2017 NHL mock draft: Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier

No. 3 Dallas Stars

Timothy Liljegren, Defenseman, Rogle BK (SHL)

The Dallas Stars, much like the Devils and Flyers, are likely very, very happy that they jumped up to third overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. With what was a very underwhelming season for the Stars, this provides a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel, as they will almost surely take Timothy Liljegren at third overall.

The main issue with Dallas for the past couple of seasons has been their porous defense. It’s because of this fact that taking the best defensive prospect in this year’s draft is the best decision for their organization moving forward. Liljegren, while not nearly as exciting as Patrick or Hischier, projects to be a very solid NHL-level defenseman in the relatively near future.

One of the main strengths that Liljegren carries is his elite skating ability, which allows him to play an end-to-end style of hockey seamlessly. He isn’t just an elite skater, but he also has the strength and intelligence to crack the line-up in Dallas if he has a good training camp and preseason, despite it being unlikely at this time.

The two downsides to Liljegren is his relatively small frame, at 6-feet and 192 pounds, for an NHL defenseman. The second is that, while ahead of his age, his defensive game could still use a bit of work to be ready for the NHL. Regardless of those two small worries, Liljegren is still the best choice for an organization in need of defense.

Liljegren likely won’t crack the line-up in 2017-18 for the Stars, but the promise that he could be ready after another year in Sweden makes him enticing enough to take at third overall. Liljegren and the Stars are a perfect match.