Claimed:Lukas Müller Rookie Profile

[solas 1,951]

Lukas Müller - Rookie Profile

Position: Center

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 185 lbs.

Number: 13

From: Cologne, Germany

 

Lukas Müller seems to be one of the more interesting players to watch in the upcoming Season 53 VHL draft class.  He clearly has talent and the potential to be one of the VHL’s best players, but there are many questions over his attitude and dedication.  Müller has been known to fight with his teammates and generally blame everyone other than himself when things go wrong, however it appears that his work ethic has improved greatly as of late.  He was able to make Germany’s Under-20 national team last year despite not playing for any team, junior or professional.  If he can continue to mature, Müller might become one of the most entertaining players in the league to watch.

When it comes to playing style, Müller is a player who is fun to watch when he’s on his game.  He’s a high-energy player on offense who can make his teammates look good.  In his final season with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels, he scored 5 goals and 33 assists in 30 games before being released.  This would have put him on pace to be one of the top assist-getters in the league.  Only time will tell, however, if he’ll be able to continue this level of performance in the VHLM and VHL while getting along with his teammates.

Scouting Report

Pros

Faceoffs: For a center, being able to win faceoffs is one of the most important things.  Sure, it may not be the flashiest skill - which is ironic considering the rest of Müller’s skillset - but it’s crucial to the team’s play.  If you can’t win faceoffs, your team won’t have the puck.  You have to focus on winning faceoffs before you worry about getting goals or assists.  Müller is very deft and has good reactions, which makes him an excellent faceoff taker.  While he may have incredible talent in other aspects of his game, he can at least be a solid faceoff specialist for a VHLM team while he adjusts to a new league.

Passing: The German-born center may be the best passer in his draft class.  He’s excellent at getting assists or even just keeping the play moving with the right pass.  If they can get along with him off the ice, the snipers on his team will absolutely love this guy.  Müller is the kind of player that can elevate his entire team’s play when he’s on his game.  His incredible understanding of the game comes from being around the sport from a young age, and it makes him a player to watch out for.

Skating: Müller is a natural when it comes to skating, and it’s part of what makes him so fun to watch.  Not only is he fast, but he’s also incredibly agile.  Müller almost seems more comfortable on the ice than off it.  This makes him an absolute handful for opposing defensemen, as he sometimes can get by the opposition by simply switching gears and blowing by them.  It seems likely, however, that moving into the VHLM will mean that he can no longer rely on his skating ability to be successful. 

Cons

Defense: He’s seemingly impossible to stop on offense, but Müller doesn’t put much of a shift in defensively - which is ironic given his father’s VHL career.  This has been an issue of contention with many of his coaches in the past, as it makes him a complete liability for around half of the time he’s on the ice.  It’s likely that teams will try to make him improve this, and how much work Müller puts into defense could make or break his VHL career.

Strength: Müller’s tendency to rely on his skating ability has resulted in a lack of strength.  Now that he’ll be coming up against more athletic defensemen who can keep up with him, he’ll likely be pushed off the puck a lot easier.  It’s entirely possible that he could get by if he can get his speed and puck handling to an elite level, but it might be hard.  It certainly doesn’t help that Müller is a bit undersized at 5’11”.

Scoring: It’s true that Müller puts more work in on offense than defense, but his goalscoring ability leaves a lot to be desired, even for someone who is primarily a playmaker.  He has been able to score at times, but that’s only been in situations where it was incredibly easy for him.  Müller has a tendency to pass a lot, even when he has a decent opportunity to score himself.  While there may be a dearth of elite playmaking forwards in the VHL, any forward who wants to make a successful career for themselves will need to have at least a decent scoring ability.

[Jericho 917]

Claimed