Malcom Gästrin didn’t just climb the ladder in Sweden last season - he kept moving up rungs and kept producing, and that’s exactly the kind of trajectory the Edmonton Oilers liked enough to make him the 84th overall pick.
For a mid-round selection, the path to the NHL usually comes down to whether a player can keep his game intact as the competition gets tougher. Gästrin checked that box while bouncing from Sweden’s under-18 league to the under-20 level and then into four games in Sweden’s men’s league, all before his 18th birthday.
“It was a really fun season,” he told OilersTV’s Tony Brar … “The men are stronger, and you don’t get the same time out there as you do in under-18 and under-20.”
The numbers at the junior levels backed up the move. Gästrin opened his draft year with Modo Jr under-18 and put up 12 goals and 30 points in 19 games.
He kept it going after the jump, scoring 9 goals and 25 points in 24 games at under-20. His brief look against men didn’t bring an offensive burst, but Edmonton was encouraged by how he handled himself in that environment.
“Offensive players that track and are diligent in terms of turnovers and takeaways, that’s another marker in our profile,” said Oilers’ director of amateur scouting Rick Pracey. “That’s what we noticed at the pro level. We didn’t see an offensive spike, but from 18 to 20, yes, and that helped solidify our firmness to say we believe in it.”
At 174 pounds, Gästrin is still a light build, and the Oilers see room for more growth. His mid-August birthday also made him one of the youngest players in this year’s draft.
“Sense, skill, compete were the boxes we’re looking for at that selection. We think there’s potential top-nine upside, but he needs to fill out,” said Pracey.
What stands out most in Gästrin’s own description of his game is the edge he brings every shift. He wants the puck, he wants the offensive zone, and he wants goals.
“I’m trying to compete every shift. I love to score goals and being in the offensive zone. That’s what I’m trying to do,” he said.
He’s also been studying the NHL closely for years, and one player in particular has shaped what he tries to bring to the ice: Tim Stützle.
“I love to watch Tim Stützle and try to do the same thing as him,” said Gästrin. “I’m watching a lot of video. I love to watch the NHL and try to do the same things, but in my league and my comfort.”
From Modo Jr to the under-20 level to men’s hockey and then to Edmonton’s draft board, Gästrin’s rise came fast. The Oilers are betting that the same drive that pushed him through Sweden can keep carrying him forward if his game keeps translating against better competition.
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