Nils Bartholdsson – 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Profile – Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

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Nils Bartholdsson

2025-26 squad: Rogle BK (U18/U20 Nationell)
Date of birth: April 25, 2008
Place of Birth: Halmstad, SWE
Ht: 5-foot-11 Wt: 179 pounds
Shots: Right
Position: Right Winger
NHL Draft Eligibility: Eligibility for the first year of 2026

Levels

Nils Bartholdsson is a Swedish right wing midfielder who plays for Rogle BK at U18 and U20 National level. He is known for his powerful, powerful shooting and is a star in board battles. He works with a creative hockey brain and always produces great looks for himself and his teammates. He tends to be more of a scorer than a playmaker.

This season, he played 40 games with Rogle BK in their U18 and U20 teams. The forward scored an incredible 55 points (31 goals, 24 assists) in the regular season. He played well in the team’s playoff run, posting 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in nine games. He was called up to help Rogle in their last season in the Swedish Hockey League, but he did not score in three games.

Hockey Writers 2026 NHL Draft Guide

Bartholdsson played in several international tournaments, too, including the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, the World Junior A Challenge (WJAC), and the Svenska Cupen U20. His best performance came in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he scored two goals and four assists for six points in five games. His efforts helped Sweden win the silver medal in the tournament.

Although he has a powerful shot and creative puck movement, he needs to work on his playmaking and swing skills before he is ready for the NHL. He looks good at the junior level and stands out among European skaters, but compared to the draft class as a whole, Bartholdsson will need more skill development.

Nils Bartholdsson – NHL Draft Projection

The right fielder will likely be taken somewhere in the third round of this year’s draft. He is usually projected in the 75th-90th overall range and will go to a team that has the time and resources to develop a young player. He would fit in well with a team looking for a talented, attacking player to add to their young mind in a few seasons.

Some Profiles Are Under Construction

Measurements

“Bartholdsson was among Sweden’s most successful creators in the attacking area [the U18 Five Nations Tournament]. He was setting up his teammates on the boards with amazing passes, and he should have scored more goals than he did based on the number of good chances he ended up creating. – Janik Beichler, Elite Prospects

“Bartholdsson is a deep prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft. Swede’s winner in Rogle’s J20. Good size and tough game. Competes well in board battles. Feet are a concern at the NHL level. Nils is a prospect to watch for teams with strong development pipelines and the patience for a long NHL game compared to Anthals Mantha’s timeline. – HockeyMockDraft

Power

A solid, accurate shot
Successful board battles
A smart player

Under Construction/Development To Be Done

Needs to work on skating skills and speed
Needs to improve playing skills

NHL Power

Bartholdsson has NHL potential after some development. A team willing to invest time and resources in him could find themselves with a valuable top-six forward in a few seasons. He is a great player and scorer, which is a desirable skill at any level of hockey. After being given the time and space to grow and develop his skills, the Swedish midfielder could fit in two different NHL situations: a team full of veterans who can mentor and improve his game, or a young, up-and-coming team he can grow alongside.

Risk Reward Analysis

Risk – 4/5, Reward – 3/5

The Power of Fantasy Hockey

Offense- 7/10 Defense- 3/10