(Vancouver, BC) Portland Winterhawks defenseman John Ludvig was selected in the third round, 69th overall, by the Florida Panthers. He becomes the 31st Winterhawk selected in the NHL Draft since 2010.
The six-foot-zero 196 pound defenseman was in his second year of eligibility after not being selected in 2018.
A native of Kamloops, British Columbia, Ludvig scored 18 points this season including five goals. However, he is better known for his defensive prowess.
John played top-pair minutes for head coach Mike Johnston and was used in matching up against the other team’s top line.
One area of specialty for Ludvig is his ability to block shots. There were multiple shifts and penalty kills where he blocked more than one shot.
His most famous goal came during the 2017-2018 when he scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal against Carter Hart and the Everett Silvertips.
In 2019-2020 Ludvig will again be a top-pair defenseman and take on an even bigger role for Portland.
Stay tuned for more as the day progresses.
