Leo Lööf

September 2023 – For the second season in a row, Lööf beat the odds and had a high PDO (NHL terms this stat “shooting plus save percentage”) of 105 the previous season, and 108 two years ago. Due to his limited production of only 16 points last season and his average Corsi of 50%, this could pose a major problem for him. If his luck runs out, his transition to the AHL this season could be tough. Cedrick Blais-Turcotte

July 2023 – It was not until the end of the last season that Lööf finally signed his ELC with the Blues. The young defenseman is expected to make the jump to North American hockey this season, with the Thunderbirds. To eventually succeed in the NHL, he will have to improve his offensive game while in the AHL. Cedrick Blais-Turcotte

June 2022 – The former Blues’ third-round pick continued to progress well this season. Two years after being drafted, he was finally able to crack a top league on a full-time basis playing for Ilves of the Liiga. In 48 games he scored four goals and six assists for 10 points, and in 10 playoff games tallied two assists. He also featured at the World Juniors for Sweden, playing two games before the tournament was shut down from a Covid-19 outbreak. His contract with Ilves runs through next season, where he will hopefully get increased ice-time from the second pair minutes he received most of this year. He’s known for throwing hits and being good in front of his own net. If he can continue to hone that skill and take a step offensively like we’ve seen from others, he should be well on his way to becoming an NHL contributor down the road. Gordon Munro

October 2020 – Lööf was drafted 88th overall by the St. Louis Blues. He will continue his development in Sweden for the next year at the minimum, before potentially coming to North America. Lou Farah