It’s that time of the year for The Win Column’s NHL Draft Rankings and Draft Profiles! Earlier on, we released the TWC consolidated 2026 NHL Draft rankings. The 2026 NHL Draft will take place on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo
Coming in at 16th on our consolidated rankings is Swedish forward Marcus Nordmark. He has emerged as an intriguing two-way prospect coming out of Europe, and is projected to be selected within the middle of the first round.
Who is Marcus Nordmark?
| Player | Position | Shoots | Height | Weight | Born | Nationality | 2026 Draft Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcus Nordmark | Left Wing | Left | 6’2″ / 187 cm | 187 lbs / 85 kg | May 4th 2008 | Sweden | TWC rank #16 | CS rank #18 |
Nordmark is a Swedish forward who developed through Sweden’s junior pathway, progressing through club academy levels before earning time in national junior competition. He has played in structured environments that emphasize skating, puck support, and two-way detail, which is reflected in his mature style. His development path has made him one of the more notable Swedish forwards in the 2026 class.
Nordmark’s on-ice production
| Year | Draft Rel. | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | P/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [2022-23] | D-2 | U16 Div. 1 | IFK Taby HC U16 | 24 | 11 | 23 | 34 | 1.41 |
| [2023-24] | D-1 | U16 Div. 1 | IFK Taby HC U16 | 14 | 22 | 19 | 41 | 2.98 |
| J18 Region | IFK Taby HC J18 | 33 | 21 | 43 | 64 | 1.93 | ||
| [2024-25] | D+0 | J18 Region | Djurgardens IF J18 | 16 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 1.7 |
| J20 Nationell | Djurgardens IF J20 | 17 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 1.05 | ||
| 2025-26 | Draft yr | U20 Nationell | Djurgardens IF U20 | 25 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 1.52 |
| Tournament | Year | Team | GP | G | A | P | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | 2025 | Sweden | 5 | 7 | 5 | 12 | Silver |
Nordmark’s production has trended upward steadily as his role has grown. Early in junior play, he was valued more for his pace, work rate, and complete game than raw point totals. As he gained more offensive responsibility, his numbers improved, particularly when used in transition-heavy roles and against his age group. Nordmark’s value is not only in points, but in how he drives possession, supports play, and contributes in all three zones. If his offence continues to scale, his profile becomes much more valuable than his raw totals may suggest.
Nordmark’s strengths
Offensive skill and instinct
Nordmark has been described by multiple sources as a player who can hurt opponents as both a shooter and a passer. With the puck, he shows patience and awareness. He can hold possession on the half wall, draw defenders toward him, and then distribute into seams once lanes open. He does not rush decisions unnecessarily, which helps him create quality chances rather than low-percentage plays. This is especially noticeable on power-play sequences where he can survey the ice and hit backside options. His shot is strong, he has good hands and is an expert at creating scoring opportunities
Nordmark’s production this season has been one of the strongest arguments in his favor. His 1.52 points-per-game pace in Sweden’s U20 league places him among the best draft-eligible outputs in that league over the last decade. He stood out for Sweden at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, scoring 12 points in five games. The underlying trait behind that production is anticipation. Nordmark reads where rebounds, loose pucks, and defensive breakdowns are likely to occur. He gets into scoring areas early and often arrives just as the puck does. That ability to find offence naturally is difficult to teach.
Size and reach
At roughly 6’2″, Nordmark’s size is valuable because it directly changes how he can create offence as a winger. He does not need perfect separation to make plays. With his reach, he can keep pucks outside a defender’s stick range while still staying in control, which gives him extra time to scan and make decisions. On entries, this allows him to carry the puck wider, absorb pressure, and still cut back into the middle once defenders overextend.
Along the boards, his frame helps him extend possessions in ways smaller skill wingers often cannot. When pressured on the wall, he can pin the puck to his skates, roll off contact, or use one arm to shield defenders while maintaining control with the other hand on his stick. That creates extra seconds for support to arrive and often turns what should be a lost puck into continued zone time. He is especially effective when collecting chipped pucks below the goal line and using his body to spin off pressure before moving the puck into the slot or back to the point.
His reach also shows up around the net and in scoring areas. He can receive passes slightly outside his body and still transition quickly into a shot, which widens the area for teammates trying to hit him through traffic. On rebounds or loose pucks, he can get touches around defenders without needing a full body position first. This is an underrated scoring trait because it allows him to convert chances even when defenders are tied up with him physically. As he adds strength, this tool could become even more dangerous.
Nordmark’s areas of improvement
Compete level and play away from the puck
The main concern with Nordmark is not effort in general, but how consistently he competes when he is not directly involved in the play. When the puck is on his stick or he sees a clear offensive opportunity, his engagement level is high. The issue comes on longer sequences without possession, where his pace and urgency can drop. There are shifts where he glides through coverage instead of stopping and starting, which can leave him half a step late arriving at pressure points or support areas.
This shows up clearly in defensive-zone coverage. As a winger, he can be late collapsing to the hashmarks when his defenseman is under pressure, forcing the low forward to cover extra ice. On rimmed pucks or wall battles, there are moments where he approaches upright and reaches with his stick rather than arriving with body leverage and intent to win the puck cleanly. That often turns potential exits into extended defensive-zone time because the first touch is not decisive enough.
There are also situations where his competitiveness varies from shift to shift. Some shifts, he attacks loose pucks first and wins possession with speed and reach. In other shifts, he arrives second because he takes a glide stride or does not fully commit through contact. Scouts often focus on this because it is less about skill and more about repeatability. Teams want to know whether a player will consistently win the small battles that decide possession.
Nordmark’s comparables
| Scenario | NHL Comparable | Position | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best case | Adrian Kempe | Forward | Pace-driven winger who gnerates offesnive through forecheck pressure and finding space on the ice |
| Likely outcome | Viktor Arvidsson | Forward | Pace-driven winger who generates offence through forecheck pressure and finding space on the ice |
For Nordmark’s best-case scenario for a comparable, Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe strikes me as one. Like Kempe, Nordmark can create problems through pace in transition, attacking defenders with speed and using his frame to protect pucks once he gains the zone. Both players are threats as shooters and passers, which makes them difficult to defend when entering with possession. The comparison also fits how they use straight-line speed and reach to attack space rather than relying purely on elite hands.
As for Viktor Arvidsson, he is comparable to Nordmark due to aspects such as pace, motor, and ability to generate offence through movement rather than overpowering tools. Like Arvidsson, Nordmark is effective attacking off the rush, finding soft ice in coverage, and staying involved through quick routes and constant motion. Both players pressure defenders with speed, can finish chances, and create offence by arriving in dangerous areas at the right time
Fit with the Flames
| Organizational need addressed | Potential top-six winger |
| Realistic pick range | 15-25 |
| NHL timeline | 2 to 3 seasons likely playing in the AHL first |
| Flames fit verdict | Possible fit |
For a team like the Calgary Flames, Nordmark would certainly be a safe pick to make in the middle to late first round. I see him as a possible fit as he’d be a fine addition to the Flames prospect pool, but I’m not so sure he’d be significantly better than players such as Matvei Gridin, Matt Coronato, Andrew Basha, Cullen Potter and more.
His game aligns with the type of identity Calgary appears to be building. The Flames have emphasized competitiveness, skating, and players who can play within structure rather than one-dimensional skill pieces. Nordmark has offensive talent, but he also brings size, reach, and the tools to become a reliable two-way winger if his off-puck habits continue to improve. That combination would make him appealing to a team that values complete players.
So while he has top-six upside, the Flames already have a bunch of wingers in the system. Either way, I wouldn’t be mad if he was selected by the team, but the competition would sure be fierce.
Summary
Nordmark is the type of prospect coaches trust quickly because of his skating, intelligence, and consistent two-way game. His strengths in pace, support play, and competitiveness give him a high floor and multiple paths to an NHL role. The main question is whether he develops enough dynamic offence to become more than a safe middle-six option. If he does, he could become a valuable NHL winger who thrives in various types of situations.