Carolina Hurricanes: A Look Into the Development of Jesper Sellgren

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ROSEMONT, IL – JUNE 08: Charlotte Checkers defenseman Jesper Sellgren (32) controls the puck during game five of the AHL Calder Cup Finals between the Charlotte Checkers and the Chicago Wolves on June 8, 2019, at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL. (Photo by Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Jesper Sellgren gave Caniacs a glimpse of what he can do during the Calder Cup Playoffs last season. But can he reach the NHL and the Carolina Hurricanes?

In what is unanimously considered one of the deepest defensive groups in the NHL, the road for Canes prospects on the back-end looking to make the jump has been a very difficult task.

Haydn Fleury, the 7th overall pick in 2014, is still barely just finding his way. Roland McKeown, acquired in February of 2015, has been patiently waiting for a chance that seems unlikely to come. Jake Bean, the Canes’ 13th overall pick in 2016, is all but ready for the NHL but there’s just no room right now.

With those things considered, the road to the NHL seems to be a long one for young Swedish-born Jesper Sellgren, who was drafted 166th overall by Carolina in 2018 after being passed over by the entire NHL in his first two years of draft eligibility.

Likely overlooked because his diminutive size for a potential NHL defender, Sellgren’s talents had become too noticeable for the NHL to keep passing on. As such, the Hurricanes got a kid 2 years further into his development than most kids from the 2018 draft, and it looks like Sellgren could carve out an NHL future for himself.

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