We have a different vision of the player, I saw him get into the middle and use his frame to win pucks quite a few times. He is more Max Pacioretty than Benoit Pouliot, kid is a powerful skater with great hands, easily one of the top transitional players in that draft. Can pass, can shoot, there is alot of upside there. He is my prime traget for a trade up in the 8-12 range, he and Eklund, but I think Ekklund goes higher than the concensus currently have him going.
It's the consensus view on him. Yeah, he's done it at times but his default mechanism is just perimeter flashy offensive stuff.. Benoit Pouliot, Anthony Mantha types. Personally, I don't see Tigers change their stripes and I've been fooled too many times hoping a big guy will learn to play between the dots. If you draft him, you have to be OK with a Mantha type player. I personally can't stand those guys.
“Lakovic is an intriguing prospect. He’s a big body forward who can be elusive on open ice with his effortless stride. He’s difficult to check when he’s handling the puck due to his long reach and stature. He has excellent puck touch for a big man and contributed 27 goals and 31 assists in 47 games for Moose Jaw this year. With the Warriors not qualifying for the playoffs, his season has come to an end. Lakovic is a late birthday (Dec. 12, 2006). He has aged out of being eligible for the U18 World Championship,
and his style of play will be debated in scouting meetings leading up to the draft. For his stature, he isn’t physically overpowering, he’s more of a finesse forward.” –
Jason Bukala, Sportsnet
“When we first highlighted Lynden Lakovic in early October, emphasis was on his growth as a playmaker. He had the flashes the previous season, but he was starting to control games with his willingness to draw pressure before dishing, deception, and a diverse passing skill set. And that was coupled with dynamic rushes and an NHL shot. Nearing the halfway point of the season, it’s safe to say that Lakovic’s growth as a playmaker is for real. But we did have some questions about his physical game. Yes, he’s tall and electrifying with the puck, but he always ended up on the outside of battles and didn’t use his body much. He challenged that perception at the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge…Not sure anyone did more for their stock in that game than Lakovic. This was a different version than the Moose Jaw version, showcasing a lot more willingness to use his body, engage opponents along the wall, and control contact on retrievals. Given that, it should be no surprise that he, along with Ben Kindel, were the CHL’s best chance creators at 5-on-5 in this game.” – Mitch Brown, Elite Prospects
January 2025 – Lakovic is an intriguing player due to his combination of skating, size, playmaking, and raw skill.
Lakovic cannot really be considered a power forward at this time. His game doesn’t centre around driving inside or using his body and physicality to gain the net front. Instead, Lakovic creates most of his value through playmaking, puck carrying, and rush offence.
At the CHL/USA Prospect Challenge, Lakovic showed more of the things that NHL teams look for, displaying energy on the forecheck, dropping the shoulder on the rush, and finding quality looks for his teammates. T
he question with Lakovic is whether he’ll be able to develop a more physical, consistent game, and—with the trade deadline departure of Brayden Yager —whether he’ll have the support to do so.
Luke Sweeney
Lakovic was the best player on a poor Moose Jaw team, but his body of work plus his athleticism is impressive. He's a 6-foot-4 winger who skates quite well for his size. He has a powerful and fluid stride and can easily avoid checkers. He's a creative offensive player with the hands to make defenders miss often. Lakovic sees the ice well enough but scouts aren't fully convinced on that aspect of his game. He's more of a scorer than a passer with a legit mid-range shot. His compete level is mediocre. It won't hold him back at the top level, but I wouldn't call him a hard-to-play-against type who makes full use of his big frame and he plays too much on the outside. He projects as a top-six winger. - Pronman
