I stopped by the local Barnes and Noble (do you guys remember bookstores?) the other day. It’s always a great spot to relax and flip through some books and magazines, but just don’t pull a George Costanza…
[Image from Reddit]
Anyways, thumbing through the August issue of
The Hockey News and there’s a section titled “Ready to Break Out” which looks at each division and selects one player from each team (within the division) that they predict will have a breakout season in 2022-23.
No surprises here that the selection for the Florida Panthers is Anton Lundell. Here is the article’s blurb on the young Finnish Phenom:
“Just like the rest of his team, the regular season was a revelation and the playoffs were a disaster for ANTON LUNDELL. In the post-season, he scored just one goal and was a healthy scratch for Game 3 of Florida's second-round sweep at the hands of Tampa Bay. But that shouldn't diminish a rookie season in which he contributed in all situations. He was a key penalty-killer, leading Panthers forwards in shorthanded ice time. He'll likely keep drawing third-line minutes next year, but his spot is secure.”
No doubt about it that that the expectations for Lundell are high. I know I’m expecting a lot from him as he enters his second year with the Cats. At only 20-years old, he put together a great rookie season in 2021-22. In 65 games he racked up 44 points (18 G, 26 A) and had a FO% of 44.7.
But as the article points out, while the team as a whole had a tremendous regular season, the postseason was awful. In nine games, Lundell had one goal. But I actually give him a pass on the playoffs. While I wish he could have been able to have done more, I wish even more so that the established veterans would have stepped up and did what they’re paid to do. To me, a young guy getting his first taste of NHL playoff action gets a (little) pass on a less-than-stellar performance.
What excites me about Lundell is that he seems to play beyond his years. Again, at only 20, he looks like a seasoned pro out there. He’s steady, skates well, has great vision, possesses high end talent, and works hard as a two-way center playing solid defense.
Yes, Lundell certainly looks to have a bright future ahead of him. But we all know the dreaded “sophomore slump” can be a real thing.
So what do you guys think? Does #15 build off his great rookie season? Or does he take a step back?
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Training camp is getting closer…who’s pumped? Go Panthers!
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