Prospect Info: 2017 NHL Draft / Pick #7 - Lias Andersson (C) - Part II

[ThirdEye]

Just concerned about the part of the pro. scouting staff label Lias A. as a most NHL ready talent that year, but it`s what it is and he still looked kind of slow this year. And I`m not sure what the franchise see in him in the future - new Emerson Etem kind of player and will be moved in a good hockey trade? I don`t have a good role for him at the moment - we could as well use Kevin Hayes and lock him up with a long term contract next summer.

Um... I think it's a bit early to label him a "new Emerson Etem". Also, Lias was drafted as much for his intangibles and two-way game as he was for his skill, whereas Etem brought absolutely nothing other than his offense to the table.

I do think the most realistic projection for him based on what I've seen his a 2nd line defensive center, and I also think he's got a good chance to become that. I don't really see the first line center potential at all really, but he's still young.

Like others said, the 7th pick is not a gimme and majority of the players taken after him are still as much of a question mark as he is right now. Let's be patient and see what we've got with him before denouncing him as a bust

 

[Ori]

I`m not saying he is a 1st line talented player and don`t expect that at all, and consider he struggle with pace which is important in NHL - maybe Rangers is not an ideal Franchise for him?

I would consider Canucks 1st pick in 2019 for him for instant - maybe Jim Benning is interested in a similar kind of trade?
I`m actually more optimistic about Lias than the New York Rangers current coaching staff and new york management including player personal staff development in New York.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

I`m not saying he is a 1st line talented player and don`t expect that at all, and consider he struggle with pace which is important in NHL - maybe Rangers is not an ideal Franchise for him?

I would consider Canucks 1st pick in 2019 for him for instant - maybe Jim Benning is interested in a similar kind of trade?
I`m actually more optimistic about Lias than the New York Rangers current coaching staff and new york management including player personal staff development in New York.

You're more optimistic about Lias but you want to give up on him? Interesting

 

[Ori]

I don`t think the Franchise give him a good chance to be successful and it`s unfortunate for Lias. Yes most here know I follow Vancouver Canucks as well and did so since the early Sedin days, but not only here on HF. And we have a spot for Lias for sure in Canada, becuase I like Lias a lot and it`s sad for him to be sent down. I know he is only 19 years old so it could work out in the future, but just curious how they evaluate him in their future plans as a player.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

I don`t think the Franchise give him a good chance to be successful and it`s unfortunate for Lias. Yes most here know I follow Vancouver Canucks as well and did so since the early Sedin days, but not only here on HF. And we have a spot for Lias for sure in Canada, becuase I like Lias a lot and it`s sad for him to be sent down. I know he is only 19 years old so it could work out in the future, but just curious how they evaluate him in their future plans as a player.

Not every 19 year old is ready for the NHL. I dont see Vegas fans freaking out because Cody Glass got sent back to Portland. Lias being sent down is prob better for his development then playing on the fourth line

 

[Ori]

It`s about Lias in this topic @Rangers743 - and do you think Lias is happy to be sent down?

All players are evaluated in this league and that is an on going process. No one is freaking out here I don`t understand that notion, or how you describe it.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

It`s about Lias in this topic @Rangers743 - and do you think Lias is happy to be sent down?

He prob isn't happy that he got sent down. But it doesn't matter if its happy or sad if its best for his developement.

 

[NYR Viper]

It's humorous that people are upset that a 19 year old kid is going to be playing on the top-line int he AHL. He was drafted last year. He had a very good D+1 season. He could play the entire year int he AHL (which he won't) and score 55-60 points this season and it be considered an absolute success. People do realize that most kids who are drafted are either playing in the NCAA as sophomores or are back to Junior hockey in their D+2 season?

He is being unfairly compared to Chytil who had an absolutely stud-like D+1 season. That is setting the bar WAY too high.

 

[Ori]

Fine, I just have other opinion what is good for his development. Personally I think Lias would learn a lot playing on a NHL 3rd line with top 9 minutes if not here, well maybe in Canada.

 

[bl02]

I'm happy he's not being rushed. Don't wan't something like the Lazar turnout. Only time will really tell but let him get first line minutes in the AHL.

 

[silverfish]

It's humorous that people are upset that a 19 year old kid is going to be playing on the top-line int he AHL. He was drafted last year. He had a very good D+1 season. He could play the entire year int he AHL (which he won't) and score 55-60 points this season and it be considered an absolute success. People do realize that most kids who are drafted are either playing in the NCAA as sophomores or are back to Junior hockey in their D+2 season?

He is being unfairly compared to Chytil who had an absolutely stud-like D+1 season. That is setting the bar WAY too high.

He'll be 20 in 9 days. Let's just call him 20. Other acceptable things to call him are 19.98

 

[Ori]

Yes a good point, maybe @NYR Viper - I don`t compare him with Chytil though, but I saw a spot for him on a possible 3rd line, but it`s too early for him.

 

[GAGLine]

Fine, I just have other opinion what is good for his development. Personally I think Lias would learn a lot playing on a NHL 3rd line with top 9 minutes if not here, well maybe in Canada.

He wasn't going to get 3rd line minutes. That's why he was sent down. They want both Chytil and Andersson to play center and neither one is supplanting Zib or Hayes yet.

And what do you mean in Canada? Are you suggesting we trade him to a Canadian team?

 

[Off Sides]

Just my opinion but I think the Rangers should have kept all of Andersson, Howden and Chytil in the AHL this year.

Having two of three in the NHL seems to have muddied up the perception that all three are not still very much prospects who may or may not be ready for the NHL.

I fear the media will also have a skewed perception, possibly even leading to the Rangers making some hurried choices, and I just can't see much good coming out of it unless the two who made the NHL both run with it right off the bat and I think that is kind of unlikely to happen.

However had they demoted all three the optics of a rebuilding team having kept all their nearest to NHL ready prospects in the AHL would have likely also caused some inaccurate narratives.

I think Lias will be a decent player, as do I think the other two will as well, yet I'm not sure them having the spotlight on one or the other individually will be good for any of them where as if they were treated as a group the spotlight at first have been dim in the AHL, then eventually brightened and shared among all three as they made the NHL.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Okay. So what? If Lias can put up 55 points per year while matching up against the other team's best players, that is very good value for a 7th overall pick.

I was just responding to him being Dubinsky. If Lias does that consistently he'll be better than Dubinsky.

 

[Joey Bones]

This is also a make or break year for NYR's other centermen. Gorton said himself that he "personally" wants Lias in the NHL. But when a team has multiple other centermen to look at for new contracts/core going forward, it makes more sense to have Lias (or Howden or Chytil) to start the year in the minors.

It's looking likely that at least one of the aforementioned centers (Hayes, Namestnikov, Spooner) would be moving before the season is finished. He's not a center, but Vesey is up-in-the-air, as well. That's 4 forwards who could be replaced by Lias, easily.

This was a business move. Unfortunately, Lias got the short end of the stick now, but it ultimately helps him and the organization in the long run.

 

[Ail]

Has he recorded a hat trick yet? Tired of his shit.

 

[CaptBagel]

I like Lias a lot
Did he get drafted too soon
Yes
But that's what this FO does
They fall in love with one guy and draft him no matter where he's projected to go.
Looking back I wish they moved back in the draft and then drafted him.
Who knows who we could have gotten with an extra second rounder..
Lias reminds me of Nemchinov(one of my favs)
Not flashy but worked hard, scored some and was great defensively.
At some point we have to let go of judging Lias based on where he was drafted and just judge him on who he is as a hockey player.

 

[CasusBelli]

It's humorous that people are upset that a 19 year old kid is going to be playing on the top-line int he AHL. He was drafted last year. He had a very good D+1 season. He could play the entire year int he AHL (which he won't) and score 55-60 points this season and it be considered an absolute success. People do realize that most kids who are drafted are either playing in the NCAA as sophomores or are back to Junior hockey in their D+2 season?

He is being unfairly compared to Chytil who had an absolutely stud-like D+1 season. That is setting the bar WAY too high.

Agreed. Didn’t CK come over when he was 22? I doubt he was as good at 19/20 as he was at 22.

 

[NYR Viper]

Agreed. Didn’t CK come over when he was 22? I doubt he was as good at 19/20 as he was at 22.

Kreider, in his D+2 season, played 32 games and scored 24 points at Boston College.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

I like Lias a lot
Did he get drafted too soon
Yes
But that's what this FO does
They fall in love with one guy and draft him no matter where he's projected to go.
Looking back I wish they moved back in the draft and then drafted him.
Who knows who we could have gotten with an extra second rounder..
Lias reminds me of Nemchinov(one of my favs)
Not flashy but worked hard, scored some and was great defensively.
At some point we have to let go of judging Lias based on where he was drafted and just judge him on who he is as a hockey player.

Word was Detroit wanted Lias bad at 9, so where were they moving back from? And I’m not even going to go back into this arguement we’ve all had about a billion times about him being drafted too early

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

The front office, yes, but not the player, which was effen's point.

That said, I think some people have too high of expectations for any player simply because they were drafted 7th overall. If Lias becomes a 55 point, 2-way center, that's good value for the pick. I know everyone wants the elite player, but getting an elite player 7th overall shouldn't be the expectation.

You’re right, but for a team with zero elite players , you need to hit on one or 2 draft picks , and it’s even worse if players drafted directly after him end up being elite and he doesn’t.

 

[GAGLine]

You’re right, but for a team with zero elite players , you need to hit on one or 2 draft picks , and it’s even worse if players drafted directly after him end up being elite and he doesn’t.

There were other guys the Rangers liked better, but they were selected before the Rangers picked. They looked into moving up, but no teams were biting. They drafted Chytil 21st overall, and then drafted Kravtsov 9th overall, both of whom have the potential to be elite.

They know they need elite talent, but they also know they need players like Lias, who is a smart player, plays a 200 foot game, and is a leader on and off the ice. If we had taken Chytil 7th overall and Lias 21st overall, would you feel better about it? Probably not, since all the pundits would say we took Chytil way too early. At some point, you just need to be happy that you picked a good player, regardless of where he was drafted.

 

[Ola]

Kreider, in his D+2 season, played 32 games and scored 24 points at Boston College.

Yeah, and Kreider was demoted to the AHL in his D+5 season (had 4 pts in 6 games).

I recon a draft pick can go in three directions after the pick is made. Up, sideways or down. I definitely think Lias has cautiously trended up from his 7th pick. It’s unnecessary to compare him to other picks around him, it’s so subjective, ten experts would have ten different new rankings, but overall I think he has trended upwards. He leaped frog Makar and Glass by a pretty wide margin last season, Lias was a top player at the U20 level and Glass didn’t even play there and Makar needs to take a pretty big step. Think Mittlestad and Chytil in their turn has overtaken Lias, JMHO. I am also a huge Brannstrom fan, but don’t think he necessarily can be said to have passed Lias but he is up there.

You must be patient with kids. I’ve seen so many kids be rushed lately, and so often it’s the worst teams wanting trophy’s on the NHL roster to settle down the fans and so often the results are a down right disasters. What the f*** is Kotkaniemi doing on MTLs roster? EDM rushed Pulju so bad. Disgusting really. Vancouver wanted Elias Pettersson to sign last season, what a joke. That kids last season was so huge for him, he grew on like a weekly basis.

 

[Ola]

Another thing, I am definitely way more convinced now than I was a year ago that Lias has — elite — potential. That he may or may or not reach. But his decision make, execution and creativity is great. What he lacks is the ability to buy himself time and create those chances for himself. If he can improve his skating he — could — get there.