Anders Nilsson 2010-11 SEASON REVIEW:

Anders Nilsson
Date Of birth: March 19, 1990 (2010-11 Season Age: 20/21)
Place Of birth: Lulea, Sweden
Height: 6-5
Weight: 220
Catching Hand: Left
SEL Season: 2nd SEL Season
Drafted by: NY Islanders in the 3rd round (62nd overall) of the 2009 draft
Acquired: Originally drafted by the Isles

2010-11 Season Stats:

Luleå HF    Elitserien (SEL): GP: 31 GAA: 1.92  SAVE %:0.918

Short-Term Status:

He absolutely destroyed the Swedish Elite League in his second full season but, I expect him to spend one more full season there. Not because, he is not ready for the AHL (hell, he might be NHL ready) but because the Islanders are currently over-stocked with goaltenders signed to NHL contracts. I believe it would be far more beneficial for Anders to get a lot of ice-time as a starting goalie in a good league like the Swedish Elite League  rather than be buried on the Isles depth chart.

Long-Term Status: 

Although I believe Kevin Poulin is going to be an incredible goalie in the future, Nilsson may very well be the Isles best goaltending prospect. He is already very good with a lot of potential yet to be reached, and I really do think he will be one of the top 15 goalies in the NHL within 3-4 years.

Contract Status:

NO NHL CONTRACT AS OF May 2nd 2011

Review:

Anders Nilsson's year was as impressive as any Islanders prospect. Surprisingly he hasn't received much recognition from media or fans. Although it can be explained by the fact that he is not playing in North America (which prevents the amount of viewing time he receives) its really beyond incredible how much he has done that has gone unnoticed. The Swedish Elite League, also known as the Elitserien, is one of the top leagues in the world and Nilsson dominated it. His goals against average was just plain incredible with a 1.92 which lead all goalies in the league. Because of that, he was awarded the "Elitserien Best GAA Award" (I know...they were very original in naming it) which is prestigious when you look at the list of names who have taken home the honor in the past. Just looking at the past ten years, Martin Gerber has won it, Henrik Lundqvist won it twice, Jhonas Enroth won it, and Jonas Gustavsson as well. Along with his impressive GAA, he had an equally impressive save percentage which was the fourth best of all goalies. What I love about him is he knows how to use his size efficiently without it hindering his ability to maneuver his crease. He is quick and plays a style based more on positioning rather than reflexes which based on his size and frame, is something that has greatly helped him. I am very excited about his potential.

Season Grade (A+ to F-): A

At 20 years old Anders Nilsson was the best goalie in the Swedish Elite League which is an incredible feat considering how prestigious of a league it is. I expected him to put up solid numbers, but there was no way I would have envisioned him being as dominant as he was. He catapulted himself up the Isles prospect rankings in my mind and he might be one of the best unsigned prospects in the Isles organization.

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