Player Discussion Lias Andersson

[NYRFANMANI]

Should’ve picked Mittelstadt, just as we suspected on draft day

No.

Nonetheless Lias, to me, is projecting as a bottom 6 player right now. Have to agree with Inferno's assessment. There is nothing he does really well, as of now.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

He’s a great powerplay player

 

[Edge]

My issue with lias is, right now I don't see anything he does at a very high level. Like nothing. Speed, no. Passing? No. Board play? Hell no. Defensive ability? Not really. Shooting? Yet to beat a goalie clean on a hard shot that I can remember. Hockey iq? Meh, id say not really.. .. and frankly his balance is atrocious.

I can usually see a path for a kid to succeed...as of now lias had shown me basically nothing other than being a pest and willingness to engage in the dirty areas. Those are good aspects.....they're also aspects you'll find on a dime a dozen ahl player.

Lias will need to work on a bunch of things this off-season to be a solid nhler imho...his balance and edge work, foot speed, and board play all need to be huge priorities. If he can work on those things it'll buy him time to work on others....of he doesn't I'd wager he's traded sooner rather than later

I think the weird thing for me is how some people go out of their way when it comes to taking shots at Andersson.

That to me, doesn't necessarily scream of concern, so much as it screams of still being pissed off and never passing up an opportunity to take a shot.

Sometimes it's so glaring, that it's impossible to ignore. Especially when certain accomplishments are ignored or the same critical eye isn't cast upon other prospects.

When it comes to prospects, there's always been that element of the population reacting like a woman scorned. But it's on a very different level for Andersson.

 

[Ola]

You know, for all the gnashing of teeth a portion of this board has done with Andersson, the NHL isn't exactly being lit on fire by the two of the three picks immediately before him, and a whole lot of picks after him.

Which, interestingly enough, happens to coincide with those names not popping up in conversation as much these days.

Great point. Many expected him to be able to step in and become a 2nd line center from day, since the brass in NY said something like ‘everyone will get a fair shot no matter their age’.

We hadn’t picked in the first round in a really long time, I just think many’s expectations were really off in many areas. The talk about low potential etc. many wherent that familiar with him as a prospect.

With that said, everyone is entitled to their opinion and it’s a pick you can love or dislike. I personally like it because it’s a high potential pick, that also has a high floor so to speak.

 

[Edge]

No.

Nonetheless Lias, to me, is projecting as a bottom 6 player right now. Have to agree with Inferno's assessment. There is nothing he does really well, as of now.

I'd argue that in his previous stops he's been consistently one of the best players and getting into high percentage areas, taking the more difficult assignments compared to his peers and generating chances in the offensive zone.

 

[Edge]

Great point. Many expected him to be able to step in and become a 2nd line center from day, since the brass in NY said something like ‘everyone will get a fair shot no matter their age’.

We hadn’t picked in the first round in a really long time, I just think many’s expectations were really off in many areas. The talk about low potential etc. many wherent that familiar with him as a prospect.

With that said, everyone is entitled to their opinion and it’s a pick you can love or dislike. I personally like it because it’s a high potential pick, that also has a high floor so to speak.

Personally, it's not the differing opinions that bother me. It's what seems like an almost active rooting against the kid.

Like if I were to point out the number of times Miller looked like he was handling a hand grenade this season, it would lead to 3 pages about upside and how he's only played defense for a year, and how we need to be patient, etc.

I can point to Chytil looking like he was attending open skate night at the local rink, or Kravtsov looking he doesn't want people breathing on him, and there's be a lot of debate.

The expectations we have for Andersson, even when he was seen as a future second line player, just are not proportionate. Especially at 19 and 20 years old.

Even during his finest moments, there are people who are literally nowhere to be found. But man, when there's something they want to point out on the opposite end, they magically spring back to life.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Yeah... all's quiet on the Brett Howden Thread, people seem comfortable/confident that he'll improve, but he's as bad if not worse than Lias all year, and is trending opposite rn. Chytil, for his speed, hasn't done much besides score a couple beautiful goals since like November.

To me it's OK for players so young, so early in their NHL careers not to stand out. Limited minutes is one thing. Limited time with actually good/great NHLers is another.

Lias hasn't seen a second on the powerplay. He's played most of his NHL career with the likes of McCleod. He's a year and a half removed from being drafted... you can be worried, sure, but why bother being convinced of anything regarding this kid? Have we really seen enough to say much with any confidence?

 

[duhmetreE]

Yeah... all's quiet on the Brett Howden Thread, people seem comfortable/confident that he'll improve, but he's as bad if not worse than Lias all year, and is trending opposite rn. Chytil, for his speed, hasn't done much besides score a couple beautiful goals since like November.

To me it's OK for players so young, so early in their NHL careers not to stand out. Limited minutes is one thing. Limited time with actually good/great NHLers is another.

Lias hasn't seen a second on the powerplay. He's played most of his NHL career with the likes of McCleod. He's a year and a half removed from being drafted... you can be worried, sure, but why bother being convinced of anything regarding this kid? Have we really seen enough to say much with any confidence?

No? Howden was great the first 2 months and then he hit a wall.

 

[NYR Viper]

When watching Andersson, to me, it's evident he knows where to go. He makes good plays in tight spaces. What I am seeing is a kid who can't quite get to the same spots he is accustomed to due to his lack of acceleration/speed/physical strength. That's something that will improve.

 

[UnSandvich]

When watching Andersson, to me, it's evident he knows where to go. He makes good plays in tight spaces. What I am seeing is a kid who can't quite get to the same spots he is accustomed to due to his lack of acceleration/speed/physical strength. That's something that will improve.

While the concerns there are super overblown, he improved significantly on that front (imo) from his D+1 to the current season, and I see no reason why it won't improve more

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

This thread, to me, is the equivalent of someone cooking their chicken in the oven and flipping out when it takes 25 minutes to cook instead of 20.

Sometimes the chicken needs to cook a little more.

 

[Inferno]

I think the weird thing for me is how some people go out of their way when it comes to taking shots at Andersson.

That to me, doesn't necessarily scream of concern, so much as it screams of still being pissed off and never passing up an opportunity to take a shot.

Sometimes it's so glaring, that it's impossible to ignore. Especially when certain accomplishments are ignored or the same critical eye isn't cast upon other prospects.

When it comes to prospects, there's always been that element of the population reacting like a woman scorned. But it's on a very different level for Andersson.

I'm not sure if u think I'm taking shots at him? I don't feel like I am...I'm just giving my honest assessment of him.

 

[NYR Viper]

While the concerns there are super overblown, he improved significantly on that front (imo) from his D+1 to the current season, and I see no reason why it won't improve more

Agreed, he improved significantly from last year to this year. I think we are just seeing a 19.20 year old kid who has thrived playing in the smaller areas of the ice and to do that at this level, he just needs to adjust his game slightly and train accordingly.

He is pretty much at the end of year 1 of playing on North American ice considering when he came over last year. He's 20 years old and playing a regular shift in the NHL. Would we all love it if he was piling up points? Of course. But just because he isn't doesn't mean he isn't developing. The idea of him eventually filling the role of 50 point 2C for a long time on this team while wearing a letter is pretty much where most pundits called for him to be. PP/PK/shut down. He's going to develop into a swiss-army knife in the middle of the ice.

 

[NYR Viper]

I'm not sure if u think I'm taking shots at him? I don't feel like I am...I'm just giving my honest assessment of him.

If I read that correctly, I don't believe Edge was speaking of you, just more in general about some of th other people making comments.

 

[haveandare]

Should’ve picked Mittelstadt, just as we suspected on draft day

Haven't seen much at all from him yet to suggest he's a better player.

 

[haveandare]

When watching Andersson, to me, it's evident he knows where to go. He makes good plays in tight spaces. What I am seeing is a kid who can't quite get to the same spots he is accustomed to due to his lack of acceleration/speed/physical strength. That's something that will improve.

It's speed, strength and the minutes he's getting. I think it's fine to start a kid with those minutes, but his offensive skill set isn't really one that will thrive in a spot where he's on for a few minutes a game in a fourth line role. He's good around the net, he's good at garbage goals. You don't get a lot of those chances when your line is mostly out there to play keep away and dump and change. Once he's more comfortable and confident all around, his minutes will likely tick up and he'll be with more talented players that get more zone time, throw more pucks on net and create the types of chances he's good at converting imo.

 

[Inferno]

Honestly I just don't see what you guys are seeing. I mean he goes to the net for sure, but if you watch him in the offensive zone the play seems to die on his stick. Last night I was looking at him specifically...it felt like all he did was either dump the puck in, or try to reverse it up the boards where nobody s there. I really think the thing that shocks me the most is how poor he has along the boards. You can be slow in this league and be productive, but you sure as frak better be good along the boards ... That's it now my single biggest issue with lias and seeing how he's going on be an NHL player.. ..it's his board play. .. it's plain bad

 

[JHS]

I'm not taking shots either- I just believe he won't turn out to be the player everyone assumes he will be.

Plus, if the talent pool was so thin, why not trade this pick on draft day? Maybe get a bunch of prospects or move down a bit?

 

[Edge]

I'm not sure if u think I'm taking shots at him? I don't feel like I am...I'm just giving my honest assessment of him.

No, not you specifically, just an overall tone on here.

It's weird though. Even with Jessiman and McIlrath, too picks this board will never forget, there was still a certain undercurrent of support.

As a group, we're really hard on him.

 

[Edge]

I'm not taking shots either- I just believe he won't turn out to be the player everyone assumes he will be.

Plus, if the talent pool was so thin, why not trade this pick on draft day? Maybe get a bunch of prospects or move down a bit?

I don't think the talent pool was thin. I just don't think there was a savior to be had in that draft.

And in that scenario, I don't think you inherently get better prospects or worthwhile offers to trade down.

But beyond that, I think the Rangers generally like Andersson. I think most of the hockey world generally likes Andersson.

I think this board is more of the outlier.

 

[Kovalev27]

This thread, to me, is the equivalent of someone cooking their chicken in the oven and flipping out when it takes 25 minutes to cook instead of 20.

Sometimes the chicken needs to cook a little more.

if people were freaking out about Chytil despite his obvious raw (in staying with the chicken) talent size and skating ability that would be a good comparison

when people are freaking out about lias andersson its because they don't see any signs of raw talent size skating ability etc.

 

[Edge]

Haven't seen much at all from him yet to suggest he's a better player.

That's another thing that keeps coming up.

Different names get thrown out there, and each has their own share of flaws and concerns.

I feel like Andersson is being compared to a player wanted to have out there, not necessarily one who actually existed.

I've long said that our expectations for Andersson are more on par with a top 3 pick than a guy taken 7th.

Likewise, it would be interesting to see what people thought of some of the names they like to use as examples when they were 20. Because many of those players looked a lot different when they were 19 and 20, as opposed to 26.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Personally, it's not the differing opinions that bother me. It's what seems like an almost active rooting against the kid.

Like if I were to point out the number of times Miller looked like he was handling a hand grenade this season, it would lead to 3 pages about upside and how he's only played defense for a year, and how we need to be patient, etc.

I can point to Chytil looking like he was attending open skate night at the local rink, or Kravtsov looking he doesn't want people breathing on him, and there's be a lot of debate.

The expectations we have for Andersson, even when he was seen as a future second line player, just are not proportionate. Especially at 19 and 20 years old.

Even during his finest moments, there are people who are literally nowhere to be found. But man, when there's something they want to point out on the opposite end, they magically spring back to life.

What did you mean by this?

 

[Inferno]

if people were freaking out about Chytil despite his obvious raw (in staying with the chicken) talent size and skating ability that would be a good comparison

when people are freaking out about lias andersson its because they don't see any signs of raw talent size skating ability etc.

I was ambivalent about the lias pick at the time. I just have gotten more and more worried about it as time has gone on.

If he can just fix his balance issues alone id feel a ton better about him....it's worrisome how easily he is knocked down for such a thick guy.

 

[Edge]

What did you mean by this?

One of the biggest transitions for Kravtsov, when he comes to the North America, is when people play him physical and/or with aggression. You can tell he's not comfortable with it now, and it ain't gonna get more comfortable on this side of the planet.