Lundell 'beginning to evolve now' for Panthers, general manager Zito says

SUNRISE, Fla. -- When the 2020 NHL Draft was approaching, Bill Zito kept quiet about Anton Lundell. He kept quiet about Jan Lundell, the prospect's father and a goalie. He was the new general manager of the Florida Panthers, hired on Sept. 2, a month ahead of the draft, and he wanted to hear what the scouting staff had to say. He didn't want to sway them.

Because he knew Lundell. He had known about him for a long time, having represented Jan in Finland as his agent.

"I didn't tell our scouting staff that," Zito said. "I knew where we were picking and I thought if he was there -- he was actually the guy anyway who ended up on our list, independent of that."

The Panthers went ahead and drafted Anton with the No. 12 pick in the draft, which was held Oct. 6, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been a prudent move.

The 21-year-old is in his second full season with Florida, quietly becoming a key cog and potentially a future No. 1 center for the organization, while becoming ever more important in the team's present.

Lundell had perhaps his best game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, a 3-2 loss for the Panthers that put them on the brink of elimination. The Golden Knights lead the best-of-7 series 3-1 with Game 5 on Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena (8 p.m. ET; TNT, TBS, TRUTV, CBC, TVAS, SN).

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The forward was everywhere in the third period, especially, teaming with Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart to form the team's best line with Matthew Tkachuk spending most of the third period on the bench.

"I thought that line when Lundell and Reinhart got together with Barkov, they were a threat every time they were on the ice," Florida coach Paul Maurice said after the game.

Lundell finished with an assist in 16:50 of time on ice. He had three shots on goal but put eight pucks on net.

"He's a multidimensional player with huge upside," Zito said. "He can think it, he can skate, he can make plays and he's beginning to evolve now, going through this process. This process for him is the whole season, continuing to play harder. Like the stock market, up, down, up, down, up down. Just very, very pleased with his progress."

Part of what is so exciting for the Panthers is the chance for Lundell to learn from fellow Finnish center Barkov, the team's captain and top center, and a player in whose shadow and mold Lundell seems to be.

They have constantly drawn comparisons, for their shared nationality, their abilities as two-way players, their hockey IQ. Though the Florida captain, for one, denies that Lundell should be considered a junior Barkov.

"I wouldn't say he is like a small version of me," Barkov said. "He's playing amazing. He's already like an amazing player. What is he, 21? And playing like a veteran, playing very mature way, making right plays on both ends of the ice. He's already playing penalty kill, power play, everything.

"You can put him in any time on the ice and that's very rare for such a young guy. To have him here on the team, I know obviously I've been here for 10 years, but I'm learning so much from him. He keeps me young."

Lundell has scored 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 20 games in the playoffs as the Panthers have gone on their run, after having 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists) in 73 games in the regular season. It was a step back offensively from his rookie year in 2021-22, when he recorded 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists) in 65 games, but his game has continued to take on new dimensions as he gains experience.

"It's a different type of big games going on now," Lundell said. "I think last year's playoffs helped me a lot in preparing for this year's playoffs. And just when we had to battle pretty much since Christmas, I think that helped a lot, the team and also me, that we had to play very tight games and hard games."

And Florida only sees better for him in the future.

"At a young age at center ice, it's difficult to drive a line," Maurice said. "He's got the speed to do it. He is a very strong man. And as he matures into that strength, he will physically drive the line as well.

"He's got great hands, great vision. He can be a No. 1 center in the National Hockey League and be a [darn] good one, without a doubt. He will get to the point in his career with a minute left in the game, he'll be on the ice at either end of the rink."

That was exactly the type of responsibility he was handed in the Eastern Conference Final, that he was handed in Game 4 of the Final, that he will continue to be handed in the years ahead.

"I think it's very impressive to see this young [player] coming to the League at a young age and asking questions right away, not being shy at all, asking questions, seeing what other guys do and how other guys work and trying to take some good things from them," Barkov said. "And then at the same time, he trusts his own instincts and does what he does best.

"He's an impressive two-way center and two-way player in this League at his age, so really, really excited to watch what he's going to become."