A smart, mature, two-way center…good decision-making, leadership qualities and advanced understanding of the game…a true three-zone player…defensively responsible…will drop to block shots or get his body in passing lanes…dangerous forechecker who reads the defense and uses an active stick to disrupt…covers up the ice for his teammates on the backcheck and always gives an honest effort…doesn’t commit a lot of mistakes and plays a very calm game while in puck possession…has solid offensive instincts…protects the puck very well and uses all of his frame to hold opponents off the puck…possesses a nice, quick shot release…not a flashy puckhandler, but can carry it up ice and distributes it well…goes to the net and plays in traffic…has solid vision and the ability to set up his linemates…has good balance and generates healthy amounts of speed…a potential two-way guy in the Zetterberg mold.

A solid forward who has played both center and wing. Andersson is a very good playmaker who has the ability to drive the play. He is an aggressive player who often wins races for loose pucks and he is adept at one on one battles. His wrist shot and one-timer are excellent, both pack some bigtime punch. He’s a player who could excel on an NHL power play.

He won’t dazzle with high-end dekes, but there is a lot of skill to Andersson’s game. He makes quick decisions, has a quick shot, sees his options well and has good puck skills. Andersson might be below average in size, but he’s tough and strong for a player his age, and he can kill penalties adequately.

Lias Andersson is a good bet to make the NHL on a regular basis. Depending on his future development I can see him becoming anything from a second line center to a bottom six center for an NHL team and being effective in any of those roles. He has the offensive drive, the shot and good enough skills to suggest him reaching the level of being a second line center at the highest level. He lacks the high end offensive talent necessary to be a first line center. For the upcoming draft I would be surprised if he is not a first round pick and would look about righ anywhere in the top 20. He is a safer bet than Liljegren or Pettersson as he is not as raw and is a bit further ahead in his development as of today but he does not have the same level of top skills and high end potential as those two.

One of the few forward prospects who played consistent minutes for a contending adult team, Andersson showcased more creativity and puck skills at several best-on-best tournaments while manning one of Sweden’s top two lines. He’s a 200-foot battler with soft hands and makes smart decisons while motoring up ice. Andersson is a virtual lock for a lengthy NHL career, and his style of play can fit any system.

Andersson is a mature, two-way center who can occasionally fill in on the wing. He had a strong rookie season in the SHL, finishing with 19 points in 42 games for a talented HV71 club. Andersson has run the gauntlet of international competition with aplomb, placing among Sweden’s leaders in goals and points at the last WJC and U18 world championship. A shifty, elusive player with good acceleration who is quick on his feet and a has knack for making something out of nothing, Andersson has a ton of upside considering how well he fared as a teenager on a good team in an adult league. He has a very good shot, mainly for his release and accuracy rather than sheer power. Playing inside is something he’ll do with regularity, and Andersson’s proven to snap off a quick shot while cutting across or in full stride.

The fact that [Andersson] is playing in the Swedish League has prevented him from putting up big numbers, but he has done well internationally when playing with players his own age. “As a younger player, he had more offensive talent than you’re seeing now,” said a scout. “He may have moved up a little too quickly and may not have been able to show us just how good he can be.”