It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! Earlier on, we released the TWC consolidated 2026 NHL Draft rankings. The 2026 NHL Draft will take place on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo.
Ranked 18th on our consolidated rankings, Elton Hermansson is a forward hailing from Sweden. His diverse skillset and raw potential make him an intriguing option to be selected in the first round.
Who is Elton Hermansson?
| Player | Position | Shoots | Height | Weight | Born | Nationality | 2026 Draft Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elton Hermansson | RW/LW | Right | 6’1″ 185 cm | 174 lbs 79 kgs | Febuaray 5th 2008 | Sweden | [TWC rank 18| CS rank #20 |
Hermansson developed through Sweden’s club system, rising through junior levels in an environment that places strong emphasis on skating, structure, and team play. He has earned attention through steady progression rather than one breakout moment, building a reputation as a reliable winger who can handle responsibility in different situations. His development path reflects many Swedish prospects who arrive polished in detail and pace.
Hermansson’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Rel. | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | P/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [2022-23] | D-2 | U16 Region | MoDo Hockey U16 | 17 | 24 | 24 | 48 | 2.83 |
| [2023-24] | D-1 | J18 Region | Orebro HK J18 | 19 | 18 | 13 | 31 | 1.63 |
| J18 Nationell | Orebro HK J20 | 17 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 1.17 | ||
| [2024-25] | D+0 | J20 Nationell | Orebro HK J20 | 41 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 0.78 |
| 2025-26 | Draft yr | HockeyAllsvenskan | Modo Hockey | 38 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 0.55 |
| Tournament | Year | Team | GP | G | A | P | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | 2025 | Sweden | 5 | 6 | 5 | 11 | Silver |
Hermansson’s numbers have generally trended upward as he has taken on more ice time and stronger competition. He has produced solid totals at the junior level, but his statistical profile is not built around overwhelming raw offence. Instead, many of his contributions come from creating possessions, supporting entries, and helping lines sustain pressure.
Hermansson’s strengths
Speed and skating ability
Hermansson’s skating is a true driver in his game because it shows up in recoveries, puck races, and pressure situations rather than only open-ice rushes. His first three strides are explosive enough to close quickly on defenders who hesitate with the puck, which makes him effective on dump-and-chase sequences and aggressive forechecks. When opposing defensemen turn to retrieve pucks, he can arrive fast enough to remove clean breakout options and force rushed plays up the wall. He also uses speed intelligently through the neutral zone. Instead of skating into traffic, he often attacks outside shoulders, forcing defenders to pivot and creating room for cutbacks or middle-lane support. This helps his team gain the zone with possession instead of defaulting to chips and dumps. Even when he does not carry the puck, his pace backs defenders off and opens space for teammates.
Another positive detail is how repeatable his pace is over full shifts. He can pressure one side of the ice, reload quickly, and still have enough legs to be first back defensively. That type of motor-supported skating is often what separates usable NHL speed from junior-only speed.
Forecheck pressure and competitiveness
Hermansson creates value by making exits difficult. He does not simply chase the puck carrier. He angles defenders toward less dangerous options, closes body position quickly, and arrives with enough control to either pin the play or force a rushed pass. That kind of forecheck pressure often creates turnovers one touch later, even if he is not the player credited with the steal. He also competes well on second efforts. If the first pressure does not work, he stays engaged, circles back into the play, and attacks again rather than peeling off. This persistence is important because many junior players pressure once and then drift out of the sequence.
Along the walls, he uses leverage better than raw strength. He gets underneath hands and keeps his feet moving through contact. Even before adding more muscle, those habits help him win enough pucks to stay effective.
Hermansson’s areas of improvement
Offensive assertiveness
Hermansson can occasionally play too much of a support-first game. Because he reads structure well, he sometimes defers when a more aggressive attack would be the better option. That can mean passing up shooting lanes, choosing safe rim plays, or staying outside rather than cutting into traffic. There are shifts where he helps a line function but does not impose himself enough to change the game. NHL teams like reliable players, but they also want prospects who seize opportunities when they appear. Finding the balance between smart support play and personal assertiveness will be important to maximizing his upside.
Hermansson’s comparables
| Scenario | NHL Comparable | Position | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best case | Jesper Bratt | Forward | Fast, intellgent winger who creates offence through timing and smart use of space |
| Likely outcome | Artturi Lehkonen | Fast, intelligent winger who creates offence through timing and smart use of space | High motor winger who supports skilled players and chips in secondary offence |
For a best-case NHL comparable, Jesper Bratt fits that bill. Like Bratt, Hermansson is most effective when the game is played fast, using quick routes, timing, and pace to create separation rather than relying on brute strength. Both players can attack off transition, find soft areas in coverage, and keep plays alive through fast decision-making. The comparison is also driven by how they use space. Instead of forcing through defenders, they slip into openings and exploit coverage mistakes.
Artturi Lehkonen also fits the type of player that Hermansson could be. This works because of Hermansson’s forecheck pressure, strong routes, and ability to complement skilled players. Like Lehkonen, he can create offense through puck retrievals, pace, and arriving in the right areas rather than controlling every shift himself
Fit with the Flames
| Organizational need addressed | Middle-six winger |
| Realistic pick range | 18-22 |
| NHL timeline | 3 or more season. Maybe AHL firsr |
| Flames fit verdict | Possible fit |
Hermansson could be an appealing fit for the Calgary Flames because he matches several traits the organization has prioritized in recent years: skating, competitiveness, and players who can function within structure. The Flames have been working toward a faster, harder-working roster, and Hermansson’s game aligns with that direction. He plays with pace, pressures defenders, and stays engaged away from the puck, which are traits that tend to translate well into NHL depth roles and can grow into more.
However, he would be joining quite the competitive atmosphere, as the Flames already have many intriguing winger prospects with the likes of Matvei Gridin, Aydar Suniev, Andrew Basha and Ethan Wyttenbach to name a few. With those players all having NHL potential, the competition within the Flames organization for wingers is fierce, and adding Hermansson to the mix would only widen the bunch.
It’s why I see Hermansson as a possible fit. While he has top-six potential, his ceiling matches much of what the Flames have already.
Summary
Elton Hermansson projects as the kind of player organizations value because he can contribute in multiple ways and does many small things well. His skating, pressure game, and responsible habits give him a solid NHL foundation. He very well likely develops into a reliable middle-six forward, but if he fleshes out his offensive game more, the potential for being a regular top-six player is there.
