Anton Lundell Is A Future Star. Book It.
The Florida Panthers are fun, man. If you’re compiling a list of the most enjoyable NHL teams to watch on a nightly basis, you have a hard time convincing me the Panthers aren’t in that top 5. Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov are real aircraft carriers but it’s the complementary pieces that are helping make this team click. Nobody might be more under the radar than Anton Lundell who looks like a future star. Screw it, I’m calling it now… book it.
I love this kid. Lundell, 20, was the 12th pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. It would appear that the Panthers hit the jackpot on this first round pick. No, the Finnish product isn’t in the running for the Calder. However, I’m not sure if there is a more impressive rookie skater out there right now.
Look, Trevor Zegras, Moritz Seider, and Lucas Raymond are having great rookie campaigns. They look like future stars. However, there is something to be said for this Lundell kid. He’s got IT.
Unlike Zegras, Seider, and Raymond; Lundell plays for a true Stanley Cup contender. On most nights, Lundell is skating with Frank Vatrano and Owen Tippett on that third line. He’s also not getting more than a cup of coffee on the power play unit.
Of course, that shouldn’t be held against Lundell. The difference between the Panthers and Oilers feels really simple on paper. The only difference is Bill Zito knows what he’s doing and Ken Holland does not. The Oilers do not have those complementary players like Sam Bennett, Anthony Duclair, Sam Reinhart, and Carter Verhaeghe. They also don’t have any young players that look like Lundell either.
The underlying numbers for Lundell don’t necessarily jump off the page but are more than encouraging at this point. His five-on-five Corsi sits at 53.1 and Fenwick is 52.7. Both are more than fine numbers for a young rookie. Lundell is also on pace for a 52 point season (24 points in 38 games). You will take that for any first year player.
The Panthers might be the best transition team in the NHL. They turn defense into offense about as good as anybody. Obviously, Barkov is the two way monster on this team. However, Lundell deserves a lot of credit for Florida’s success.
Did you know Anton Lundell leads the NHL for forwards in takeaways? Yes, some 20-year-old rookie. In fact, the only two players ahead of him are Alex Pietrangelo and his teammate MacKenzie Weeger. Both of whom are defensemen.
A lot of big time names on that list. Lundell has been a menace on the ice taking the puck away and turning it into offense for Florida. He’s also getting the fewest amount of ice time than literally any name on that list. Lundell is a +14 on the season. Yes, I know +/- is a fluky stat. Especially while he’s playing for a top-tier team like the Panthers. However, it’s important to note that Lundell is never really skating with Huberdeau or Barkov. Additionally, Lundell has spent 103.3 minutes on the ice for the penalty kill compared to 22.6 minutes of power play action.
Good things happen when Lundell is on the ice. His shooting percentage sits at a more than respectable 12.9% clip. He’s also blocking a more than a fair number of shots. He’s also tough. Yesterday in the game against the Kraken, Lundell stuck his glove right in the face of Jared McCann just to show him what’s up. Lundell just passes the eye test too.
I know the Panthers are in win now mode. I know Florida has a real chance to win the Stanley Cup this year. I don’t care. Under no circumstance do you trade this guy. NONE. Lundell isn’t a prospect anymore. He’s a proven NHL player and is showing ridiculous promise.
All indications are that Florida is showing major interest in Jakob Chychrun from the Coyotes. Totally understandable given Chychrun’s contract and the fact that he’s also a Floridian. The Coyotes have a high asking price for Chycrun and have every reason to do so. Lundell should be a non-starter. It would be like the Dallas Stars giving up Jason Robertson for a short sided Cup chase? Doesn’t seem like a wise decision.
The Florida Panthers are so much fun but it’s time to start keeping tabs on Anton Lundell. He’s showing major promise and represents another building block to an emerging contender. The kid’s a star. It’s a matter of when, not if.
