Player Discussion Lias Andersson

[Machinehead]

A lot is made of guys being all tools, no toolbox.

I feel like this kid is all toolbox, no tools.

 

[darko]

A lot is made of guys being all tools, no toolbox.

I feel like this kid is all toolbox, no tools.

Produced in SHL. Produced in AHL. He turned 20 about 6 weeks ago.

 

[Machinehead]

Produced in SHL. Produced in AHL. He turned 20 about 6 weeks ago.

I guess. You know I'm a stats guy, not an eyes guy.

But I just don't see any apparent strengths.

 

[darko]

I guess. You know I'm a stats guy, not an eyes guy.

But I just don't see any apparent strengths.

Be patient. Not everyone scores a hat trick on their debut like Stepan.

 

[Machinehead]

Be patient. Not everyone scores a hat trick on their debut like Stepan.

I never saw any apparent strengths in Stepan's game and still don't, he turned alright

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

I never saw any apparent strengths in Stepan's game and still don't, he turned alright

There are some similarities between the two of them, both really smart two way centers that can elevate the play of their line mates but look invisible while doing it, but the big difference is Stepan is a better passer and Lias is a better goal scorer (specifically in the slot and around the net)

 

[BroadwayStorm]

Produced in SHL. Produced in AHL. He turned 20 about 6 weeks ago.

That tells me absolutely nothing considering career AHLers and tweeners produce at those levels. His skillset is lacking. How do you not see that? He can't skate, he's not strong enough yet to be a sandpaper or defensive guy, he doesn't have a great shot, he lacks vision, he lacks straight line speed. He is just so not a top 10 pick and it is obvious and it doesn't matter if he has played 60 minutes or 6 no amount of playing time is going to change his lack of skill.

 

[aufheben]

If Lias didn’t look so good in the SHL and AHL, I’d be concerned. He looked very good both places.

Not going to have a panic attack watching him 6 mins a night on a fourth line as he breaks in.

People are going to drive themselves nuts doing this.

 

[aufheben]

Also Lias made an awesome play today that would have got him an assist had Brady Skjei not temporarily forgotten he was a professional hockey player.

I never saw any apparent strengths in Stepan's game and still don't, he turned alright

People still complained about him lol

 

[ManUtdTobbe]

That tells me absolutely nothing considering career AHLers and tweeners produce at those levels. His skillset is lacking. How do you not see that? He can't skate, he's not strong enough yet to be a sandpaper or defensive guy, he doesn't have a great shot, he lacks vision, he lacks straight line speed. He is just so not a top 10 pick and it is obvious and it doesn't matter if he has played 60 minutes or 6 no amount of playing time is going to change his lack of skill.

Please tell me how many AHL lifers scored at Lias pace in SuperElit, SHL and AHL as teenagers, enlighten me.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

His SuperElit production was similar to Kopitar. Not saying Lias will turn into Kopitar but I'll bet good money on Lias being closer to Kopitar than to a career AHL player.

I seriously wonder how many games people has seen of Lias outside of the NHL. What he has done in the SHL was very impressive for his age. With EP having a historic season with Växjo, I feel it gives people the wrong impression as to how difficult it is to produce in the SHL as a teenager

 

[badi]

Rangers waisting is développement by playing him 6 m a night ,,,,,,

 

[darko]

With EP having a historic season with Växjo, I feel it gives people the wrong impression as to how difficult it is to produce in the SHL as a teenager

I mean just take a peek at Nils' thread.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

People are basing their opinions on 15 games in the NHL. Apparently players at the age of 20 don't improve anymore.

 

[Edge]

People are going to drive themselves nuts doing this.

You know, they really are.

Under the best of circumstances, prospect watching can be joyous, frustrating, exhilarating and draining.

With Andersson, there’s this heightened sense of sensitivity and it really doesn’t do anyone any good.

 

[Edge]

Please tell me how many AHL lifers scored at Lias pace in SuperElit, SHL and AHL as teenagers, enlighten me.

#Context

Look, no one can guarantee this kid is going to justify his draft position. I can also understand if someone says they don’t see it.

But on the flip side, you can’t just throw out what he did in the SHL and AHL as a teenager as if he put up those numbers at 25 years old.

The problem I have with many of the pessimistic views on Andersson is how cherry-picked they feel.

When the kid puts up great numbers at the SHL and AHL like few others ever have at his age, there’s radio silence. Nothing. No comments. No acknowledgement. Nothing.

The kid starts on the fourth line with Cody Freakin McLeod, and doesn’t set the world on fire offensively, and people start cutting WWE promos.

If Filip Chytil, a player widely viewed to have a higher offensive ceiling and skill set, wasn’t posting numbers in that slot, why is the expectation there for Andersson?

A week and a half ago some people were calling for Chytil to be sent to the AHL. Suddenly, he is out in an offensive role and Chytilmania is running wild.

Maybe, just maybe, the kids are hanging in there and being eased into more offensive roles. And maybe, just maybe, judging them while being worked in on the fourth line is not the most accurate way to gauge their potential or progress.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

#Context

Look, no one can guarantee this kid is going to justify his draft position. I can also understand if someone says they don’t see it.

But on the flip side, you can’t just throw out what he did in the SHL and AHL as a teenager as if he put up those numbers at 25 years old.

The problem I have with many of the pessimistic views on Andersson is how cherry-picked they feel.

When the kid puts up great numbers at the SHL and AHL like few others ever have at his age, there’s radio silence. Nothing. No comments. No acknowledgement. Nothing.

The kid starts on the fourth line with Cody Freakin McLeod, and doesn’t set the world on fire offensively, and people start cutting WWE promos.

If Filip Chytil, a player widely viewed to have a higher offensive ceiling and skill set, wasn’t posting numbers in that slot, why is the expectation there for Andersson?

A week and a half ago some people were calling for Chytil to be sent to the AHL. Suddenly, he is out in an offensive role and Chytilmania is running wild.

Maybe, just maybe, the kids are hanging in there and being eased into more offensive roles. And maybe, just maybe, judging them while being worked in on the fourth line is not the most accurate way to gauge their potential or progress.

Edge, can you adopt me? This is the type of father every Rangers fan needs.

 

[Ghost of jas]

You know, they really are.

Under the best of circumstances, prospect watching can be joyous, frustrating, exhilarating and draining.

With Andersson, there’s this heightened sense of sensitivity and it really doesn’t do anyone any good.

We know what the heightened sensitivity is...he was taken 7th. I’ll honest, he wasn’t my choice for that pick. I wanted Cody Glass, and when he went to Vegas, I wanted Liljegren. There are things I really like about him, but, I’m still not fully sold on him...yet. Is he a legitimate 2nd line center prospect? Probably, although he looks better to me as an elite 3C.

Funny thing, I just went to Wikipedia to the 2017 NHL draft to check on the spelling for Liljegren. They had the final listing for NHL Central Scouting’s top European skaters. Andersson was 3rd behind Kostin and Pettersson. He certainly wasn’t a reach at that spot, no more than Kravtsov was a year later. We’ll see, I guess.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

We know what the heightened sensitivity is...he was taken 7th. I’ll honest, he wasn’t my choice for that pick. I wanted Cody Glass, and when he went to Vegas, I wanted Liljegren. There are things I really like about him, but, I’m still not fully sold on him...yet. Is he a legitimate 2nd line center prospect? Probably, although he looks better to me as an elite 3C.

Funny thing, I just went to Wikipedia to the 2017 NHL draft to check on the spelling for Liljegren. They had the final listing for NHL Central Scouting’s top European skaters. Andersson was 3rd behind Kostin and Pettersson. He certainly wasn’t a reach at that spot, no more than Kravtsov was a year later. We’ll see, I guess.

I stick to my statement that people have unrealistic expectations of a 7th overall pick. Those aren't guaranteed top line players. Most of them either turn into middle 6 players or don't make the NHL at all. And almost none of them play in the NHL in their D+2. I am on my phone now and too lazy to post the list again, but look at the D+2 seasons of Couture, Schenn, Kadri, Koivu, Brassard

 

[Edge]

We know what the heightened sensitivity is...he was taken 7th. I’ll honest, he wasn’t my choice for that pick. I wanted Cody Glass, and when he went to Vegas, I wanted Liljegren. There are things I really like about him, but, I’m still not fully sold on him...yet. Is he a legitimate 2nd line center prospect? Probably, although he looks better to me as an elite 3C.

Funny thing, I just went to Wikipedia to the 2017 NHL draft to check on the spelling for Liljegren. They had the final listing for NHL Central Scouting’s top European skaters. Andersson was 3rd behind Kostin and Pettersson. He certainly wasn’t a reach at that spot, no more than Kravtsov was a year later. We’ll see, I guess.

And he could very well bust or fail to meet expectations. It’s certainly a possibility, he’s not a can’t miss kid by most definitions.

But you hit the nail on the head — at the end of the day we just have to wait and see.

Whether one is a huge fan of his or not, we really don’t know how it will turn out yet. We have to give it time.

 

[aufheben]

You know, they really are.

Under the best of circumstances, prospect watching can be joyous, frustrating, exhilarating and draining.

With Andersson, there’s this heightened sense of sensitivity and it really doesn’t do anyone any good.

Things are going really, really well right now, across the board, (the metaphorical one, not this one ).

God forbid one of these prospects doesn’t pan out, (which is almost inevitable for any team). But I guess this place survived McIlrath, albeit not without some PTSD.

Buchnevich, drafted 75th overall, and at age 23 has already established himself as a top-6 forward, is still picked apart pretty regularly; there’s nothing wrong with that, but I have to imagine it’s going to be 100x worse for Andersson, and for a long time.

I’ve been seeing glimpses of the player Lias could become, even if it’s just one really great shift every game. He’s going to wreak havoc forechecking, and, I don’t know how this isn’t considered a “skill”, but his freakish knack for being in the right spots at the right times, particularly in the crease, is going to reap huge goals for the Rangers should they ever make the playoffs again in the near future.

 

[Edge]

Things are going really, really well right now, across the board, (the metaphorical one, not this one ).

God forbid one of these prospects doesn’t pan out, (which is almost inevitable for any team). But I guess this place survived McIlrath, albeit not without some PTSD.

Buchnevich, drafted 75th overall, and at age 23 has already established himself as a top-6 forward, is still picked apart pretty regularly; there’s nothing wrong with that, but I have to imagine it’s going to be 100x worse for Andersson, and for a long time.

I’ve been seeing glimpses of the player Lias could become, even if it’s just one really great shift every game. He’s going to wreak havoc forechecking, and, I don’t know how this isn’t considered a “skill”, but his freakish knack for being in the right spots at the right times, particularly in the crease, is going to reap huge goals for the Rangers should they ever make the playoffs again in the near future.

I will say that @Machinehead does have a particularly good point — whether Andersson works out, busts or falls somewhere in the middle, the Rangers definitely misjudged his readiness for the NHL. He wasn’t nearly as close as they originally thought.

Having said that, there are a number of players from 2017 that have needed more time to cook than originally expected.

But a valid point is a valid point.

 

[Machinehead]

I will say that @Machinehead does have a particularly good point — whether Andersson works out, busts or falls somewhere in the middle, the Rangers definitely misjudged his readiness for the NHL. He wasn’t nearly as close as they originally thought.

Having said that, there are a number of players from 2017 that have needed more time to cook than originally expected.

But a valid point is a valid point.

Yeah, this is all I'm saying.

I still think he'll need a solid NHL player in time.

At 7OA I want more upside, but that's in the past, and like I said yesterday, my best center after Andersson in that round is Chytil. We got him anyway.

 

[mike14]

I will say that @Machinehead does have a particularly good point — whether Andersson works out, busts or falls somewhere in the middle, the Rangers definitely misjudged his readiness for the NHL. He wasn’t nearly as close as they originally thought.

Having said that, there are a number of players from 2017 that have needed more time to cook than originally expected.

But a valid point is a valid point.

Which begs the question, where did this narrative come from?
I have three draft guides from 2017 and none of them (including the one that had Lias 7th) talks about him being NHL ready. I just did a board search and found another scouting report which talks about him needing some more time. Even in his thread on the prospects board there was only one poster who mentioned that he's "AHL if not NHL ready".

 

[Mac n Gs]

Things are going really, really well right now, across the board, (the metaphorical one, not this one ).

God forbid one of these prospects doesn’t pan out, (which is almost inevitable for any team). But I guess this place survived McIlrath, albeit not without some PTSD.

Buchnevich, drafted 75th overall, and at age 23 has already established himself as a top-6 forward, is still picked apart pretty regularly; there’s nothing wrong with that, but I have to imagine it’s going to be 100x worse for Andersson, and for a long time.

I’ve been seeing glimpses of the player Lias could become, even if it’s just one really great shift every game. He’s going to wreak havoc forechecking, and, I don’t know how this isn’t considered a “skill”, but his freakish knack for being in the right spots at the right times, particularly in the crease, is going to reap huge goals for the Rangers should they ever make the playoffs again in the near future.

Buddy, good on you for consitently fighting the good fight here. I’ve tapped out from the Lias conversation here except for some side conversations that are actually rational and constructive.