The comic book character of the 50’s and televisions friendliest ghost from the 60’s and 70’s is not who I am really looking for. No, its Casper Nassen, the Boston Bruins 7th round pick -214th overall- at the 2023 National Hockey League Entry Draft.
Do I have unrealistic expectations for the 6’4”, 205-pound right shooting left winger playing for Frolunda HC in the J20 Nationell in Sweden? Maybe I do. Then again, maybe I don’t.
Things looked at least interesting when he captained Vasteras IK in the J20 Nationell during the 2022-2023 season prior to the Bruins selecting him. Nassen appeared in 48 games and scored 23 goals and 17 assists. Comparing that to two Bruins prospects from the J20 prior to their draft years would lead to some optimism.
Oskar Jellvik played 13 games for Djurgardens IF during the 2020-2021 season (the Covid year) and scored 6 goals while assisting on 6 others. In his draft plus one season, he recorded 26 goals and 29 assists in 41 games. Jellvik was selected in the 5th round -149th overall- at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Dans Locmelis played in 44 games during the 2021-2022 season and scored 18 goals and 16 assists. In his draft plus one season he scored 25 times and assisted on 34 in 44 games. Locmelis was drafted in the 4th round -119th overall- at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
Nassen’s draft plus one season has to be disappointing to him, his team and his fans. He has just 4 goals and 9 assists through 22 games this season and is on pace for just 8 goals and 18 assists. He will be hard pressed to match his first-year totals let alone the 26 goals and 24 assists I had him earmarked for. There is one difference between the three however. Nassen was a draft re-entry when the Bruins selected him while Jellvik and Locmelis were in their first drafts.
Both Jellvik and Locmelis committed to playing NCAA hockey in North America once their junior eligibility back in Sweden had ended. Nassen will be taking the same path committing to Miami University (Ohio) for the 2024-2025 season.
Now, some of you may be thinking it is an unreal expectation for a seventh-round pick. But I am not talking about jumping from the J20 to the AHL or even the NCAA for that matter. I am talking about a player playing in the same league, against basically the same competition, a year older and with a year more experience. To see Nassen’s production dip to where it has is, to put it politely disappointing.
Nassen was a low risk, high reward type of pick when the Bruins called out his name. He can play both wings but is actually stronger on his off wing. He has the size and the physicality but his best asset is his shot, possessing a wicked one-timer. He’s a fine technical skater but he lacks any semblance of speed. His IQ may be a bit above average but with all his other skills being on the average side, the IQ and shot aren’t enough.
There is still a long way to go and I’ve seen many strange things happen in hockey so, Nassen can turn things around in time.
Dom - Hockey 