Anton Lundell could very likely be a top-six center on most NHL teams, but with the Florida Panthers, he’s arguably the best third-line center in the league, and it’s why he is picked as the organization’s breakout candidate for 2026-27.
Anton Lundell will turn 25 years old just a few days into the 2026-27 regular season, but still, some people believe there is another gear he can take his game to.
Through his first five seasons of his NHL career, Lundell has notched a career high of 18 goals and 45 points, although he likely would have set new ones if he hadn’t sustained an injury that forced him to miss 18 games.
But where Lundell’s offensive game lacks, his overall impact more than makes up for it. Lundell has been one of the most effective defensive centers since he made his debut in the 2021-22 season.
He has played a critical role as a shutdown forward on the Panthers’ third line, as in his five-year NHL career, the Panthers have made it to the Stanley Cup final three times.
But it’s his role as a third-line center that has kept him underrated, and it’s why so many people believe that he still has another level to hit, like TheHockeyNews.com.
There has long been an Aleksander Barkov-lite quality to ANTON LUNDELL, and with Barkov injured last season, it would have been the ideal campaign for the 24-year-old to prove himself capable of being a first-line pivot or top-tier second-line center. However, the returns were marginal. Lundell only modestly upped his per-game output and fell short of cresting the 20-goal or 50-point plateaus. He is primed to play with high-caliber wingers, however, so there’s still room for him to take another step forward.
With the return of Aleksander Barkov, Lundell’s usage will diminish slightly, but there will still be opportunities for him to influence the game. In Barkov’s absence, Lundell found more time at even strength and on the power play. Lundell should still find ways to earn power play time next year, even if it’s not on the first unit.
The Panthers’ lineup doesn’t feature many youngsters. Besides Sandis Vilmanis, Lundell is the youngest player in the Panthers’ projected opening-night lineup.
On another team, Lundell could be a first- or second-line center, but with the Panthers, he’s arguably the most effective third-line center in the NHL.
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