Where problems arise with Östlund's projection is in the way that he handles contact. He often struggled to sustain even the tamest physical play at the SHL level last season, spending entire games stapled to the perimeter of the offensive zone. It's kind of hard to score from there. The absence of a wall game, concerns about his pace, and the lack of any finishing skill all conspired to keep Östlund further down our board than many of our peers in the public sphere, but there's enough there elsewhere that we can certainly understand their enthusiasm.
Östlund's combination of speed, handling skill, playmaking, and defensive instincts could augur great things at the next level, but he'll need to gain a little muscle and a lot of courage with the puck to take full advantage of his skill set.
