The factual evidence you rely on are the stats because that's probably all you can do. The correct way to evaluate is to be able to look at a players skill set and understand how it will likely develop. Most fans don't have that ability, I don't and I can see you don't, but you want to have strong opinions anyway. Better to listen to the scouts who can make their living doing their evaluations. Anyone can read a prospect's production and make it the basis for their opinion; it just doesn't work. And to call Lias dynamic speaks for itself.
Oh good, some random guy comes in to tell me I only know how to stat-surf. This thread gets better by the moment.
I said Lias Andersson was
more dynamic than Oscar Lindberg; that does not make him a dynamic player. Vinni Lettieri, who has played with Lias, is a more dangerous offensive threat than Steven Fogarty. That does not make Vinni Lettieri a dangerous offensive threat. It's a tool used--comparison.
I believe that Lias Andersson has displayed, through the dozens of non-NHL games I have watched of him, a great nose for the net and a knack for being in the right place at the right time. That is a translatable skill. It is something innate. And, I have seen glimpses of it at the NHL level, as well. "The Shark" knows where to be, and when he plays with other players that know what the hell they're doing with the puck, he'll be bagging rebounds a-plenty like he has done in the SHL and AHL. He has also shown good on-ice awareness; an ability to know where his teammates are and where they are going, and where the opponents are as well. The play he made, lobbing that absolutely perfectly-placed and paced pass up the middle of the ice to hit Kreider for a breakaway, that is a play that you see missed so, so often by the random plugs that play on the PK. He's strong along the boards, and willing to battle, particularly in front of the net. Again, translatable skills. He doesn't have elite-level vision--while he possesses good awareness, he's not the type to be able to see plays happening before they've developed. That's a trait that will prevent him from being elite. His shot, to me, seems average. His hands are pretty good but not great.
I mean come on. I was able to watch 10 minutes of Michael Lindqvist and tell you that that guy required a ton of time and space to get off shots, and he wasn't going to get that in the NHL. Right around that time we signed Ville Meskanen--this kid is strong, works in the tough areas, and can make his own space. I said all summer if one made it it will be Meskanen. I doubled down once I watched the two. Now that Lindqvist is gone, I still maintain Meskanen has an NHL career if he fights for it (like I said with Fogarty, who proved me right after all these years! Translatable skills!).
But nah, I'm just a f***ing stats guy or whatever you say. I'm no f***ing superstar scout but I've been watching hockey at all levels for a long time, long enough to understand talent that will translate up and down the ladder. We can go through dozens of other guys if you want. You can even go find what Pronman said about them for comparison.
