An Overseas Update on 4 Toronto Maple Leafs Loan Players
Filip Hållander
Age: 20
H/W: 6’0″/190lbs
POS: C
Current Team: Lulea HF (SHL)
Filip Hållander was brought over to the Leafs in the Kasperi Kapanen deal earlier this offseason. Although he was drafted by Pittsburgh, 58th overall in 2018, per @MarkhMasters the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dubas have had an interest in Hållander since draft day.
Dubas on Hallander: "He was right near the top of our board when we picked in the second round [in 2018]. We selected Durzi & then Pittsburgh selected him with the pick right after … we were kind of hoping he'd fall to the next pick …"
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) August 25, 2020
This season Hållander has remained with Luleå of the SHL and so far has put up 1 goal and 1 assist in 5 games. Hållander is smart and makes the right decisions on both sides of the puck in all 3 zones on the ice. Perhaps later this season or next, Hållander will make the trip over to North America and start his journey in the AHL with the Marlies.
Swedes have built a reputation for being high skill, smart, efficient two-way hockey players. It would seem Hållander play fits this mold and in a number of years when the current Leafs Core is starting to age, Hållander could step in and be a very effective middle-6 player.