2020 Draft & Undrafted Free Agent Thread

[GeorgeKaplan]

Lundell is a better player than that, IMO....

I know people think he’s got a limited offensive ceiling, but his production has told a different story over the last year and change. Also might be a little blasphemous but I thought Lundell had a better WJC than Kakko last year

 

[rangersfansince08]

Stutuzle vs Lundell is picking the guy with higher end talent vs the safe pick. No more Lias Anderssons. Go for the guy with elite potential in Stuzle.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Stutuzle vs Lundell is picking the guy with higher end talent vs the safe pick. No more Lias Anderssons. Go for the guy with elite potential in Stuzle.

You’re mistaken if you think Lundell is a Lias Andersson

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Yeah I disagree about Lundell being like Lias. He's a way better overall prospect.

Stutzle is interesting, I'm hoping he keeps his play up through the entire season, with this being his first real professional season

 

[rangersfansince08]

You’re mistaken if you think Lundell is a Lias Andersson

He's not like Lias at all but he is the more sure and less skilled prospect when compared to Stutzle. This Andersson vs mittelstadt all over again but these players are better than both of that years players.

Andersson<Mittelstadt<Lundell<Stutzle

 

[True Blue]

Stutuzle vs Lundell is picking the guy with higher end talent vs the safe pick. No more Lias Anderssons. Go for the guy with elite potential in Stuzle.

AND THERE IT IS!!!!

Will happily pat myself on the back for predicting this outcome. Oh, boy. It is going to be a long run up to the draft.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

He's not like Lias at all but he is the more sure and less skilled prospect when compared to Stutzle. This Andersson vs mittelstadt all over again but these players are better than both of that years players.

Andersson<Mittelstadt<Lundell<Stutzle

I’d be more inclined to agree with you if Lundell didn’t produce as much as he does

 

[Savant]

I am not a Stultze expert. I also need to make so there isn’t a over correction on German players because of the season Draisaitl is having.
That being said - are we sure Stutlze is a full time center? It seems he is being moved around a lot and generally when I heard “he can play both” I decode that as “he is neither”.

I am not in the center no matter what camp (although I am PROBABLY in the forward no matter what camp) but if Stutlze is a tweener and Lundell is a full time center; that is probably a tiebreaker if they are grading out similarly.
Throw out the Lias garbage.

 

[rangersfansince08]

AND THERE IT IS!!!!

Will happily pat myself on the back for predicting this outcome. Oh, boy. It is going to be a long run up to the draft.

There what is? What outcome?

 

[NYRFANMANI]

There what is? What outcome?

He predicted that the board would take my (quite unsubstantiated) assessment of "Lundell =-ish to Lias" and run with it. And he's right, it happened just like he said it would.

We should just watch a lot of tape the upcoming months.

I am not a Stultze expert. I also need to make so there isn’t a over correction on German players because of the season Draisaitl is having.
That being said - are we sure Stutlze is a full time center? It seems he is being moved around a lot and generally when I heard “he can play both” I decode that as “he is neither”.

I agree, as of now it is only clear that he's an offensive dynamo. That's pretty much it.

I'd really like to know what coaches that trained/saw both Drai and Stützle think. If they can tell us, who's better at what age. Is he in the same tier or maybe just one below?

 

[rangersfansince08]

He predicted that the board would take my (quite unsubstantiated) assessment of "Lundell =-ish to Lias" and run with it. And he's right, it happened just like he said it would.

We should just watch a lot of tape the upcoming months.

I didn't even read your assessment. Like I said Lundell is much better than Andersson and Mittelstadt imo. But he has less high end skill compared to Stutzle imo. I just like to pick guys with higher end talent in the first round.

 

[rangersfansince08]

He predicted that the board would take my (quite unsubstantiated) assessment of "Lundell =-ish to Lias" and run with it. And he's right, it happened just like he said it would.

We should just watch a lot of tape the upcoming months.




I agree, as of now it is only clear that he's an offensive dynamo. That's pretty much it.

I'd really like to know what coaches that trained/saw both Drai and Stützle think. If they can tell us, who's better at what age. Is he in the same tier or maybe just one below?

I think the closest comparison to Stutzle is Hughes. Also I don't think anybody saw Drai being this good.

 

[Edge]

So, just to dip my toe into the Lundell conversation, I think he has a good talent level. But I also think his offensive game is more balanced and more likely to convert against tougher competition moving forward.

When we start getting beyond the top two, which to me are Lafreniere and Byfield, I think things are fairly wide open at this point. You have some guys who probably project more as excellent second line players, but not necessarily top-end offensive centerpieces. BUT, it's still very early in the process.

But when you get to third spot, you'll probably hear varying opinions and preferences between Raymond, Holtz and Lundell, and arguably Stutzle. Of that quartet, Lundell feels like the most balanced.

 

[rangersfansince08]

So, just to dip my toe into the Lundell conversation, I think he has a good talent level. But I also think his offensive game is more balanced and more likely to convert against tougher competition moving forward.

When we start getting beyond the top two, which to me are Lafreniere and Byfield, I think things are fairly wide open at this point. You have some guys who probably project more as excellent second line players, but not necessarily top-end offensive centerpieces. BUT, it's still very early in the process.

But when you get to third spot, you'll probably hear varying opinions and preferences between Raymond, Holtz and Lundell, and arguably Stutzle. Of that quartet, Lundell feels like the most balanced.

I agree with that. But the other three could be potential gamebreakers. I don't see that out of Lundell which doesn't mean he is a bad player or anything.

 

[Edge]

I agree with that. But the other three could be potential gamebreakers. I don't see that out of Lundell which doesn't mean he is a bad player or anything.

I think there's probably going to be more debate about Lundell for a number of reasons.

Compared to some of the other options, his pure skill doesn't leap off the page. He doesn't necessarily top the list in any of the "show me" areas --- shooting, skating, size, stickhandling, etc.

However, the one area where I think he tops his contemporaries is his Hockey IQ. He's an incredibly smart player who sees the ice well, knows where the play is going, and generates play. You watch him and you quickly realize that he's dictating the pace of play a lot of times --- and he's not doing it in a junior setting.

However, I can already see where the questions are going to come from, and they're not totally out of line. The skating is not elite, it's average or maybe slightly above average. The shooting is good, but not standout good. You're going to have valid questions as to whether or not he's a first line prospect, or more comfortably a second line prospect. There are some who might like him better as a wing (I think he's a center at this point).

So taking all that into consideration, where does that put him? Right now, I'd probably put him 5th or 6th on my list --- which I haven't made yet. As for where he'd go in the draft, I think you're probably looking at him being this year's Trevor Zegras and going in that 7-10 range, but probably being higher on some lists.

Right now, if your team is sitting 10th in the draft, I think he's probably at the top of your list. If you're picking third or fourth? Probably not on as many lists at this point in time.

I think he projects nicely as a second line center. But if you're picking in the first half-dozen slots, you probably are looking for more of a home run swing.

 

[Mac n Gs]

I'm still a big Alex Holtz guy, and I want to see him in a Rangers sweater more than any other prospect sans Lafreniere/Byfield

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

What's the latest on that Czech center who was getting some buzz over the summer?

 

[rangersfansince08]

I think there's probably going to be more debate about Lundell for a number of reasons.

Compared to some of the other options, his pure skill doesn't leap off the page. He doesn't necessarily top the list in any of the "show me" areas --- shooting, skating, size, stickhandling, etc.

However, the one area where I think he tops his contemporaries is his Hockey IQ. He's an incredibly smart player who sees the ice well, knows where the play is going, and generates play. You watch him and you quickly realize that he's dictating the pace of play a lot of times --- and he's not doing it in a junior setting.

However, I can already see where the questions are going to come from, and they're not totally out of line. The skating is not elite, it's average or maybe slightly above average. The shooting is good, but not standout good. You're going to have valid questions as to whether or not he's a first line prospect, or more comfortably a second line prospect. There are some who might like him better as a wing (I think he's a center at this point).

So taking all that into consideration, where does that put him? Right now, I'd probably put him 5th or 6th on my list --- which I haven't made yet. As for where he'd go in the draft, I think you're probably looking at him being this year's Trevor Zegras and going in that 7-10 range, but probably being higher on some lists.

Right now, if your team is sitting 10th in the draft, I think he's probably at the top of your list. If you're picking third or fourth? Probably not on as many lists at this point in time.

I think he projects nicely as a second line center. But if you're picking in the first half-dozen slots, you probably are looking for more of a home run swing.

Its like if you're picking top 5 you hope for a Makar type talent with elite IQ and elite skills not an Adam Fox guy where IQ is his biggest strength and the physical is average.

 

[Ghost of jas]

I think there's probably going to be more debate about Lundell for a number of reasons.

Compared to some of the other options, his pure skill doesn't leap off the page. He doesn't necessarily top the list in any of the "show me" areas --- shooting, skating, size, stickhandling, etc.

However, the one area where I think he tops his contemporaries is his Hockey IQ. He's an incredibly smart player who sees the ice well, knows where the play is going, and generates play. You watch him and you quickly realize that he's dictating the pace of play a lot of times --- and he's not doing it in a junior setting.

However, I can already see where the questions are going to come from, and they're not totally out of line. The skating is not elite, it's average or maybe slightly above average. The shooting is good, but not standout good. You're going to have valid questions as to whether or not he's a first line prospect, or more comfortably a second line prospect. There are some who might like him better as a wing (I think he's a center at this point).

So taking all that into consideration, where does that put him? Right now, I'd probably put him 5th or 6th on my list --- which I haven't made yet. As for where he'd go in the draft, I think you're probably looking at him being this year's Trevor Zegras and going in that 7-10 range, but probably being higher on some lists.

Right now, if your team is sitting 10th in the draft, I think he's probably at the top of your list. If you're picking third or fourth? Probably not on as many lists at this point in time.

I think he projects nicely as a second line center. But if you're picking in the first half-dozen slots, you probably are looking for more of a home run swing.

Thoughts on Stutzle and how he compares to Lundell?

 

[Joey Bones]

I know people think he’s got a limited offensive ceiling, but his production has told a different story over the last year and change. Also might be a little blasphemous but I thought Lundell had a better WJC than Kakko last year

Yeah, it can look that way. I still think, out of the two, Kakko has the better offensive prowess, but Lundell is really putting it together right now. Looks like a solid 2C option down the road!!

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

Of you had to merge the 2019 and 2020 drafts together, what are your thoughts of what the top 10 would look like?

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

Of you had to merge the 2019 and 2020 drafts together, what are your thoughts of what the top 10 would look like?

I'm guessing Lafreniere would be the #1 pick followed by either Hughes or Kakko

 

[Joey Bones]

Stutuzle vs Lundell is picking the guy with higher end talent vs the safe pick. No more Lias Anderssons. Go for the guy with elite potential in Stuzle.

Both are better options than Lias....

I think people tend to forget that Lias was a reach pick at No. 7. He was ranked in the mid-teens that draft. Most wanted Mittelstadt and Brannstrom, I remember really wanting Suzuki there. Besides the point, Lias had that two-way play with HV71, but the offensive upside was limited/questionable. He was always pegged, at most, to be a 2C in the NHL. That is looking very hazed now, but he's still young. Remember, it took Ryan Johansen until he was 22 to really start becoming something. Hell, Michael Dal Colle (who I thought was going to be a star in this league) has just became a bottom-6 player with the Islanders in his 24th birth year. I think Andersson needs to work hard to get there now, but he's still got time.

Lundell is a defensive center and playing in Liiga consistently. That automatically makes him a "safe" pick. But, he's showing this year that he does have offensive instincts and ability to be a game changer. He's at a .60 PPG with HIFK with 6 goals in 20 games. That's really good for an 18 year old in pro hockey. Kakko last season had finished the year at a .84 PPG pace with 22 goals in 45 games. When watching the two play, it's obvious that Kakko is a special player offensively, but Lundell is showing that he can keep up in pro hockey. I think Lundell is a lot better than people make him out to be.

Stutzle is a different player than Lundell. Definitely more of a flashy playmaker. He's doing things in the DEL that most haven't seen since Draisaitl (although he and Draisaitl are, too, different players). He should be getting steam to be a top 5 candidate, especially since some have underwhelmed (most on HF know he had this capability, though). But he's got a bit of a hill to climb to the NHL. For starters, flashy playmakers need to develop a defensive game and speed for the NHL. Sometimes thinking the game that quick doesn't always work. Look at Buchnevich. There are games where he looks like a stellar player.... then there are games where he shoots/passes into players or through their feet. Stutzle has that capability to be something great in the NHL, but it's more likely the case he doesn't pan out to the potential. That's not a knack on him, though. He's electrifying!! But more of a gamble, IMO, than Lundell.

This is to also say that Lundell might not live up to the potential, too. The draft is a gamble. Even some No. 1 overall picks don't pan out. Who knows?

In the end, if the Rangers were selecting and these two were on the board.... I would be happy with either!!

 

[Joey Bones]

I am not a Stultze expert. I also need to make so there isn’t a over correction on German players because of the season Draisaitl is having.
That being said - are we sure Stutlze is a full time center? It seems he is being moved around a lot and generally when I heard “he can play both” I decode that as “he is neither”.

I am not in the center no matter what camp (although I am PROBABLY in the forward no matter what camp) but if Stutlze is a tweener and Lundell is a full time center; that is probably a tiebreaker if they are grading out similarly.
Throw out the Lias garbage.

He plays all forward positions in the DEL. I think he'd be a wing, personally, but we would need to see more throughout the season to really gauge.

 

[QJL]

Stutzle reminds me of Marner more than anyone else. I think he could end up a center but I’d bet on him playing wing.