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

[Machinehead]

Also, if we're arguing that 30 points in 34 games for a freshman is unimpressive, I think we've become spoiled by what Jack Eichel did. But Eichel was a whole nother level of prospect.

Mittelstadt's freshman production was in line with Toews and Wheeler at 18 and just a hair behind Gaudreau and Pavelski.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Also, if we're arguing that 30 points in 34 games for a freshman is unimpressive, I think we've become spoiled by what Jack Eichel did. But Eichel was a whole nother level of prospect.

Mittelstadt's freshman production was in line with Toews and Wheeler at 18 and just a hair behind Gaudreau and Pavelski.

How did the rest of his game compare to them? If his scoring was on par but everything else was significantly inferior it's important

 

[Mac n Gs]

See edit. English is hard.

I can also guarantee you that if we drafted CM, this board would be saying he's a guaranteed 1C. No doubt in my mind. You want to root for the people in your organization. I get it.

I'd bet most of it would be harping on his WJC rather than realizing he had a pretty meh freshman year. I don't see CM and Lias ending up too far apart from each other as they progress through their careers. I don't feel like going over this again, but you know I'm high on Lias. I like CM a lot too.

People trying to make these conclusive statements after one freaking post-draft season is INSANE.

 

[Machinehead]

How did the rest of his game compare to them? If his scoring was on par but everything else was significantly inferior it's important

Wouldn't know, honestly, but even if he wasn't good defensively, calling what he did unimpressive for an 18YO is revisionist.

It's just as off the mark as calling Andersson's D+1 unimpressive.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

I know it’s the Ranger fan thing to **** on Mittelstadt

You haven't been paying attention then

 

[silverfish]

I'd bet most of it would be harping on his WJC rather than realizing he had a pretty meh freshman year. I don't see CM and Lias ending up too far apart from each other as they progress through their careers. I don't feel like going over this again, but you know I'm high on Lias. I like CM a lot too.

People trying to make these conclusive statements after one freaking post-draft season is INSANE.

I know where you stand. I'm just saying picture HFNYR regarding Mittlestadt if we drafted him. What would the takes be from some of the people who lose their minds when someone brings CM to defend Andersson? What would the overall HFNYR opinion be of these players if their organizations flipped? This doesn't really matter, but it's what I like to tell myself to give myself some perspective before really going in on this topic of discussion. Because it's not really worth it.

 

[Mac n Gs]

I know where you stand. I'm just saying picture HFNYR regarding Mittlestadt if we drafted him. What would the takes be from some of the people who lose their minds when someone brings CM to defend Andersson? What would the overall HFNYR opinion be of these players if their organizations flipped? This doesn't really matter, but it's what I like to tell myself to give myself some perspective before really going in on this topic of discussion. Because it's not really worth it.

You're bringing up really good questions, but I'd bet that the arguments would be just as dumb- and I'm saying this as someone who absolutely wanted Mittelstadt at 7OA.
The difference is, I've moved on and can at least analyze each prospect's merits and try to have some form of constructive discussion. Some people like to paint it as if Lias hasn't had a good D+1 season, which is insane to me. He's also had one of the best SuperElit scoring seasons as a D-1 player in that league's history. We have a really good prospect here. Buffalo has a really good prospect there. CM has been overhyped because he wows with flash, but it'd be silly to ignore the other faults that remain in his game.

It's become a silly pissing contest at this point.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

You haven't been paying attention then

Huh?

Maybe I’m just misunderstanding what you mean, but it’s become a meme for the Ranger fan to crap on Mittelstadt

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Huh?

Maybe I’m just misunderstanding what you mean, but it’s become a meme for the Ranger fan to crap on Mittelstadt

It's a meme for half the board to do that but the other half does the opposite. It's been a huge lias vs Mitt thing here for awhile. I shouldn't say half. Plenty of people are perfectly reasonable about it too

 

[Thirty One]

It's a meme for half the board to do that but the other half does the opposite. It's been a huge lias vs Mitt thing here for awhile. I shouldn't say half. Plenty of people are perfectly reasonable about it too

Yes. I can’t wait for the Kravtsov vs. Wahlstrom memes to go doubly hard.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Andersson v Middlestadt has become the new “is Rick Nash good”

 

[Thirty One]

Andersson v Middlestadt has become the new “is Rick Nash good”

Or “is it acceptable to discuss Tanner Glass?”

 

[Edge]

Also, if we're arguing that 30 points in 34 games for a freshman is unimpressive, I think we've become spoiled by what Jack Eichel did. But Eichel was a whole nother level of prospect.

Mittelstadt's freshman production was in line with Toews and Wheeler at 18 and just a hair behind Gaudreau and Pavelski.

Personally, I thought both Mittelstadt and Andersson have very good, though noticeably different, D-1 seasons.

I think both are very good prospects, though they have different styles, strengths and weaknesses.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Also, if we're arguing that 30 points in 34 games for a freshman is unimpressive, I think we've become spoiled by what Jack Eichel did. But Eichel was a whole nother level of prospect.

Mittelstadt's freshman production was in line with Toews and Wheeler at 18 and just a hair behind Gaudreau and Pavelski.

For someone lauded as a cant miss top 5 (and in some cases top 3) prospect on the planet, its not that great. Gaudreau and Pavelski didn't really get a ton of love until they got older (neither of them sniffed top 50 lists after their freshman seasons.)

Toews freshman season was actually his 17 year old season. His 18 year old year (sophomore) season was well over a PPG.

 

[Machinehead]

For someone lauded as a cant miss top 5 (and in some cases top 3) prospect on the planet, its not that great. Gaudreau and Pavelski didn't really get a ton of love until they got older (neither of them sniffed top 50 lists after their freshman seasons.)

Toews freshman season was actually his 17 year old season. His 18 year old year (sophomore) season was well over a PPG.

I do agree that CM is overrated but that's different from saying he's meh.

 

[aufheben]

I think it's a perfectly reasonable explanation, but I'm choosing to believe that the NYR FO is at least a little disappointed that he didn't grab a spot this year. Which is just the way I'm interpreting things, and doesn't mean it's true at all. Someone could just as easily interpret the opposite, and we can both feel fine with our analysis. No wrong or right here, unless you're taking an extreme spot on the spectrum like: "Andersson is definitively a bust now" would be a bad take. Just like "there's no way Andersson will ever bust" would be an equally bad take.

Yeah, fully agree with this. While there were 3 better centers on the roster, he could have easily had a strong camp and forced them to put him on the team whether it be in the 4C spot or moving someone to wing. But he's most certainly not a bust. Any talk of that for a kid that hasn't even turned 20 yet is just absurd.

Good points, but did Howden really force himself onto the team, or play that much better than Lias? That is what makes me consider that their may be more to this than Lias not impressing.

On the other hand, the simplest answer is probably the most accurate, so...

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Good points, but did Howden really force himself onto the team, or play that much better than Lias? That is what makes me consider that their may be more to this than Lias not impressing.

On the other hand, the simplest answer is probably the most accurate, so...

Howden being projected as a bottom-6 center and Lias being projected as a top-6 center would explain why Howden is on the team to play in a limited role whereas Lias is in Hartford to play top-6 minutes and grow in that role.

 

[NYRFAN218]

Good points, but did Howden really force himself onto the team, or play that much better than Lias? That is what makes me consider that their may be more to this than Lias not impressing.

On the other hand, the simplest answer is probably the most accurate, so...

In terms of preseason game action, Lias started extremely strong and leveled off while Howden was kind of the opposite where he picked up as camp went along. Who knows how much stock the team puts into Traverse City as well where Howden was a clear step better than Lias and not to mention we don't see what goes on in practice where he may have impressed the coaching staff as well.

 

[TheDirtyH]

I wasn't pleased with who Lias played with most of the preseason. When he had minutes with Fast, Zucc, or other established NHL players he looked as good or better than both Chytil and Howden. On the powerplay he was effective from start to finish. I'm not sure he 'leveled off.' He was given a lot less help out there.

 

[aufheben]

In terms of preseason game action, Lias started extremely strong and leveled off while Howden was kind of the opposite where he picked up as camp went along. Who knows how much stock the team puts into Traverse City as well where Howden was a clear step better than Lias and not to mention we don't see what goes on in practice where he may have impressed the coaching staff as well.

Oh ok, I didn’t really follow Traverse.

Lias looked like a veteran NHLer at times, and at others like, well, a 19-year-old.

He’s the type of player who will use something like this as motivation, and come back better than ever; I don’t think many would disagree with that?

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

In terms of preseason game action, Lias started extremely strong and leveled off while Howden was kind of the opposite where he picked up as camp went along. Who knows how much stock the team puts into Traverse City as well where Howden was a clear step better than Lias and not to mention we don't see what goes on in practice where he may have impressed the coaching staff as well.

I did not really see how Howden was better in Traverse City or in preseason.

 

[The S5]

Howden had a better camp than Lias. Lias was mostly unimpressive outside of one game. If he showed more, he would be on the team, end of story. Please stop with the "he's projected to be a 1/2 C and needs time to develop". That's nonsense because Lias has not shown that he projects as a 1/2 C. If he suddenly exceeds all he has shown to this point, he may project as a 2C, but its unlikely.

Honestly, what has he done for many to be so high on this guy.

 

[Blue Blooded]

I wasn't pleased with who Lias played with most of the preseason. When he had minutes with Fast, Zucc, or other established NHL players he looked as good or better than both Chytil and Howden. On the powerplay he was effective from start to finish. I'm not sure he 'leveled off.' He was given a lot less help out there.

I'm genuinely baffled by the deployment Quinn gave Andersson, basically making it impossible for him to make the team. If the premise is that he's only going to play in a top-9 role, how about giving him top-9 caliber teammates? Jimmy Vesey definitely doesn't count.

Do you think Pavel Buchnevich would've made the team two years ago playing on a line with the equivalent of 2018-19 Lettieri and Vesey while getting solely defensive deployment?

 

[Blue Blooded]

Howden had a better camp than Lias. Lias was mostly unimpressive outside of one game. If he showed more, he would be on the team, end of story. Please stop with the "he's projected to be a 1/2 C and needs time to develop". That's nonsense because Lias has not shown that he projects as a 1/2 C. If he suddenly exceeds all he has shown to this point, he may project as a 2C, but its unlikely.

Honestly, what has he done for many to be so high on this guy.

Brett Howden had two games where the Rangers were conceding shot attempts 5v5 with him on the ice at a faster rate than most PK units do.

 

[NYRKing]

Watching Lias in pre-season really summed-up the good and the bad for me. On the one hand, you look at (1) the goal where he intercepted a pass to Hall and had the great soft flip to the top shelf on a break-away, (2) his net-front presence and soft hands and (3) his ability to battle in the corners - safe to say he will at least be a solid top 9 forward. On the other hand, his skating really hampers his overall ability. Either improving his skating OR refining his best attributes to compensate for this will ultimately be the difference between a top 6 and a top 9 role, imo. Such potential. Still very excited for his development.