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Originally Posted by bigpete
So why is everyone always creaming their drawers for Lundell, can someone give me a scouting report? Honestly don't know too much about him. Does he project to be a 1C? 2-way 2C? Solid defensive minded 3C?
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Late to the discussion, but here's my two cents.
Lundell seamlessly entered the NHL and was able to have a very strong first year offensively, but part of that was playing with Reinhart and Mason Marchment for the vast majority of the year. Most of that was even strength too. He had eye popping advanced stat metrics for a rookie with an xG% of 55.4%. Strong defensive metrics and drove the puck consistently into the offensive zone. All while having offensive zone starts of just 48%.
That xG% number dropped a little the last two years to 53 and 52%, and he's been given a lot more offensive zone starts, but he's still always on the right side of the ledger. Last year he played a lot with Barkov and Reinhart, but with Barkov having a down year, that line never really clicked, especially combined with a tiny bit of a sophomore slump. After being moved away from highly offensive guys like Barkov and Reinhart for players like Cousins and Luostarinen, his numbers are about the same as last year, but I think he's playing better. His game is becoming more complete. His faceoff percentage has increased every year and is now over 52%. He checks well, and is especially strong on the forecheck, disrupting breakouts for the other team. He's really learning how to play the NHL game well, and is only 22.
He does have offensive skill, but it's *not* in that top tier of skill players. Instead, he uses his feet and hockey smarts to get into good positions almost always. Average to above average speed. Reads the play pretty well in all 3 zones, and can use his body to protect the puck to make a play. Not overly physical, but can lay a solid body check now and then to take the puck away. Pretty strong at takeaways, and can turn the puck over with his defensive game to get an offensive chance for himself or his linemates. Rarely makes a defensive mistake or poor read.
In my mind, he's already a fantastic 3rd line center, and if not for guys like Barkov and Bennett ahead of him on a deep group of forwards, he'd be the 2nd line center on the team. But he has great chemistry with Luostarinen, so they pretty much stick together. The comparable is Backlund, but I think he's way ahead of where Backlund was at 22 years old. Similar style of player, but he'll be a better player over his career. He's not a top line center, but he could be a top line complementary winger if a team needed that. He would instantly slot into one of the top two lines if he were on the Flames right now.
At just 22 years old with 3 full years of experience under his belt, playing big important playoff games, and cost controlled for another 5 years? Just an absolute gem of a player to build around if you could get him. That cost controlled thing is a big reason why the Panthers don't want to trade him, but he is up for a new RFA contract next year, and I think they're wary of the cap for next year and trying to fit him in with all the other guys they need to re-sign, but he would be cheaper than the other UFAs they have, so again, tough to give up a cost controlled asset like that for Hanifin as a rental. Now, Hanifin signed is a different story, so if they can get that to happen, this could be a deal with another pick or mid-tier prospect from the Panthers thrown in.
Just my two-cents.