John Ludvig has been turning heads during his third tour of the junior ranks.
Selected in the third-round (69th overall) by the Florida Panthers in the 2019 NHL Draft, the 19-year-old has already blown past his previous career-highs on offense and is currently producing at better than a point-per-game clip, racking up 56 points (16 goals, 40 assists) in 54 contests.
Prospect Q&A: Ludvig Making Big Strides in WHL
Prior to this season, he'd posted 25 points over his previous two seasons combined.
Described as "hard and mean, but with skill" by Panthers Director of Amateur Scouting Jason Bukala following the draft in Vancouver, Ludvig has certainly been living up to that label while captaining the Portland Winterhawks to the best record in the WHL and a spot in the playoffs.
One of the main reasons for his spike in offense has been his increased workload on the power play. Already known as a top-pairing defenseman and penalty killer prior to the draft, Ludvig has shined while quarterbacking Portland's third-ranked man advantage (24.9 percent) this season.
Of his 56 points, 27 have come with the extra attacker on the ice, including eight goals.
Named the WHL's "Player of the Week" for the week ending Feb. 9 after posting nine points (two goals, seven assists) in three games, Ludvig was coming off one of his best stretches of the season when FloridaPanthers.com's Jameson Olive called to discuss his breakout year.
OLIVE: Let's start with the big news, how does it feel to be "Player of the Week" in the WHL?
LUDVIG: It was a huge honor. Our team's been clicking all year. The guys around me have been great, so they made it easy on me.
OLIVE: The offensive side of your game has really taken off this season. What would you say has been the driving force behind that spike in your numbers?
LUDVIG:It's definitely something that I wanted to work on this season, my offensive side of the game. But, like I said before, we have a great team this year. I'm just getting open, and guys are getting open for me. They're making everything really easy on me back there.
OLIVE: When you take a step back and look at your point total, do your eyes widen a bit?
LUDVIG:Yeah, definitely a little bit. I've always been a defensive, physical guy. But I knew this year I wanted to step up my offensive game, so that's been more of my focus this year.
OLIVE: This is your first season wearing the "C" in Portland. What's it like being captain?
LUDVIG:It's a huge honor. I've learned from guys like Cody Glass, who was captain here before me. I've had good guys to learn from, but we've got a bunch of leaders in the room here in Portland. They make it easy on me.
OLIVE: In wearing the "C," what have you learned about being a leader this season?
LUDVIG: Just how to handle yourself on and off the ice. How to lead when guys need motivation and when to be there for guys. The captains I had before me taught me a lot, but I'm still learning a lot this year. It's been good.
OLIVE: At this time last year, I imagine the prospect of being drafted was really pushing you to be better. Now that you've been drafted by Florida, what's become your new goal?
LUDVIG:The goal for me this year is that I want to win here in Portland and then from there on out I want to try and make the Panthers roster. That means I want to improve my game every single day and keep working hard.
OLIVE: Has going through this season felt any different as a drafted player?
LUDVIG:A little bit. You're not thinking about the draft as much like I was in previous seasons. But I still know I have to work hard, and I have a lot of work to do, so not much has changed.
OLIVE: At 39-8-3-4, the Winterhawks have the best record in the WHL and recently became the first team in the league to clinch a playoff spot. How fun has it been to be a part of that group?
LUDVIG: It's amazing. We have a special group of guys in the room this year. It's showing with our play out there.
OLIVE: Do you keep up with the Panthers throughout the season?
LUDVIG:Yeah. I usually try and watch highlights. If the game is on TV, I'll also watch.
OLIVE: Since being drafted, how much closer do you feel to the NHL?
LUDVIG:Getting drafted makes you feel a little bit closer, but it doesn't change much for me and how I'm going to work. I know I've still got to put the work in.
OLIVE: Speaking of putting the work in, I read that you spend part of your offseason training with boxing coach Barry Adkins back in your hometown of Kamloops, B.C. What's that like?
LUDVIG: In the offseason I'm in the boxing gym with him 2-3 times a week for an hour and a half working on the toughness part of the game back home in Kamloops. I think it's still part of the game, so I want to have that.
OLIVE: Do you find that boxing also helps strengthen other areas of your game as well?
LUDVIG: Definitely. You learn a lot. When you're getting in the boxing ring, it's a different feeling than anything you can feel. It kind of strengthens your mental toughness, which makes you more confident on the ice knowing that you have that with you.
OLIVE: You also spend part of your offseason training in the Czech Republic, correct?
LUDVIG:Yeah. That's where I was born and where my dad was born. It's good to go over there for a month in the summer before the Panthers training camp and work with the Czech pro team. It really amps up my training.
OLIVE: Who do you train with while you're there?
LUDVIG: There's the Czech pro league there, so I train with some of those guys in Liberec. There are guys like Ladislav Smid, who used to play in the NHL. It's good hockey over there.
OLIVE: Does training with professionals help you see where that bar is set?
LUDVIG: Yeah. It helps to watch how they handle themselves and see how they train. It's definitely a learning experience. I take what I can from them and then use it in my life.
OLIVE: You mentioned your father, Jan Ludvig, who played 314 games in the NHL with Buffalo and New Jersey. How much has he helped you throughout your career thus far?
LUDVIG:He's been everything. He's taught me everything I know, on and off the ice. He's made it [to the NHL], so he's given me all the knowledge he has on how to make it there. He's been a huge part of my career.
OLIVE: I know you still have a lot of work to do this season, but looking ahead just a bit, how excited are you to get back to South Florida for development camp this summer?
LUDVIG:I'm super excited. I think about it a lot. I love it down there.
