The Anaheim Ducks used the 2025 NHL Entry Draft to add Eric Nilson with the 45th overall pick in the second round, and the early read on the forward is pretty clear: the offense hasn’t fully arrived yet, but there’s real value in the rest of his game.
Nilson spent his entire career in Europe before coming to North America for Michigan State University this past season, and he also got a taste of the international stage with Team Sweden at the World Juniors. In his first year with the Spartans, the freshman center put up three goals and 11 points in 35 games.
He opened his college career with a goal in his third game, then settled into a season that was uneven on the scoresheet. January brought his best stretch, a three-game point streak, but there were also long quiet spells, including a five-game finish without a point.
Even with the modest offensive totals, Nilson still carved out a useful role. He spent most of the year in the middle six and was leaned on more for what he did away from the puck than for what he created with it.
That same profile showed up at the World Juniors. Nilson appeared in all seven games for Sweden, finished with a goal and three points, and helped Sweden capture its first gold medal since 2012 and third ever.
His usage bounced around the lineup, and he even saw time on the top line. His strongest night came against Switzerland, when he scored a goal and added two points.
It was his first World Juniors appearance, and he’s eligible to return next year.
The Ducks prospect profile fits the modern mold of a center who can help in a lot of different spots. Nilson is described as a strong, two-way center and a smart athlete who works well at both ends of the rink.
He can contribute on the power play and penalty kill, though he’ll need to get stronger if he wants to make the jump to the NHL. A lot of what he does won’t jump off the stat sheet, but the belief is that his game can eventually translate at the highest level.
For now, the next stop should be another season at Michigan State. As a sophomore, the expectations will be higher: better production, another shot at Sweden’s World Juniors roster, and a bigger impact if he gets back there.
The path to the NHL still looks distant. Nilson is likely at least two more years away from leaving college hockey, and three wouldn’t be a surprise.
After that, he figures to spend at least one or two seasons in the AHL. That puts the earliest NHL arrival in the 2029-2030 season, and possibly later.
Nilson remains unsigned, but Anaheim holds his rights through summer 2029. He’s already viewed as one of the Ducks’ better prospects, and he was listed among the team’s top 10 prospects last fall. If he keeps trending the right way in the NCAA, the expectation is that he’ll land a standard entry-level deal well before those rights run out.
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