Konrad Abeltshauser

History

2008-09: Konrad Abeltshauser played for his home town Bad Tolz U18 club(DNL). The lanky defender finished with 44 points in 36 games. He also managed 24 PIMs during the 2008-2009 season. Abeltshauser also represented Germany at both U17 and U18 levels, finishing with 4 points in 5 games with the U17 squad. He went pointless in 6 games with the U18 team.

2009-10: Abeltshauser moved to Halifax for the 2009-2010 season to join the Mooseheads(QMJHL). In 48 games with the Mooseheads, Konrad picked up 5 goals and 20 assists for 25 points. He once again represented Germany on their U18 and U20 teams. He had very successful international tournaments this time around, picking up 11 points in 5 games with the U18 squad and 4 points in 5 games with the U20 team. Abeltshauser was drafted in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft 163rd overall by the San Jose Sharks.

2010-11: Abeltshauser skated in 58 games for Halifax in his second season, missing time to play for Germany at the 2011 World Junior Championship. He received a two-game suspension for a hit late in the season. Playing on a team that had the QMJHL’s fourth worst record and won just 20 games during the regular season, he scored 8 goals with 19 assists and was -36 with 47 PMs. In the Mooseheads’ four-game playoff series with Montreal, Abeltshauser scored 3 of the team’s 5 goals and was -3 with 2 PMs. In six games at the WJC he was scoreless and -3 and had 2 PMs. Germany failed to win a game and finished last in the ten team tournament.

2011-12: Abeltshauser had an excellent second season in the QJMHL for the Halifax Mooseheads where he was the leader of their defense corps. The 20-year-old finished the regular season with good offensive numbers, scoring eight goals along with 36 assists and a plus 17 rating in 57 QJMHL games while ending up ninth in scoring amongst defensemen for the regular season. Abeltshauser and his Halifax Moosehead had a terrific run into the QJMHL playoff semi-finals where the team lost a tough series 4-2 to the Rimouski Oceanic. In the Mooseheads’ second round series against the Quebec Remparts, Halifax came back from a 3-0 deficit in the series with an incredible game seven victory in overtime to end the series. The big offensive defender finished second amongst defensemen in the QJMHL playoff scoring, putting in five goals (three on the power play) along with 11 assists and a plus one rating while taking 16 PIMs in 15 playoff games. He signed a three year NHL entry level contract on April 11, 2012 after an excellent season and QJMHL playoff run with the Mooseheads.

2012-13: Abeltshauser returned to Halifax for an overage season as a 20-year-old and scored the game-winning goal in the Memorial Cup championship game. In 56 QMJHL regular season games he scored 7 goals with 47 assists and was +35 with 22 penalty minutes. The Mooseheads had the league’s best record, winning 62 of 68 games, and defeated Baie-Comeau in the playoff finals. Abeltshauser scored 7 goals with 13 assists and was +18 with 12 penalty minutes in 17 playoff games. He scored 2 goals with 3 assists and was +2 with 2 penalty minutes in four Memorial Cup games.

Talent Analysis

Abeltshauser has the physical characteristics of an elite level talent. He has NHL size and very good skating ability given his frame. He is more noted for his strong offensive skills in which he will jump up into the rush but he has demonstrated at the CHL level to have a very strong defensive game. He does not play enough with an edge and because of this his slot coverage, most notably clearing of the crease is not as adept as it should be given his size.

The big German-born blueliner’s future is hard to predict. He could conceivably play anywhere from first pairing minutes in the NHL to never quite making the jump.

Future

Abeltshauser will get his first taste of professional hockey this season in Worcester. He will have to show he can handle the quicker pace of the game on both sides of the puck, but given his enormous potential he will be given every chance to do so. Look for him to start the year off playing sheltered minutes, and slowly easing his way into a more important role by season’s end.