Another Top Prospect Ditches Europe to Play in the NCAA

It has been confirmed that Swedish Defenseman Tom Willander will be headed to the NCAA, joining the Boston University Terriers from Swedish club Rögle, according to https://www.nhl.com/news/tom-willander-turns-down-sweden-pro-league-for-ncaa-before-2023-nhl-draft/c-344874284?tid=277764372.

Willander is one of the top defensive prospects in this year's Draft Class. Dobber Prospects, ranked Willander 20th in their Final Rankings. Willander is a very likely candidate to go in the first round of this year's draft.

Willander had 4 Goals and 25 Points in 39 Games for Rögle's U20 Team, along with 2 games played for the big club, not an unusual amount as getting game time as a Draft Eligible in a top league Europe is quite difficult.

Willander gained more prominence with an impressive U18 World's performance, in which the Defenseman had 8 Points in 7 Games for the Silver Medal winning Swedish side, being apart of a talented Swedish defensive trio of Willander, Axel Sandin-Pellikka & Theo Lindstein, all 3 expected to go in the first 2 rounds of the NHL Draft.

Willander joins a talented, yet crowded blueline at Boston U., with Canadiens top prospect Lane Hutson the centerpiece of their defense, along with returning NHL Prospects Case McCarthy & Cade Webber, and talented newcomers Kai Janviriya and Gavin McCarthy, the latter being the younger brother of Case, the team captain. McCarthy OHL rights were traded from Windsor to Kingston in the deal that sent the Kraken's Shane Wright to the Spitfires. McCarthy is still expected to join Boston.

Also joining the Terriers roster is 2024 Projected Top Pick Macklin Celebrini, who broke Adam Fantilli's record for most Points by a prospect a year before their Draft class.

Willander joins of the best teams in Hockey, and for the team that selects him, may take more comfort in having a top prospect much closer to home.