Boelius has managed to get a full-time role with Ässat’s men’s team in Liiga, where he currently plays third-pairing minutes. His skating is remarkable and easily his biggest strength, capable of quickly accelerating and speeding past forecheckers. His speed is the foundation of his game, making him reliable in all facets of play. A shooter more than a playmaker, one of the most significant areas of improvement for Boelius is keeping his head up and scanning for options while attacking. He often misses lanes and takes low-percentage shots instead. The Ducks have a reputation for taking speedy offensive blueliners and turning them into two-way, physical players. Boelius is in the proper development environment to make the most of his tools. He will have a hard time cracking the NHL roster for the Ducks, given how stacked they are on the left side already. Likely another two years in Europe for Boelius, followed by some time in the AHL before he sees NHL ice. –

Selected 60th overall, Lasse Boelius is now a member of the Anaheim Ducks.

Boelius had an effective draft-year season in the Finnish SM-Sarja. he scored four goals and added 14 assists in 34 games. That performance placed him ninth among U18 blueliners in the league, and most players who finished ahead of him in scoring played at least four more games than Boelius.

He will be a project and likely will need to develop for several years in Europe, but he should hear his name called in the first few rounds of the draft, and with the right guidance, could be a middle-pair defenseman who could see second power play usage. Alex Wyatt