The 18-year-old left wing also was named the Most Valuable Player at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship after he scored 10 points (four goals, six assists) in five games to help Canada win the tournament. He could be the third QMJHL player to be chosen No. 1 in eight years, following Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (2013, Halifax) and New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (2017, Halifax).
Stuetzle (6-1, 187), No. 1 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of International skaters, was named rookie of year in Deutsche Eishockey Liga, Germany's top pro league. The 18-year-old forward scored 34 points (seven goals, 27 assists) and took 132 shots on goal in 41 games for Mannheim.
"Stuetzle had so much success in the German league, which is a pro league, and he's just so gifted," Button said. "In my view he's elite in every sense of the word. He's pure excitement and plays the game in a similar fashion to Patrick Kane. He's quick on his skates and has a fast mind, is extremely confident and manages to do things in the game offensively that are completely unexpected. He's tough to defend."
Rossi (5-9, 183) is No. 6 in NHL Central Scouting's list of North American skaters. The 18-year-old center led the OHL in assists (81), points (120) and plus/minus rating (plus-69) in 56 games. He won the Red Tilson Trophy as the most outstanding player in the OHL.
"Rossi is a little bit older (he turns 19 on Sept. 23), but so mature," Button said. "Rossi is an excellent playmaker with the vision and creativity to make something out of nothing. He has a style of play similar to Nicklas Backstrom."
Rossi is looking to become the highest-drafted Austria-born player selected in the NHL Draft; Thomas Vanek, chosen by the Buffalo Sabres at No. 5 in the 2003 NHL Draft, holds that distinction.
Lundell (6-1, 185) is No. 3 in Central Scouting's final ranking of International skaters. The 18-year-old center scored 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists), had 162 shots on goal and averaged 15:49 of ice time in 44 games in Liiga.
"Lundell is a smart player," Button said. "I'd say he's a solid, industrious player. I think he plays the center ice position with excellent sense of the game with and without the puck, offensively and defensively. He's a competitor. I think he understands where he has to get the puck to. If you put him with a good winger or wingers, he'll get the puck to them and I think he's a player who can be the link between defense and offense.
"I don't think he's going to be a high-end offensive producer but think that he's going to be one of those real fundamentally strong players for your team."
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