What a huge step Nystrom took this past season from the one prior, where he passed though the draft. He is a really heady defenseman who plays on his toes and can break open shifts. He has good speed both backwards and forwards, and is quick and active with his feet all the time. His crossovers are smooth and his edges are sharp. He is calm with the puck in his own zone and plays a fast transition game by moving the puck quickly and easily by himself, or by setting up his teammates with long passes. When he gets forechecked he often moves sideways unexpectedly and makes it really difficult for opponents to hit him or get their hands on the puck. He often takes the puck from his own end all the way into the offensive zone, always with good control. He knows when to make the simple play and dump the puck or when to be more risky. In the offensive zone he contributes a lot. He moves actively and makes it difficult to mark him. He never stands still and often gets the puck, and then tries to find a shooting opportunity or challenge his opponent one-on-one. When he has the puck at the offensive blue line he is confident and calm and waits until the right opportunity to shoot. He has a good wrist shot that he isn’t shy about using. He is not a physical player but he handles his defending in a good way by reading the game and usually putting himself into the right positions on the ice. He knows when to apply pressure or when to dial it back. Excels at interrupt the play from the opposition. Can play on the penalty kill, where he is effective cutting off passing lanes and blocking shots. Nystrom is the type of prospect who is primed to make huge progress over the next few seasons.

– FCHockey’s 2021 NHL Draft Guide