Malte Vass – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

While the offensive side of the puck isn’t Vass’ strong suit (11 points in 40 games this season), it’s his strong, physical defensive game and off puck awareness that really makes him a prospect worth having on your side. He’s the kind of player that you really need to keep your head up at all times otherwise, you’ll be down on the ice. He has no problem stepping up in the open ice to make a heavy hit or give little shots in front of the net in order to clear out traffic. He boxes out well in one-on-one coverage and does a great job to take away time and space from puck carriers.

Vass is an extremely reliable and capable of killing plays very effectively. Although he’s not the quickest skater and can improve his speed, he’s very mobile for his 6-foot-2, 183-pound frame. He closes gaps and defends the rush very well, keeping attackers to the outside and displaying an active stick in order to disrupt plays. He’s smart and precise with his timing and with his wingspan is able to knock pucks off sticks and keep players at bay easily. He can get into lanes to sacrifice the body and shows a constant strong and aggressive mindset every time he’s on the ice.

Although his offensive upside may be limited at the next level, he does a good job to get pucks on net and walk the line in order to find shooting lanes. He can spot seams to distribute the puck and shows good habits when breaking out of his own zone and moving the play forward. Although he’s strong, he can work on using that strength more while under pressure when the puck is on his stick as the lack of speed is also evident. If he’s able to get that under control, he can add another quality to his game.

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Malte Vass- NHL Draft Projection

While he may not have the puck-moving ability and upside as other defenders, teams do take steady, defensive-minded players higher in the draft. Vass’ confidence and composure on the backend would make him a valuable pick in the second or even early third-round. He has been consistent all season and taking him in this spot is a strong possibility.

Quotables

“Vass has excellent defensive instincts and awareness, consistently scanning the ice and pre-reading plays so he can shut them down as quickly as possible. He excels at eliminating checks in the defensive zone, particularly off the puck, and is highly effective in man-to-man coverage.” – Neutral Zone 

“He can be mean, take space away and play shutdown defense. That’s pretty much it, but he’s good at it.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff 

“Vass is a physical defenseman with good defensive awareness and can shut down plays. His high-intensity level allows him to work and engage in play consistently.” – Austin Kelly, Dobber Prospects 

Strengths 

Under Construction- Improvements to Make

NHL Potential

Vass definitely fits the bill of a strong third-pairing defender, but a player that could move up in the lineup and be a complimentary player to an offensive-minded player. He’s smart, mean and does a lot of the little things right. He’s a player that you can rely on to defend a lead and kill a penalty off. His play is very reminiscent of Tampa Bay Lightning defender Erik Cernak with his defensive mindset, intensity and physicality to his game.

Risk- Reward Analysis

Risk- 2/5, Reward 2/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense- 2.5/10, Defense 7/10

Awards/ Achievements

Vass won a bronze medal for Sweden at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and silver medals at the World Jr. A Challenge and World U18 Championship.

Interviews/ Links

Malte Vass Stats

Videos