Anton Lundell is satisfied with his debut season in the NHL, even though the Finn’s playing minutes decreased when the regular season moved to the playoffs. In the playoffs, Tampa Bay offered a hard lesson.
Jussi Saarinen,
Matti Lehtisaari
of Florida by Anton Lundell the debut season in the NHL was successful, although the season also contained disappointments. The biggest dream was not fulfilled when Tampa Bay knocked the Panthers out of the playoffs.
Tampa went all the way to the finals, where the Colorado Avalanche were stronger and took the Stanley Cup championship.
Lundell and many other Finnish hockey stars gathered in Helsinki on Saturday for the Bermuda charity tennis tournament. Current and former Finnish NHL players met on the fields of Kalastajatorpa.
Lundell talked about his feelings about the past NHL season.
– My goal was to make my breakthrough, I think I managed to do it. Everything else on top of that was a plus. A great season from me and also from my team, Lundell summed up in an interview with Urheilu.
– I was able to keep my level and even raise it. We found good chemistry with our chain. The whole Frame Series was quite a firework for us, we will remember it for a long time, Lundell beamed.
In Rookie of the Year discussions
The reading of Lundell’s regular season plus/minus statistic was a confusingly strong +33. It was the 17th highest quote of all NHL players in the regular season. Among rookie players, Lundell’s statistical notation was the highest of all.
– It sounds great, although I don’t really pay attention to statistics. When you play well, the statistics also look good, Lundell emphasized.
Lundell played 65 matches in the regular season and acquired 44 (18+26) power points. In the playoffs, he was on the ice in nine games and scored one goal.
During the winter, Lundell was still in discussions to win the Rookie of the Year award. In the end it happened that he didn’t even fit in the list of three candidates.
– I did my part, and such things were out of my hands. I played a good season and in itself I can be satisfied. We won the regular season and made it to the playoffs, although of course the playoffs could have gone even better, Lundell stated.
The responsibility decreased in the playoffs
Lundell still got a lot of playing time in the regular season, but in the playoffs the responsibility fell.
– It wasn’t easy when we played the entire regular season in one way and then the role changed, Lundell said.
The Panthers’ sky in the playoffs was interrupted in the second round, when Tampa sent Lundell and his partners to the holidays cleanly with a 4–0 victory. In the opening round of the playoffs, Florida managed to defeat the Washington Capitals 4–2.
– Tampa Bay as a whole played much smarter than us, that’s where we learned from. We have to find a way to win tight games like that, Lundell thought.
Preparations for the upcoming season starting in the fall are already underway.
– My goal is to get into an even bigger role. My job is to earn my playing time and show the new coach that I am ready to play in a big role. I’m mentally more ready now and I know what’s coming.
Lundell admits that hunger grows when you eat.
– It was great to see that everyone is winnable. We have the seams for anything, as long as we get our team play on the right track, Lundell believed.