Underrated: rated or evaluated too low; underestimated or undervalued
Understated: avoiding obvious emphasis, not obvious; subtle
Some players fly under the radar and go unnoticed. Some players impact and value are only truly appreciated by their teammates and coaches. Max Vilen is one of the most underrated defencemen in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, but people are now starting to take notice especially after coming over to Moncton from the Saint John Sea Dogs during December’s trade period.
The transitional two-way defencemen from Hammarlov, Sweden isn’t flashy he just gets the job done every time he steps on the ice. Vilen is a solid skater, reads the play and thinks the game and position exceptionally well. He plays the game and position the right way with heart, determination and an unwavering will to compete. Those attributes are certainly not understated in today’s game, but some people may not always see or appreciate a defender like Vilen and his true value.
Shift in shift out, the import blueliner provides a transitional presence and has become a difference maker for the Wildcats. Vilen doesn’t complicate things out there, he keeps everything in front of him, makes the right play at the right time and doesn’t panic with the puck which is perhaps his most valuable attribute of all. Vilen’s point totals from his time in the Port City to now are almost identical which speaks volumes about his role identity.
This trait is incredibly rare in today’s game, but Max Vilen knows who Max Vilen is and that isn’t always the case especially coming to a powerhouse team like the Moncton Wildcats. You see some young defenders would want to change their style of play in that situation, if anything Vilen has continued to stay true himself and play a complete game which is exactly what the Cats needed from him in their defensive structure.
Every team with championship aspirations need a defencemen like Max Vilen, someone that can transition pucks, log massive minutes and can lock things down and go against all the opponents’ top lines.
Vilen may not blow your mind with flash or dash or catch your eye when he patrols the Cats blueline and that’s perfectly fine, because he doesn’t have to play that way. Only true hockey connoisseurs understand the type of value and impact Vilen’s can have.
The Swedish defender doesn’t get a lot of press, headlines and notoriety, but has received “Hardest Worker of the Game” honors on several occasions throughout the season. Vilen just shows up punches the card and goes to work and that’s perhaps the greatest compliment for any “two-way” “hard to play against” defencemen.
Here’s my most recent report on Vilen, you can read more of my reports on Neutral Zone’s platforms.
Max Vilen (Sleeper pick potential, This kid has had a great second half of the season) Vilen is an interesting player, he came over from Saint John at the deadline and has really provided stability and a solid two way presence to the Cats lineup. Some nights he jumps off the page with his play while others he’s average. He has very good edge control and possesses a powerful stride, he’s agile and is very good in one on one situations, but lacks at times the girt and the “F U” element that could make him an even more viable defensive asset at the pro level. Like many young import D men, Vilen seems to me to be lacking consistency at times and lacking a sense of identity, but that’s perfectly normal given his time within the league. Can Max Vilen play pro hockey? Yes, I believe he can, but it’s going to take time and some refinement to certain aspects of his game.
The last 10 games including the playoffs, Vilen has definitely found consistency to his play and has really become that go to presence in important moments for the Wildcats. At 6’3 200 pounds, Vilen meets all the specifications when it comes to a pro defender. The refinement that I was alluding to in my report was his jam and grit. Some scouts might question his feet and agility as a possible barrier holding him back, but he definitely possesses an extra gear when needed. With players like Vilen especially import defenders time and experience is everything. We can all see what Vilen is right now, but where will he be at 23 years old? That’s the ultimate question and one scouts will have to continue to project.
At times it might seem that Vilen doesn’t have enough urgency to his game which might not translate to the next level, but I see it as being highly effective and efficient. He doesn’t rush things out there because he doesn’t have to. Plays that he might have been hesitate on in first half of the year, he’s making those types of plays look easy now. He’s very underrated on the offensive blueline as well, and definitely has a knack for fitting pucks through and hitting the net which is due in large part to his skating ability to create those openings.
Max Vilen continues to be a highly underrated defender that continues to have an understated impact on the Moncton Wildcats success.
The Quick Shift 