To put it mildly, Stian Solberg’s attempt at defense is a unique one.
Solberg told reporters earlier this month at the Buffalo 2024 NHL Draft Combine that he only moved to defense when he was 14 years old. While playing in a tournament with his Norwegian squad, Solberg said one of his teammates got in trouble for urinating in the team’s shower, and they needed someone to help fill a spot on the blueline.
In came Solberg, and now the rest is history
Viewed as a late-round talent early on in the season, Solberg quickly became one of the highest risers for the 2024 NHL Draft. And he doesn’t come from a league that scouts traditionally spend too much time following, having spent the past three years primarily playing with Vålerenga’s men’s team in the top league in Norway.
It was obvious right away that Solberg would not be an offensive producer. However, his value as a physical, defensive defenseman was obvious, and Central Scouting ranked Solberg as the No. 20 European defenseman in the first round of the draft, suggesting that he might be the best choice available.
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Remember that the ranking was released earlier this spring ahead of both the men’s and women’s world championships? Despite being one of the youngest players in the competition, it was the latter that helped establish Solberg as a first-round talent after witnessing him play such an important role for Norway.
Only a few senior national team games had been played by Solberg prior to his World Championship debut earlier in May. With goals against the top two teams in the tournament, Canada and Czechia, he made an impression. Although his aggressive penalties got him into trouble, it was a huge boost to see him play more than 23 minutes a night on a team that was barely hanging on. It was a well-deserved ranking that placed Solberg among Norway’s top three players.
In a nutshell, for two weeks, we witnessed Solberg’s whole package in Czechia. His goal was to strike and launch nearly everyone who came into his presence as far as he could. When someone whistled, Solberg would become irascible, demonstrating his unpredictability.
To be honest, it was like watching Jacob Trouba outside.
At 6-foot-2 and 201 pounds, Solberg is such a smooth skater. In a one-on-one match, he is very hard to beat because of his vicious streak in addition to his excellent shooting. This year, Solberg did not seem to care who he faced off against in battle; he did not lose many.
Considering that general manager Brad Treliving appears to value toughness and size, Solberg appears to be a good fit for the Leafs. He even met with the staff during a recent visit to Toronto, so we know they are really interested in him.
He is among the draft’s hardest-hitting players, if not the hardest, so it makes sense. He will not be one of those tough guys who just floats into the NHL and struggles, either, because he is a playmaker and a good skater. Solberg possesses enticingly high raw skill levels.
Although his weak offensive potential will hurt him, I am impressed by his strong shot and his developing two-way game. Although he is not a top-four defender, you could still be impressed with him if you could find a spot in the top four.
A defender with his upside and build like him is not present in the Toronto system. Though there are still a lot of unanswered questions, he is a huge draft prospect. What kind of adjustment will he need to make to the SHL with Farjestad next season? Can he get the puck to work better? Does he have enough physical skill to cut down on penalties without sacrificing his menacing presence?
In summary, I believe so. Perhaps his personality will also help him become a fan favorite if his on-ice physicality is not enough. One of the most humorous and easygoing players to talk to in this draft class, according to scouts and the media, is him. Throughout his career, he has had to prove himself against the odds because he hails from a smaller hockey nation, but he does it while grinning.