2020 NHL Draft Big Board: Ranking the top 10 prospects
Tier 3: The Great
7. Lucas Raymond
Lucas Raymond came into the 2019-20 season as one of the competitors for the second overall pick. Through no fault of his own, he lost that competition. That isn’t to say Raymond had a poor season. In fact, I think it says a lot about the guys who beat him out.
Raymond is easily one of the top three skaters in the draft. He makes it look so easy. Raymond’s top speed is impressive and he gets to that top speed quickly. His edgework is also very nice. I love what he can do in the offensive zone, even if I didn’t see it very often this season. He looked strong at the World Juniors, posting four points in seven games.
At 170 pounds, Raymond’s going to need to bulk up a bit. I think he’ll take a bit to develop, but with his combination of skill and speed, he has all the tools necessary to be a top-six wing in the NHL.
8. Anton Lundell
Most people have Anton Lundell hovering around the 10th best prospect in the 2020 NHL Draft. I’m a bit higher on him than most, though. What I love about Lundell is his commitment to defense. He’s light years better than everyone else in the 2020 NHL Draft when it comes to being a two-way player. Lundell’s so smart and effective when he’s pursuing the puck.
His offense is getting a bit overlooked, but I see the tools there to be a very effective scorer in the NHL. Lundell had 28 points in 44 games playing in Liiga, which is Finland’s toughest professional league. He got better as the season went along. I love his skating and his vision is great.
light. Related Story. Anton Lundell Scouting Report
Lundell could be a poor man’s Aleksander Barkov or Sean Couturier. He’s that darn good in all three zones. Whoever drafts him will have to be a little patient, but I bet whoever drafts him won’t regret it.
9. Alexander Holtz
If you’re looking for the 2020 NHL Draft’s best goal scorer, look no further than Alexander Holtz. He put up nine goals and 16 points in 35 games in the SHL, which is Sweden’s best professional league. Holtz’s skating isn’t going to blow you away, but he’s not a liability there. Still, that’s probably why he’s not a top-five pick. If Holtz was fast, I’d probably have him as a top-five prospect.
Where Holtz stands out is on offense. His wrist shot is downright lethal. It’s powerful and he has a very quick release. Holtz isn’t afraid to use it from just about anywhere either, which makes him a threat whenever he has the puck. He’s more of a sniper, but he’s also a pretty good passer, though he’s more of a shoot first, pass later type of player.
Defensively, Holtz has a lot to work on as well. He might not be a very well-rounded prospect, but he’s extremely good at putting pucks in the net. That’s a skill that tends to translate very well.
10. Jack Quinn
I remember not being that impressed with Jack Quinn last season. He must have used that as motivation because he was probably the most improved prospect in the OHL this season. Quinn’s skating went from average to very good. His top speed is quite good and he gets to that top speed quickly. It’s not elite, but I can’t stress enough how much better he is at skating than he was last season.
Quinn’s one of the best pure goal scorers in the draft. He can beat you in a variety of ways, but he prefers to use wrist shots and one-timers. Quinn’s release could stand to be a little bit quicker, but it’s powerful enough to beat goalies.
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His upside isn’t quite as high as Holtz’s, but I think Quinn has a higher floor. Also, I think his skating still needs to improve a bit. But after seeing how much better he was this season, I wouldn’t be too concerned.