Lundell is wearing a letter for his Finnish squad as a 19-year-old. Lundell has an underrated shot that can alone make him a dangerous offensive player. When another defenseman for the opposing team gets their first, he continues by chasing and stick checking from behind. Very smart reliable player in all areas Gets his whole body leaning into his shot. I … Lundell is also fantastic at utilizing stick checks. 8 pick New, 39 comments We pick a center to bolster the Sabres spine down the middle in the 2020 SB Nation mock draft After the first pick in this draft things start to get interesting right away. The top of the 2020 NHL Draft is full of forward prospects and that happens to be the biggest need for the Buffalo Sabres in their prospect pool. However, players like Couturier and Anthony Cirelli were viewed almost exactly like Lundell. Here’s what Scott Campbell of The Scouting Report had to say back then. I broke down his game in an earlier scouting report, but this is different. Minnesota Wild – Anton Lundell, Centre, HIFK, SM Liiga. He doesn’t win the battle and clear the zone, but the idea is clear – he is more than willing and capable to get into these physical altercations and battle for possession in the defensive zone. "The top eight is where you want to be if you want to get a marquee prospect," Marr said. Not flashy, just effective. According to Dan Marr, the director of the NHL's Central Scouting Services, eighth is a pretty good place to be. While Lundell has the tools to succeed and the willingness to get to the dirty areas despite his smaller stature, he is missing the work ethic in some areas. Anton Lundell is poised to go number 4 overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. After the first pick in this draft things start to get interesting right away. He plays the point on the PP. He needs a little more physical power, needs a little more speed. One thing that separates the great two-way forwards from the good is their all-around work ethic. Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Anton Lundell, 2001-10-03 Espoo, FIN Finland. The decision was made to pick the center in Lundell. Although he will be compared in his present unpolished form as a lesser light to Kotkaniemi or other larger Finns, he already has a heavy shot and is responsible in his end, and can dominate down low as he continues growing his game. How about when he does attack and get to the dirty areas? NHL Central Scouting Services ranks Lundell third among European skaters, behind Stutzle and Swedish winger Alexander Holtz. The decision was made to pick the center in Lundell. His IQ, positional awareness, and anticipation is a rare combination for forwards both in the defensive zone and while defending against the rush in the neutral zones. Took him a bit to get to this point, but he’s here. Lundell scored the first goal of the 2020-21 season for HIFK on Friday, crashing the net and redirecting the puck in off his skate. The Sabres may opt to go with the raw scoring talent of Holtz in that situation, but Lundell feels like a perfect fit for what the Sabres need down the middle. That shows positive signs of maturity and leadership in a young player. You know who else reads the play as opposed to chasing down low in the defensive zone? Andon Lundell. He was second in Liiga in shot share (61.9%) among all players to play at least 30 games, according to Liiga’s official site. He is regarded as a two-way centerman who blends his skill with a heaviness on the puck. SB Nation Mock Draft: Wild select Alexander Holtz. Getting to the dirty areas? “After struggling to take his offensive production to the ‘next level,’ there are some concerns about his potential as a first-line center. Once he makes the jump to North America, he could start slow, adjusting to the smaller rinks. His stickwork indirectly leads to the puck being bobbled and lost: Even more Lundell love, because this dude deserves it. This is an area he needs to improve in to take his defensive game to a whole new level pic.twitter.com/BXGpZoerrw. As Tony Abbott of Zone Coverage pointed out in his draft profile of Lundell, his 2.03 points-per-60 ranks second only to Kakko in terms of recent first-round draft picks. An uncanny ability to win faceoffs. He is caught outnumbered in the neutral zone and recognizes the need to take away the pass to the outside, as his two teammates behind him are bunched up in the middle. His skating continues to improve, but needs to add leg strength. If the season wasn’t shortened, he could’ve had three straight 25+ goal seasons and three straight 70+ point seasons. Stick checks aren’t just poke checks from close range or a nifty stick lift to pickpocket an opposing player, whether on the backcheck or face to face. Here were the picks before the Sabres were on the board -, Buffalo Sabres Schedule, Roster, News, and Rumors | Die By The Blade, NHL Mock Draft 2020: Buffalo Sabres select Anton Lundell with No. by There is high end skill and vision and the feet will only get better. I have seen various others pin Lundell as a safe pick for his reliable defensive game. Anton Lundell (2020) with a great cross-ice pass for the primary assist on the PP. NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Anton Lundell Finnish centerman has performed well against pro competition ... Anton Lundell - C, HIFK (Liiga) 6-foot-1, 185 pounds 2019-20: 44 GP, 10 G, 18 A, 28 P. Unlike most first-year draft eligible playing in European men’s leagues, Lundell has never dealt with the uncertainty of being benched or demoted, which is a testament to … Yet, nine years later, he has two 75+ point seasons and two 30+ goal seasons. Picks 9-15: NHL Mock Draft 2020 9.) I’m going to attempt to break down what makes Lundell such an incredible defensive forward. Bergeron v. Lundell again. Puck behind the net, Lundell doesnt chase. Lundell is coming and whoever passes on the opportunity to take Lundell outside the top-5 may regret their decision in a few years’ time. Here’s an example of Sean Couturier battling along the boards in a similar situation. Barkov checks in with a 54.3% faceoff success rate, Bergeron lands at 57.89% and Couturier leads the league with a 59.62% rate this season. The Buffalo Sabres and Sabres.com are trademarks of The Hockey Western New York, LLC. Because Lundell does that here pic.twitter.com/iCmERTiAfH. There are a variety of scenarios that could unfold before the Sabres are on the board at eight. Those two players were scoring winger Alexander Holtz and two-way center Anton Lundell. Against men? NHL Mock Draft 2020: Buffalo Sabres select Anton Lundell with No. He loses the race, but he continues to battle for it. "I know they've really been working hard preparing. This year in the SB Nation mock draft with how the board fell, we were left with two options to decide between at eight. There are a variety of scenarios that could unfold before the Sabres are on the board at eight. Build your custom FanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis on Puck Prose and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Hey @SammyT_51 and @Vezinalevskiy I have more Lundell love. Anton Lundell - C/LW - HIFK - 2020 NHL Draft Profile and Stats But the big thing is how he reads plays when he doesn’t attack. The decision was made to pick the center in Lundell. Patrice Bergeron. And here’s Bergeron pic.twitter.com/lsoRsurg8k. Anton Lundell is a fantastic prospect in the 2020 NHL Draft. MOCK-DRAFT… He immediately recognized that they were pushing up ice and opened up his hips to begin skating backwards and facing the play. The Original Full Round Mock Draft Site. Praising his defensive game while doubting, or at least not seeing enough, of his offensive abilities. Wild Mock Drafts. nhl . There's nothing wrong with his skating, but he can work on that. Drafted in 2020 NHL Draft: 1st Round, 12th Overall Pick by Florida, Well-rounded Finn centre with good vision, puckhandling savvy and ability to make the soft pass. Chases hard and wacks the puck away and ultimately moves the puck to get it out (@JimIkeHW & @braeunk26) pic.twitter.com/AqjSRdnwSD. While he does have holes to fill, he has established himself in a tough men’s league in Finland. Ht/Wt: 6' 1"/183 lbs Position: C Team: Hifk (LIIGA) Anton Lundell's Player Profile Eetu Siltanen - Dobber Prospects - Sept. 30th: "Lundell’s hockey IQ is excellent; he reads plays and is just always in the right position.He is a playmaker with good hands, but has a solid … His stick checking compared to that of another Finnish player you may have heard… Aleksander Barkov.