Noel Gunler is a top ranked right wing prospect from Lulea, Sweden who is a good pick for any franchise looking for a solid forward. Gunler is known for having a quick, powerful shot and the ability to create scoring opportunities.
Gunler spent the majority of his season playing for his hometown team, Lulea HF in the Swedish Hockey League. The SHL is the top professional hockey league in Sweden, which allowed Gunler to gain experience against older, more skilled players. Throughout the 45 games he played for Lulea HF, the right winger scored four goals and had nine assists for a total of 13 points.
In addition to playing in the SHL, Gunler played four games for Lulea Jr in the juniors before his call up to the top league. Although it was only a handful of games, Gunler had six points, four of which were goals.
During the 2018-19 season, Gunler played for both Lulea HF and Lulea Jr, but spent the majority of his season with Lulea Jr. In the junior league, he played 31 games and contributed 46 points. He ranked third in goals throughout the league with 27, and seventh in points among all players. In his 15 games with Lulea HF in 2018-19, Gunler scored two goals and three assists for five total points.
Gunler finished ninth out of all European skaters on NHL Central Scouting's top prospects list. He is a solid offensive power who has experience playing professional hockey, which will help him as he continues to develop with an NHL franchise. NHL Central Scouting believes Blake Wheeler is the best current player comparable for the Swede. Whichever franchise drafts Gunler will have a promising prospect with an incredible shot.