Player evaluation: Moller

OSCAR MOLLER
This season: 13 games, 1 goal, 3 assists, 2 penalty minutes, 14:36 average ice time.
The good: All of the positives that were in Moller’s game in the previous two seasons were apparent again. He’s a hard worker, a fearless skater and an offensive-minded player who has the mentality of taking the puck to the net, even if he means getting hit. Moller, despite his relative lack of size, isn’t afraid to mix things up in front of the net and in the corners. Moller spent the bulk of the season with the Manchester Monarchs and totaled 23 goals — his highest total as a professional — in 59 games.
The bad: All of the negatives that were in Moller’s game in the previous two seasons were apparent again. His heart, and willingness to go to the tough areas, is not questioned, but in hard-nosed games, Moller still finds it difficult to keep the puck on his stick and create, with big NHL defenders bearing down on him. Moller can be effective in a handful of games, but then seems to get a bit worn down with prolonged use.
Going forward: Through his play, Moller needs to find a spot, and quickly. His talent, and size, suggests that he must be used as a top-six forward, and the Kings have apparently decided that Moller’s future is on the wing, not at center. That said, he needs to show that he can score enough, and be consistent enough, to stick in the NHL. Moller is only 22, so there’s still time, but at some point in the near future, he needs to take a significant step forward.