New Jersey Devils' Draft Target Profile: Theo Stockselius

The sixth part of a series deep-diving potential second-round targets for the New Jersey Devils.

Two weeks ago, I started my many-part series deep-diving potential draft day fits for the Devils at all rounds of the draft — from the Devils’ two second-rounders (~50th and ~64th) to their sixth-rounders, I’m compiling a list of players I’d be pounding the table for on draft day should they be available. Naturally, I’m focusing more on the earlier stages of the draft, as that is where there is the most talent and intrigue. However, I do have my list of scouting reports and notes for players I think will be available come the end of the draft, too, which I am excited to share with you.

Targets so far:
~50th Overall (Rd. 2): Adam Benák, Alexander Zharovsky, Ethan Czata, Conrad Fondrk, Cameron Schmidt
~64th Overall (Rd. 2):
~94th Overall (Rd. 3):
~114th Overall (Rd. 4):
~161st Overall (Rd. 6):
~178th Overall (Rd. 6):

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Since beginning this series, I have focused on players who I think might be available at ~50th overall, the spot that the Devils are going to be selecting at with their first of two second-rounders, assuming they don’t trade the pick away.

After detailing all the players I’d personally want in that range, including potential first-round drop candidate Cameron Schmidt, it’s time to get into the players who I’d consider great targets with the second of the second-round picks, which should be around ~64th overall.

First up on the list is Theo Stockselius, a 6’2, 181-pound center from Sweden who tore up the J20 Nationell this season.

The Athletic’s mock draft had the Devils taking Stockselius at 64th overall, and he’d be one of my favorite gets at that spot. Let’s talk about why:

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Statistical Profile

At this point in the draft, the quality of production generally drops off a fair bit. With Stockselius, though, the points are actually pretty impressive, leading to a 15% star probability based on Byron Bader’s model.

Some of this has to do with his age — Stockselius is still just 17 years old, one of the younger players in the draft — but his 51 points in 40 games in the Nationell is impressive, posting the fourth-highest U18 scoring total in the league, behind two of the top 2026 eligibles in Viggo Björck and Ivar Stenberg, and projected first-rounder from this year, Jakob Ihs-Wozniak.

via Hockey Prospecting (Byron Bader)

His 16 points in 9 Nationell playoff games led the entire postseason, regardless of age. That’s quite impressive, and although he didn’t make the jump to the SHL like Ihs-Wozniak, he certainly stood out from other J20 draft-eligibles.

Skating

For his size, Stockselius skates pretty smoothly, though I would argue there’s still some adjustments to be made to his body (which will iron out in due time).

His strides are long, generating a good amount of power with each movement. This means that he can accelerate quickly compared to his peers and cover more ice in a shorter amount of time than one who churns their legs.

I’m not overly impressed with his ability to turn or use his edges, but that’s to be expected from someone still adjusting to their body. If his calling card is just acceleration and straight-line speed, that’s fine by me, too. The rest of his game doesn’t scream “needs to rely on edgework.”

Shooting

Stockselius scored 22 goals in the regular season and eight in the playoffs, which showcases the finishing touch he does possess… when he’s actually shooting the puck.

Mechanically speaking, there’s a lot to like about his shot. Stockselius’s wristers are relatively deceptive. He is able to change the angle of the shot to paralyze goaltenders and has solid accuracy.

I didn’t see an overwhelming use of his one-timer, but from what I saw, he has a quick trigger and a pretty heavy shot.

The problem is that he doesn’t shoot nearly as much as he should. His 22 regular-season goals and eight postseason goals (in nine games, mind you) are a testament to his capabilities, but I was always left wanting more from a shot-taking perspective. He certainly shot more towards the end of the season and in the playoffs, but far too often did I see him look off a clear shot opportunity to try and make a more dangerous play that didn’t always end up working out. For a player of his caliber relative to his competition to only throw 27 shots on net in nine playoff games, to me, is a bit of an issue.

Puck Skills

I’m not particularly impressed by Stockselius’s puck-handling abilities. He’s much more focused on the other parts of his game (specifically the one I’ll be talking about next) and the fundamentals, which I have no qualms with. Being a second-round projected pick, of course, he does have some ability there, but I haven’t seen any wow-worthy moves. It’s much simpler for Stockselius, limiting his deking to backhand-forehand moves and the occasional toe drag.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have other puck skills, though. Stockselius is strong on the puck, executing power moves with every possession and fending off stick checks and body checks successfully pretty often. To me, that’s more a testament to his strength than his hands, though.

From the interior, Stockselius’s hands are pretty solid, but again, he prefers simpler moves rather than elaborate ones to get goalies to bite. A simple forehand-backhand is his go-to move.

Playmaking & Hockey IQ

In terms of his offensive game, this is where Stockselius shines.

He has excellent vision and great playmaking chops, finding open players from difficult areas of the ice relatively easily. In particular, I’m impressed with his facilitation abilities from behind the net and along the boards, where he seemingly always finds the open target regardless of how tight the defensive coverage is.

Stockselius’s passes are typically pretty tape-to-tape, and he executes them with consistency. He can get passes through traffic, avoiding defenders’ sticks through saucing pucks to where they ought to be.

His smarts are even more present in his positioning and anticipation. Stockselius excels at puck retrieval in the offensive zone, scarcely missing an opportunity to get to the puck first. He knows where the puck is going to be and when, and positions himself accordingly. He almost always puts himself in the right place at the right time for a scoring chance (or, more applicably, the right place at the right time to be the supplier of a scoring chance). Stockselius is also particularly effective as the second man on a rush opportunity, by virtue of his aptitude at spacing — he knows how to position himself to make a pass as easy as possible and as uncover-able as possible while in odd-man situations.

Defensive Awareness

Stockselius certainly has the potential to be a great two-way player at the NHL level. His offensive anticipation is similar to his defensive anticipation, in the sense that he knows where loose pucks will end up after a shot attempt or lost possession. Once he does retrieve the puck, it is difficult to knock him off of a possession.

The one part of his game he will need to work on — and it pains me to write this — is faceoffs. Stockselius is weak in the dot, which he will need to improve on if he wants to truly be that two-way guy who is relied upon at the NHL level. It’s especially concerning for a player who anticipates play so well.

Physicality & Size

Stockselius obviously already has an NHL-sized frame, at 6’2 and 181 pounds, but generally needs to engage more from a physical standpoint.

He doesn’t win the majority of board battles, which is a concern considering he’s bigger and stronger than his competition. To me, that’s just a lack of compete, but that can absolutely be coached out of him, especially as pressure increases for him to make the show. He has the capability to outmuscle the opposition, he just needs to gain the oomph needed to do so.

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In all, Stockselius projects as a potential middle-six center with some patience. His high IQ and playmaking chops will make him a valuable asset to any prospect pool and translate well to his NHL projectability. On the other hand, his lack of physicality for his frame is a concern that he will need to iron out, and he must become more consistently assertive with his shooting. Still, at ~64th overall, he would be a wise target.¹

1. The video of Stockselius capitalizing off a rush opportunity was clipped by my own viewing of the Men’s Worlds. All other videos are via SweHockeyGifs on Twitter/X (@swehockeygifs).