Senators take German phenom Tim Stuetzle 3rd overall
The Ottawa Senators selected Tim Stuetzle with the third overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Tim Stuetzle
Position: Center/Left wing
Height: 6-feet
Weight: 187 lbs
Age: 18
Club: Mannheim (DEL)
Nationality: German
| GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 7 | 27 | 34 |
(Stats source: EliteProspects.com)
Stuetzle is a bona fide top-three player in this draft. While Alexis Lafreniere is the consensus top dog, scouts are divided on whether Stuetzle or Quinton Byfield is the second-best prospect in the class.
A natural center, Stuetzle spent the majority of the season on the wing. But many pundits, including Sportsnet's Sam Cosentino, believe he'll be able to hold his own down the middle of the ice in the NHL - due in large part to his elite skating and hockey sense.
Stuetzle also has high-end skill and great hands, but his ability to seemingly have the puck on a string at top speed is what makes him truly special. Not many players can do that, and it allows him to embarrass defenders in one-on-one situations. He also has great vision and ran Mannheim's power play from the left half wall as a left-handed shooter. He can enter the offensive zone with speed just as he receives a pass, making him dangerous on the man advantage despite his lack of a dangerous one-timer - for now.
Stuetzle isn't very physical on the defensive side of the puck, but he's a high-motor player who competes hard to win puck battles. His high hockey IQ also means his positioning is sound.
Even if Stuetzle doesn't end up playing as a center in the NHL, he should at least develop into a top-line winger.
What they're saying
"If there's someone in this draft who could go by Lafreniere in the years to come, it's this kid," one NHL scout told TSN's Bob McKenzie, who ranks Stuetzle as this draft's No. 2 prospect. "It's because of the skating."