Portland Winterhawks defenseman John Ludvig, an 18-year-old from Kamloops, has improved year-after-year after playing in Junior B two years ago to now playing top-four minutes with the Winterhawks this season.
Ludvig is a player who so far has flown under the radar during his hockey career. He went undrafted in the WHL Bantam Draft and was passed over in the 2018 NHL Draft. However, he continues to work hard and use the trials as motivation. Ludvig’s strong play with Portland got his name added to the NHL’s Central Scouting “Players to Watch” list for the 2019 NHL Draft.
After arriving in Portland in 2017, and making the team out of training camp, he had to battle with then fellow rookie defenseman Clay Hanus to make the defensive rotation. The Winterhawks boasted a deep defensive group with NHL drafted defensemen Henri Jokiharju and Brendan De Jong, 20-year-old captain Keoni Texeira, and down the stretch, Detroit Red Wings 1st rounder Dennis Cholowski. Last season Ludvig played in 51 contests for Portland during the regular season and 11 of the team’s 12 playoff games.
So far head coach Mike Johnston feels, “Johny’s taken a big step this year. I think going to a pro camp this year was good for him. Everybody knows he’s physically very tough and strong. As a defender I like his puck decisions this year.”
Prior to the season Ludvig spent time with the Boston Bruins. John had an opportunity to play both forward and defense for the Bruins while attending camp. During the 2018 Prospects Challenge featuring prospects from the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, and the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ludvig was officially listed as a forward. “It was a good experience there” Ludvig said, “I got to see how the level is there. It is definitely a lot faster. I had a lot of fun there. You have to compete in everything and move faster.” Returning with Portland for his second season, Ludvig looks to make more of an impact on the box score.
While he only scored two goals during the 2017-2018 campaign, he scored a memorable one against the Everett Silvertips. Not only did he beat three-time WHL Goalie of the Year Carter Hart, he scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Ludvig brings more to his game than scoring, he is one the most physical defenseman in the U.S. Division.
Winterhawks assistant coach Kyle Gustafson says, “Johnny’s hard to play against. You don’t want to go against him in front of the net because he is going to battle you hard. The puck goes to the corner and he will be the first to get there. If he isn’t, he will play you hard and make sure you don’t come out with the puck.” Ludvig was one of the players last season who wasn’t afraid to drop the gloves to stand up for a teammate.
With the exception of two games this season, Ludvig has been paired with assistant captain, and overager Jared Freadrich. The two have formed a strong pair that compliments each other well. Ludvig said, “He’s a good guy, a veteran in the league. I can pick his brain and learn a lot from him.” Jared feels he benefits playing alongside Ludvig, “It has been awesome playing with Ludvig. He is really responsible defensively, smart with the puck, and calm with the puck. He doesn’t put me in trouble out there ever and talks a lot.”
So far, both Johnston and Gustafson like the speed and pace Ludvig has shown early. Gustafson said, “He is able to skate, move the puck, and play the transition game we want our defensemen to play” and Johnston likes “the pace he’s playing with. He is playing with more pace to his game this year. He has taken a big step to move from where he was last year into our top-4; that is great for him.”
Part of playing in the top-four is being strong on the penalty kill and sacrificing your body for the team. “He is able to step in front of shots” Gustafson mentioned, “being able to blocks shots is such a great quality to have. He has the willingness to do it too. I think that is why he’s taken such a step in his overall hardness on the game.” While John wants to continue to improve with every practice, his main goal is to “make the playoffs and go as far as we can, that’s what matters.”
The Winterhawks are looking to snap a three-game losing streak and relying on Ludvig’s presence on the backend will surely help. Johnston feels “he is a real leader, a take charge guy out on the ice.” The pairing of Freadrich and Ludvig will need to continue their strong play, but the pair works well together. Freadrich was quick to point out with Ludvig, “you can’t ask for more in a defensive partner.”
