NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Anton Lundell

One burning question will remain on the minds of Buffalo Sabres fans between now and the start of the NHL Draft on Oct. 6: Who will be available when the team selects eighth overall?
According to Dan Marr, the director of the NHL's Central Scouting Services, eighth is a pretty good place to be.
"The top eight is where you want to be if you want to get a marquee prospect," Marr said. "Not every club is going to have the same order, so they could conceivably get somebody who they have five or six on their list and they're going to be tickled pink to be able to do that.
"I know they've really been working hard preparing. They probably are going to have to get their eyes checked after watching so much video they had collected on these prospects. They're going to get a marquee NHL prospect here."
Alexis Lafreniere is the consensus favorite to be selected first overall. After him, most projections have forwards Quinton Byfield and Tim Stutzle going second and third in some order - though, as we have seen in recent years, those projections are never a guarantee.
Neither is this one. But, over the coming days we can do our best to profile some of the candidates who might be available when the Sabres pick. We continue today with Finnish center Anton Lundell.

8 for 8 profiles: Marco Rossi | Jack Quinn | Cole Perfetti| Lucas Raymond| Alexander Holtz

Anton Lundell - C, HIFK (Liiga)

6-foot-1, 185 pounds

2019-20: 44 GP, 10 G, 18 A, 28 P

Of the four prospects we have covered to this point, Lundell is unique in that he has cut his teeth playing against pro competition in Finland's top league.
Lundell averaged 15:49 of ice time this past season and won 53.5 percent of his faceoffs. He is regarded as a two-way centerman who blends his skill with a heaviness on the puck.
NHL Central Scouting Services ranks Lundell third among European skaters, behind Stutzle and Swedish winger Alexander Holtz.

What they're saying

Goran Stubb, NHL director of European Scouting to NHL.com's Mike Morreale: "He's already a complete two-way player. He needs a little more physical power, needs a little more speed. There's nothing wrong with his skating, but he can work on that. In my opinion, it would be wise for him to stay one more year with HIFK in the Finnish league because he'll have a big role on the team next year and that'll help him a lot."

What he's saying

Lundell to Morreale on playing next season in the NHL: "The situation is weird (due to coronavirus) so we don't know when the next season is starting," he said. "I could maybe (try for an NHL spot), but I think another good option would be to stay one year with HIFK, be in a bigger role, big ice time, try to be the No. 1 guy on our team and take the next step while trying to improve my game and myself. It's only good options."

Watch this

Lundell scored the first goal of the 2020-21 season for HIFK on Friday, crashing the net and redirecting the puck in off his skate. Check it out below.