Draft Review: Lakovic A Big Forward With Finesse

Editor’s Note: The Detroit Red Wings will select 13th at the NHL draft next month in Los Angeles. Over the next month, Detroit Hockey Now will profile prospects expected to land in the No. 10-20 range. Today we look at Moose Jaw Warriors left wing Lyndon Lakovic. NHL’s Central Scouting ranks Lakovic 14th among North American prospects. 

Lyndon Lakovic’s name might be familiar to old-time hockey fans.

His late uncle, Sasha, played briefly in the NHL but earned a place in history when he tried to attack a fan who had dumped a beer on a Calgary assistant coach during the Battle of Alberta in 1996.

Unlike Sasha, an enforcer who had four assists in 37 NHL games, Lyndon is a playmaker expected to go in the first round of draft. The Red Wings pick 13th overall.

Lyndon Lakovic was the best player on a bad Moose Jaw team last year, scoring 27 goals despite missing 20 games due to injury. It surely was a comedown from the previous season, when Moose Jaw won the Western Hockey League title. But Lakovic made the most of the opportunity.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie ranks Lakovic 14th in his respected rankings, while eliteprospects.com has Lakovic at 11th.

Intriguing Offensive ability

His offensive ability would be a plus on a Red Wings team that struggled to score last year. He wouldn’t play in Detroit next year, of course, but there’s always room for talented forwards. The Red Wings need more young scorers in their system.

“Lakovic is an intriguing player due to his combination of skating, size, playmaking, and raw skill,” says Luke Sweeney of Dobber Prospects. “Lakovic cannot really be considered a power forward at this time. His game doesn’t center around driving inside or using his body and physicality to gain the net front. Instead, Lakovic creates most of his value through playmaking, puck carrying, and rush offense.”

NHL.com’s Mike Morreale compared Lakovic to Buffalo’s Tage Thompson.

“He’s a high-end player who can generate offense, beat defenders 1-on-1 and finish plays. He’s a threat on the power play and projects as a prototypical power forward at the next level.”

Lakovic, at 6-foot-4, is more a finesse player than a physical presence, which might cause him to drop in some teams’ estimation. But guys his size sometimes take longer to develop, and the Wings haven’t shied away from bigger players in the draft in the past.

The physicality can be taught but his hockey sense and ability to make plays is already a plus.  Lakovic projects as a top-six forward eventually. The Red Wings aren’t afraid of prospects serving long apprenticeships, and that might be the right course for Lakovic,

His uncle Sasha played a physical game in his short stay in the NHL. He racked up 118 penalty minutes in 37 NHL games playing for the Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils.