It’s fair to say that as the draft goes into the later rounds, the less notoriety selections tend to have. This is true of Vegas Golden Knights fifth-round selection Lukas Elvenes, who the team took with the 127th overall pick.
But notoriety and potential are not the same thing. And the 17-year old forward has the upside to be a very good prospect in the Vegas system. He also has something scouts, for better or worse, put a lot of weight in — an impressive bloodline.
His grandfather Björn Elvenes played 11 seasons in the Swedish Division 2 pro leagues. His father Stefan Elvenes spent time in the SHL with Rögle BK, as well as seven seasons in the top pro league in Denmark for the Rungsted / Nordsjælland Cobras (Jonas Røndbjerg’s future team).
He also has a brother and two uncles who themselves played on various teams in Sweden and Denmark at the pro levels.
And there’s something to be said about coming from hockey families. Sure, for every Eric Lindros there’s a Brett. But, it is also true that the children of former professional players have doors open to them other players might not have. Scouts and general managers love strong bloodlines. It’s a thing in professional sports.
None of this is to say Lukas will be a great NHL player, or even make the transition to the North American game in the near future (he might not, as with any prospect). But it’s something worthy of being mentioned.
As for Lukas, the 6-foot-1 prospect is a very good, agile skater who reaches his top speed quickly, allowing him to skate by defenders (though he has the creativity and hands to be able to deke by them as well). Offensively, he’s described as explosive and very good in transition. He is a gifted playmaker capable of making spectacular plays, be it with his good release or fantastic passing ability. Skills that are on display in his U18 highlights.
His issue, as it is described on multiple scouting reports, is perhaps over-confidence in these abilities, which leads him to try and make a complicated, spectacular play rather than taking the easier, more subtle option. This includes with the puck on his stick or when he’s trying to pass the puck through a small window.
While he has a very good shot in terms of release, his power and accuracy is a bit lacking. Defensively, he’s said to be very good in his own end when he wants to be. The trouble, though, is that he doesn’t always want to be. Consistency of effort is a concern for Elvenes.
Statistically, he underperformed a bit at the SHL level (no points in 12 games) but he was very productive for the Rögle BK J20 in the SuperElit league notching 45 points in 40 games including 30 assists. The year previously in the J18 Elit league, he managed 32 points in 20 games as a 16-year old.
If he can continue to grow as a player and learn to give a more consistent effort defensively, we could see Lukas Elvenes in a Golden Knights jersey someday. It is not unprecedented for fifth-round picks to make the NHL.
Just ask fellow Golden Knight Colin Miller.