2022 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Noah Östlund

As the Blackhawks prepare for the 2022 NHL Draft, we’re profiling some prospects who might be on their draft board when their first pick is on the clock (assuming they stay at No. 38 overall).

Thus far, we have looked at the draft credentials of forwards Jack Hughes and Rieger Lorenz. Now, let’s examine a young center from Sweden (who happens to share a birthday with my brother).

Noah Östlund

Center
DOB: March 11, 2004
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 163
Shoots: Left
2021-22 season: Djurgårdens U20

Ranked #23 by Scott Wheeler (The Athletic)
Ranked #40 by Corey Pronman (The Athletic)
Ranked #18 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU Skaters)
Ranked #51 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
Ranked #32 by Chris Peters
Ranked #27 by Consolidated Ranking
Ranked #33 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #21 by FCHOCKEY
Ranked #19 by McKeen’s Hockey
Ranked #41 by TSN/Craig Button
Ranked #13 by Recruit Scouting
Ranked #31 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
Ranked #30 by Draft Prospects Hockey
Ranked #10 by Smaht Scouting
Ranked #29 by The Puck Authority

From Corey Pronman’s Analysis:

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Below NHL average

“Östlund possesses impressive speed and skill. He’s able to be an asset in transition due to his ability to create controlled entries and make defenders miss. He has a pass-first mentality but can make difficult plays at a high rate. Östlund has the poise to run a power-play unit and find seams but he’s not much of a shot threat. Östlund isn’t the biggest, but he works hard enough and has shown as a junior he can be reliable defensively. He looks like a bottom-six center in the NHL.”

From Scott Wheeler’s Analysis: 

“Östlund’s calling card is his airy, agile skating stride, excellent hands, cleverness, and two-way ability. The skating and defensive aptitude (including on faceoffs) make him an able penalty killer and the rest give him clear tools of creation at five-on-five and on the power play. He wins a ton of short races, creates quickly as soon as he’s in possession, and darts around the ice in control to get into scoring areas or facilitate from the perimeter. His lack of size and strength are definitely going to be impediments as he progresses up levels, but he’s got the benefit of time, his skating, and the fondness coaches have for him to fall back on.”

From Chris Peters’ Analysis:

“A playmaking center, Östlund was a big part of Sweden’s win at the World U18s. He played a ton, has enough defensively to get by. I think the big concern is that his skating is only OK for a player of his size and he needs to get stronger. But, I think there are teams that would pick him in the first if he was in the right spot. But he’s polarizing enough where he might slip and I like the idea of a center there. Centers are hard to find and I think Östlund has a real chance to be a good one down the line. He just needs more time to round out his game.”

From Smaht Scouting:

“When facing tight pressure in the offensive zone, that is when Östlund truly shows what he can bring to the table. Östlund can be very relentless with his pursuit to find tight passing lanes to exploit when he is facing tough vest to vest pressure. While he can be relentless with his pursuit, he doesn’t get frustrated and give up when he can’t find a lane. He doesn’t fire a shot when running out of options unless he absolutely has to. But, when he does find lanes he takes advantage of them right away. Östlund has managed to complete quick tight seam passes to his regular linemates, Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Liam Öhgren. Not only does he complete seam passes through tight quarters, but has also shown that he can wire accurate trajectory / route passes when he runs out of space along the half-wall and identifies a teammate skating hard to the slot. There is also quite a bit of William Eklund in Östlund, especially with how he handles pressure with deception.”

From Last Word on Hockey:

Projection and Comparison:

“Djurgårdens was relegated from the SHL and will play in the second division, the Swedish Allsvenskan next year. This might be a blessing in disguise for Östlund and many of his young teammates. They will be able to play more minutes for the team and continue to develop while also playing against men. Expect to see Östlund back in Sweden and playing for his country at the World Juniors. He also will get the opportunity to round out his game, learn to shoot more, and get stronger. After a couple of years in Sweden, he should come to North America and look to play on smaller ice in the AHL or NHL. Östlund’s game is reminiscent of Brayden Point. This is a stylistic comparison only though and not one based on his skill and ability.”

Is Östlund a fit in Chicago?

Some recent mock drafts have Östlund coming off the board in the late-first round, so this might be a cross-your-fingers prospect for Hawks fans to consider if the team stays at No. 38 overall… or, the organization might like him enough to consider moving up to get him.

Why would the Blackhawks like Östlund? He’s an adequate skater with above average grades for his puck skills and compete. Pronman says he could run a power play and he’s defensively reliable, both of which are elements Chicago should be looking for in this draft. And as Peters pointed out, with proper development he could be a gem in the rough.

Peters saying he’s a polarizing prospect is on full display when you look at where scouts have him ranked — anywhere from 10 to 51, with Bob McKenzie (aka The Godfather) having him the lowest on the list. But this draft is going to require some time for any prospect outside the top 3-5 picks to develop, so having the right elements that the Blackhawks are looking for going into the draft is important. He played a significant role on a winner for Sweden, which also helps adding more of that mindset to the culture of the organization moving forward.

written by

Tab Bamford has been writing about the Chicago Blackhawks for almost two decades. He joined Bleacher Nation as the lead Blackhawks writer in May 2022. Tab is a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and is the author of two books about the Blackhawks: "100 Things Blackhawks Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die" (Triumph Books) and "Chicago Blackhawks: An Illustrated Timeline" (Reedy Press, 2021). Find him on Twitter/X/Instagram/Threads at @The1Tab

more blackhawks news

Blackhawks 0, Senators 2 — Three Stars, Key Takeaways

Remember when the Blackhawks went to California for three games and started each game like they had 45 minutes of hockey to start caring? And dug a deep hole in each game that they were only able to escape from...

Blackhawks at Senators – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

Don't look now, but the Chicago Blackhawks have won six of their last ten games. They still sit in second for the NHL draft lottery, but they're trending in the right direction; they're .500 in the month of March with...

These 3 Blackhawks Veterans Are Having Terrific Seasons

Entering Thursday night's action, the Chicago Blackhawks have the second-worst point percentage in the NHL -- even while they're 6-4-0 in their last 10 games. And they own the second-worst goal differential in the league (minus-76). It's been a long,...

28 on 28: Steve Larmer’s Rookie Season Remains the Blackhawks’ Standard

We're ten games away from the end of the 2023-24 regular season, and Connor Bedard continues to put up remarkable numbers for at age 18 in his first professional season. He will likely join Steve Larmer on the list of...

The Greatest Sports Watching Day of the Year, Next Year’s TV, an IceHogs Stunner, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

Congratulations, sports fans! Today, March 28, 2024 is the greatest sports viewing day of the calendar year. Hands down, lock it up, no competition. It's Opening Day in MLB and Sweet 16 day one in the NCAA men's basketball tournament....

NHL Notes: Penguins Paradox, Torts Apologizes, Doan’s Dazzling Debut, Rangers Punch Ticket, More

It's a mid-week edition of NHL Notes and we have plenty to cover around the league. The Penguins find themselves with a tricky decision as their season draws to a close. John Tortorella dished out an apology to one of...

We Need to Talk About Jason Dickinson As a Selke Trophy Candidate — Again

Back in early February as the Blackhawks wrapped their pre-All-Star Game schedule, I wrote about Jason Dickinson's case for Selke Trophy votes. We're now ten games away from the end of Chicago's regular season, and with Dickinson reaching 20 goals...

Slaggert’s Big Night, Bedard’s Tape, Felcman to Rockford, Anderson, Tinordi, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

I'm gonna continue to smile, just like Landon Slaggert, because of his performance in last night's Blackhawks win. The former Notre Dame captain had his parents and young brother in the stands and he had one helluva game last night....

Blackhawks 3, Flames 1 — Three Stars, Key Takeaways

The message Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson was trying to get across with Monday's bag skate clearly landed. The start Chicago had on Tuesday night was a polar opposite of what they showed in the three games in California. They...

Blackhawks vs Flames – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

After a disappointing road trip that saw the Blackhawks get smoked for 7 of 9 periods, the team got a bag skate on Monday to think about their effort. They'll get back on the ice tonight in front of a...

Latest News

Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

In their season opener on Friday, Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks take on Nolan Jones and the Colorado Rockies, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field.Keep reading to find out how to watch the Arizona-Colorado...

Guardians vs. Athletics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

Logan Allen will take the mound for the Cleveland Guardians when they square off against starter Ross Stripling and the Oakland Athletics in their season opener on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.Find out how to watch the...

How to Watch Mariners vs. Red Sox: Live Stream or on TV

In their season opener on Friday, Julio Rodriguez and the Seattle Mariners play Rafael Devers and the Boston Red Sox, with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at T-Mobile Park.Keep reading to see how to watch the Seattle-Boston matchup...

How to Watch Padres vs. Giants: Live Stream or on TV

Fernando Tatis Jr. and the San Diego Padres (2-1) host Jorge Soler and the San Francisco Giants (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.The article below will provide you with everything you need to know to watch...

Dodgers vs. Cardinals: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The St. Louis Cardinals (0-1), led by Paul Goldschmidt, visit Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2-1) at 10:10 PM ET on Friday.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on how to watch Los Angeles play St. Louis...

OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

Astros vs. Yankees: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Houston Astros (0-1), with Cristian Javier on the mound, will host the New York Yankees (1-0), who will send out Carlos Rodon, at 8:10 PM ET on Friday.If you're trying to watch this game, keep reading for streaming and...

Rays vs. Blue Jays: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0), led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., visit Yandy Diaz and the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at 6:50 PM ET on Friday.Find out how to watch the Tampa Bay-Toronto matchup below.When is Rays vs. Blue Jays and...

Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

more blackhawks news