Many thanks to my fellow Devils fans who are keeping us updated on Lenni!!
Is Lenni’s developmental trajectory putting him in good position to make the big club in the 25/26 season? Or does he require some more seasoning, rendering him more likely to be an in-season call up?
I’m excited about this kid and will be thrilled if he becomes at least a solid middle six NHLer!!
i cant imagine he wouldnt start in utica, both from a developmental standpoint and roster construction standpoint. just makes too much sense
skating will be the big thing to watch as he scales things/faces higher intensity play. theres some reason to believe his baseline game could be even better on smaller ice/with less space and a greater focus on smarts/contact play, but he'll still need to prove he can keep up over here
liiga also isnt a
great league per se, so while i love to see him at a point per game clip as one of the leagues top goal scorers, im not ready to predict he'll come over and immediately be productive. now in fairness, you could make this argument for a player coming from just about any european league, but in recent years i havent been as sold with the level of talent/pace of play in finland specifically
the one thing thatll work in his favor in terms of being an early call up is how little legitimate forward talent there is in utica. if hes looking good and we lose a mercer or noesen at some point, that might be an opportunity. but im getting waaaaaay speculative now lol definitely think he'll wind up a player in some capacity, hoping its as jacks version of kunitz