Did we watch different seasons where it was the Ducks who tried to turn Steel into a grinder role or was it Steel who blew his chances in a top-6 role for the past damned second season in a row? Although we do need scoring, we don't need to be making mistakes that loses pucks. Lundy started off at wing this year and got demoted. Flourished in the AHL and looked good in the NHL on his call up. Then transitioned to center due to injuries and Rico getting demoted. When the team was struggling to find any offense, lightning struck once Lundy centered Comtois and Rakell. Then Eakins separated him from them to keep pushing Steel in a top-6 role and Lundy back to 3C. While it is important that players produce, it's also important to find that chemistry which could help others produce.
. | 9 games | . | 13 games | . | . | . | . | 20 games | . | . | . | . | 20 games | . | . | . |
. | | | Lundy | . | . | . | . | Comtois | . | . | . | . | Rakell | . | . | . |
. | | | G | A | Total | | | G | A | Total | | | G | A | Total | |
12 | 5-Feb | SJ | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | 2 | 0 | 2 | | | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
13 | 6-Feb | SJ | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
14 | 9-Feb | VGK | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
15 | 11-Feb | VGK | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
16 | 15-Feb | SJ | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | 1 | 0 | 1 | | | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
17 | 18-Feb | Min | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
18 | 20-Feb | Min | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
19 | 22-Feb | Ari | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | 0 | 2 | 2 | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
20 | 24-Feb | Ari | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
. | | | | | | PPG | | | | | PPG | | | | | PPG |
. | 9 games | | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.2 | | 5 | 4 | 9 | 1.0 | | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0.44 |
. | Total | | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.2 | | 8 | 5 | 13 | 0.7 | | 1 | 6 | 7 | 0.35 |
. | before combo | . | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0.4 | | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.27 |
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It's amazing how much rose colored glasses some people have to keep pushing for Steel to not be a grinder when he's been given two seasons in top-6 roles and hasn't actually earned it. Now, I don't blame Steel for that. I've been pining for him to be sent down to the AHL to find his groove again. It's not like he's doing much to change our fortunes for the past two seasons. But the one time Lundy finds success, coach Eakins separates that line.
We're stronger with Lundy down the middle than Steel. That was painfully obvious as Steel would be healthy scratched as well as have reduced tasks just to pump up his confidence. Steel was freaking waiver eligible all last season, but he was never demoted to the AHL. You know who was? Lundy and he worked his way back up.
I'm a huge Steel fan and still am, but I don't have rose-colored glasses nepotism about Steel. He's regressed. Now, Lundy was drafted two seasons later than Steel. Steel has had the benefit of playing an additional two seasons in the CHL and then to the NHL.
Box score watching in a vacuum. Good thing I shared that excel chart above to reveal having a strong, speedy center actually helped out Comtois and Rakell.
Do we need to give up hope on Lundy real fast? Do you know he's only 21 years old? This year should have been his first year in the pros on a normal path like Steel and Jones. As for scoring, if you're using only final raw production, then you're doing it all wrong. You should use rate, otherwise known as points per game rate, PPG.
Lundy: AHL
Lundy | Minors | USA | | | | | |
Year | Age | League | Games | G | A | Pts | PPG rate |
2018-19 | 18 | AHL | 12 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0.50 |
| Playoffs | | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.43 |
2019-20 | 19 | AHL | 43 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 0.49 |
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At 19 years of age, he's playing his second season in the AHL/NHL. Steel was still in the CHL.
Lundy: NHL
Lundy | Pro | USA | | | | | |
Year | Age | League | Games | G | A | Pts | PPG rate |
2018-19 | 18 | NHL | 15 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.13 |
2019-20 | 19 | NHL | 15 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0.27 |
2020-21 | 20 | NHL | 41 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 0.22 |
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It doesn't seem like there is any individual high scoring production. Is there any offense in Lundy's game?
Lundy: Sweden
Lundy | Pro | Sweden | | | | | |
Year | Age | League | Games | G | A | Pts | PPG rate |
2015-16 | 15 | SHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
2016-17 | 16 | SHL | 46 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0.13 |
| Playoffs | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
2017-18 | 17 | SHL | 42 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 0.36 |
| Playoffs | | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
2018-19 | 18 | SHL | 17 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 0.53 |
| Playoffs | | 10 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 0.80 |
2019-20 | 19 | | | | | | |
2020-21 | 20 | H.A. | 12 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 0.92 |
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Here, we see Lundy's offense grow the more time he spends in Sweden. What curbs Lundy's offense is his advanced defense. He was a mainstay against men at age 16! In his draft year, he had 15 points in 42 games, or a 0.36 ppg rate. The following year, after Anaheim loaned him back to the SHL, Lundy improved his scoring rate during the regular season and playoffs. Lundy again improved his scoring production in Sweden in 2020-21 before being recalled to North America. What kinda of production would Lundy have had if he was left in Sweden for the next two seasons after being drafted?
Why is Lundy not getting more love when he's proved to be a lot more stable of a center at the NHL level than Steel? Can we blame Steel for not stepping up his game rather than try to take down Lundy, who hasn't been a liability on the ice between the two? Apparently, Lundy does have offense in Sweden and it's slow going on NA ice. Remember, Lundy will start the season as a 21-year old. Our coaches need to figure this out, but with Eakins here, I dunno if he wants to figure it out as he's always favoring Steel.