[Updated on: Sat, 28 June 2025 13:02]

Stories:
https://thestarphoenix.com/sports/nhl-entry-draft-lewandowsk i-stays-back-in-germany-watches-draft-remotely

https://thehockeywriters.com/david-lewandowski-2025-nhl-draf t-prospect-profile/

Quote:

NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings: 51st (among NA skaters) Andrew Forbes’ Top 128 Final Rankings: 100th Peter Baracchini’s Final Rankings: 107th Future Considerations: 78th David Lewandowski is a hard-working two-way winger who plays a smart, straightforward game with flashes of high-end creativity. A self-described playmaker who protects the puck well, he quickly adapted to the smaller, grittier style of the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season, adding an aggressiveness and physical edge to his game that wasn’t as prominent in previous leagues. With a much more well-rounded game, he’s sure to be an early selection in the middle rounds of the 2025 Draft. A standout in the German junior ranks and internationally, Lewandowski made his Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) debut in 2024-25 with Düsseldorfer EG. He previously played 13 games with the ESC Essen Moskitos in Germany’s third-tier pro league, and despite being the youngest player on the roster, he put up 10 points in 13 games. In the DEL, though, he struggled to find his place. After seven games, zero points, 18 penalty minutes, and waning ice time, he packed up and transferred to Canada to join the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades, who selected him in the second round of the 2024 CHL Import Draft. It was a surprising move, but the Blades were persistent and finally convinced him that playing major junior hockey would be the best thing for his development. The Blades quickly proved they knew what they were talking about. After just 14 games, Lewandowski already had 12 points, including a five-game point streak, and was becoming an instrumental part of a young Blades team that was surpassing all expectations. Fans in Saskatoon saw first-hand his impressive shot that he could fire from almost anywhere and somehow find the back of the net, and his ability to move the puck and control the pace of the game made him a dangerous player on offence. But the most impressive aspect of the Blades’ newest member was his vision. He was often one of the first players to react after a change on the ice, he anticipated where he would face the most pressure and place his body accordingly, and he kept track of his teammates so that when he went in for a puck battle, he knew exactly where he could send the puck when he won. Lewandowski finished his first WHL season with 15 goals and 39 points in 52 games, which was lower than first anticipated, but as the season wore on, the German earned his coach’s trust as a player who could be employed on both offence and defence. He’s a hard worker and hustles back on the forecheck and backcheck, and will put his body on the line to block shots and fight for pucks in the corner. Additionally, he’s adept at winning battles behind the net and in the corner, and even though he’s on the slighter side at 176 pounds, he rarely lost one-on-one. He fully embraced the physical aspect of the game, becoming truly fearless when engaging the other team, never backing down and getting up in their face to force a mistake. Lewandowski’s biggest weakness heading into the draft is his skating. To be fair, he’s not a bad skater and has decent speed up and down the ice, but his lateral movements aren’t as strong due to a choppy stride. He still uses changes in speed and quick movements to throw defenders off, but finding that next gear will take his game to new heights. Additionally, he’s not the strongest puck handler, and in one-on-one battles, he’s much more likely to outsmart an opponent than out-maneuver them, using well-developed protection techniques and his strength to get around a defender. There are moments where he is incredibly deceptive, but it wasn’t consistent enough throughout the season. Like his skating, adding an additional level of explosiveness with his puck handling will make him much more dangerous. Overall, Lewandowski shows a lot of promise after his first season in the WHL. He’s a very intelligent player who never stops working, which will set him up for a long pro career. But some of his tools are still quite raw, and as he grows and develops, he’ll become a highly versatile two-way player who be relied on in any situation.

Has some warts (skating) .. hopefully they get ironed out..

What Oilers need is a Team Skating Science Analysis Team (or Skating Academy).. that can break down each players skating physics and help them train to get the bad elements out of it.. get more efficient.. you can see so many players strides are a mess.. legs and feet going everywhere but where they should be.. too much skill is left unusable due to an inability to get around the ice quick enough.. you can spend unlimited money for coaching.. Oil need to use that to improve the team.. great way to improve overall franchise player performance without a cap hit .. don't have to "buy" good skating players .. develop them! IMHO :)

Leaving it up to David Pelltier coaching sessions is not sufficient

[Updated on: Sun, 29 June 2025 00:11]

McDAVID! Oh YEAH Baby!! (Thank you Lord!)
Tic-Tac-Tao!
Keep on Rockin' in the Free World

McDAVID! Oh YEAH Baby!! (Thank you Lord!)
Tic-Tac-Tao!
Keep on Rockin' in the Free World