big fellow". Roughly the size of Chris Pronger, Victor Hedman doesn't have a mean elbow or skate blade in his body. He's a silky skating goal scoring shutdown defenseman in the mold of Niklas Lidstrom, and that's why Hedman could go #1 overall if the Islanders decide against Tavares.

Hedman's been spending his time playing for MODO of the SEL which is a professional league for adults, not a junior league. In two seasons in the Elitserien Hedman has the following stat line:

Not too shabby at all. He did however have a poor showing at the WJHC where it was rumored he was playing with a shoulder injury:

All the advance billing given to the 6-foot-6, 220-pounder put expectations in the stratosphere -- and try as he might, not even Hedman could reach them. In six games for Sweden, Hedman was a plus-4, but had just 2 assists and three minor penalties. He also was booed unmercifully by the Canadian crowd every time he touched the puck in the gold-medal game after throwing a punch at Team Canada forward Angelo Esposito.

So PPPers how good do you think Victor Hedman is? Weigh in on our poll and then defend yourselves in the comments.

How good will Hedman end up being?