David Lewandowski put up big numbers in Germany before coming to North America. Read about that and more below.
Today we continue our look at 2025 NHL draft prospects here at All About The Jersey. The next player we’ll be focusing on is David Lewandowski. A German-born forward, might Lewandowski be a target for one of the Devils’ mid-round picks? Let’s take a look at what makes him an interesting prospect.
Who Is David Lewandowski?
David Lewandowski was born on February 20, 2007. A native of Dusseldorf, Germany, Lewandowski is listed at 6’1”, 176lbs according to his profile on the invaluable Elite Prospects. Lewandowski is the son of Eduard Lewandowski, a Russian-German forward who was selected in the 8th round (yes, 8th round) of the 2003 NHL draft by the Phoenix Coyotes. Eduard never ended up making it to the NHL, but he played professionally in Germany and Russia all the way up to 2022-23 when he was in his early-40’s.
Lewandowski began his junior career playing in the Dusseldorfer EG system in the German junior leagues. In the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season, he posted six goals and 20 points in 19 games. And while he only saw seven total games in another Covid-riddled year in 2020-21, his 2021-22 saw him get back to somewhat regular playing time. That season, he played 10 games at the U15 level and 22 games at the U17 level. In the U15 league, Lewandowski absolutely blowtorched his competition, registering 16 goals and 33 points in those 10 contests. Clearly showing he was too good for U15 hockey, he then got the call for Dusseldorfer EG’s U17 side, where he continued to shine to the tune of 12 goals and 29 points in 22 games.
2022-23 saw Lewandowski spend a full season with the U17 squad, once again putting up video game numbers. In 32 total contests, Lewandowski put up 26 goals and 70 points. He also got his first taste of international competition in 2022-23. In 12 games with the German U16 squad, Lewandowski posted three goals and 13 points. He also got into three games with the U17 team, registering a lone assist.
2023-24 would be his final one in the Dusseldorfer EG system, playing a pair of games at the U17 level before moving up to U20 competition. With Dusseldorfer EG’s U20 squad, Lewandowski collected 15 goals and 48 points in 33 total games. It was this season that also saw Lewandowski loaned to ESC Moskitos Essen in the Germany3 League, where he put up a goal and 10 points in 13 contests. At the international level that year, Lewandowski registered three points in four games in U17 play, and three goals and nine points in 15 games at the U18 level.
This past season was Lewandowski’s coming out party of sorts. He finally got the call to Dusseldorfer EG’s main squad in Germany’s top professional league, the DEL. He got seven games with the big boys, but was held without a point. This was when Lewandowski made the move to North America, joining the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL. Canadian major junior hockey was good to Lewandowski, as the German forward recorded 15 goals and 39 points in 52 total games with the Blades, including another goal and assist in four playoff contests. Not bad for a kid making the move to another continent playing a different brand of hockey on the smaller North American rinks.
Lewandowski also represented Germany in the U18 and U20 World Junior Championships in 2024-25. At the U18 tournament, he posted a goal and three points in five games, while at the U20 level, he potted two goals in another five matches.
Lewandowski clearly has a track record of producing, and while his draft season numbers do not jump off the page, it is encouraging that he was regarded highly enough to get a taste of the professional level in Germany, then came over to North America and put up respectable numbers at the highest junior level here.
Where Is Lewandowski Ranked?
Lewandowski is ranked:
- 51st by NHL Central Scouting (North American skaters)
- 78th by FCHockey
- 55th by Draft Prospects Hockey
- Honorable Mention by The Athletic (Scott Wheeler’s top 64 Prospect Ranking, so take this as a ranking of roughly 65-80 overall)
What Others Are Saying About Lewandowski
Let’s first take a look at what Neutral Zone has to say about Lewandowski. This is from their profile of the German forward, published recently on May 23rd:
David Lewandowski is a versatile, skilled winger with legitimate offensive tools, excellent spatial awareness, and a competitive motor. He plays a cerebral, calculated game with flashes of high-end puck skill and creativity. He was (Saskatoon’s) best plus-minus player (+21) despite only ranking 7th in team scoring — strong two-way impact and off-puck details. He projects as a potential middle-six NHL winger who can contribute at even strength and on the power play if his pace and physical consistency continue to develop.
They also list a handful of reasons why Lewandowski should be an NHL Draft pick, including:
- Excellent Two-Way Results and On-Ice Impact
- Skilled, Creative Playmaker With Finishing Touch
- Skating and Balance Are Above Average
- Power Play Threat With Strong One-Timer and Vision
- Consistent Motor and 200-Foot Game
The drawbacks in his game, according to Neutral Zone, are:
- Lacks Dynamic Element or Pace to Separate at Next Level (Yet)
- Shot Mechanics and Goal Scoring Still Developing
- Lean Frame and Modest Physicality
- Limited Short-Handed Usage / Not a Faceoff Option
Next we’ll go to Dayton Reimer of The Hockey Writers. In a piece written this past October, Reimer paints a picture of a Saskatoon Blades team that many expected to not compete for the WHL playoffs. But thanks to surprise contributions, the Blades were able to make the postseason in the end, thanks in large part to a strong first season in North America by Lewandowski. From the article:
…no one has embodied the Blades’ new identity more than David Lewandowski, who joined the team on Oct. 12, 2024, after deciding to leave the pro circuit in Germany. He’s been gritty and fearless when required, but also has shown incredible intelligence and creativity. Alongside Williams and fellow rookie Zach Olsen, the ‘Kid Line’ has become the heart of the Blades and could be a key to Saskatoon’s success in 2024-25.
Reimer goes on to talk about how Lewandowski’s experience in the DEL helped him develop a strong defensive instinct and overall high hockey IQ that he brought to a Blades team that desperately needed it. Perhaps the best analogy in the article was this:
The German has been like a quarterback, directing the play around him and placing himself in the best place to benefit others around.
A Little Video
Prospect Shifts has been such a godsend for our prospect profiles, and they once again deliver with a shift-by-shift breakdown of one of Lewandowski’s games from this past season. This time we’ll be taking a look at his October 17th contest against the Edmonton Oil Kings:
We’ll go linearly through the video. At roughly the 1-minute mark, Lewandowski gains the zone with his linemates and shows good patience to create a good rush chance for himself. He doesn’t score, but he plays a big role in sustaining lots of zone time after the initial shot, including beating a defender off the wall and making some smart passes to generate more looks at the net. Some of the scouting reports we’ve seen talked about his strong hockey IQ, and that was on full display on this shift.
Another aspect of his game those scouting reports had a lot of praise for was his defensive work. That really shone through to me around the 2:30 mark. His line gets pinned in their zone for an extended period, which is bad. But watch Lewandowski here, particularly starting at 2:35. Lewandowski is CONSTANTLY, and I mean CONSTANTLY, whipping his head around to see where the opponents behind him are. It might not seem like a great thing to turn away from the play all the time, but I really love what Lewandowski is doing here. He’s taking quick peeks to make sure he’s positioned correctly, shifting and skating to keep up with his defensive assignment. Even though he’s playing wing, and thus has far less defensive responsibility than his center, there’s no floating in his game. He’s not just lazily hoping someone else on his team takes possession of the puck so he can go back on offense, he’s taking an engaged, active role defensively as soon as the puck is in his zone. And whenever the play enters his area he makes sure to either challenge the puck or leave it to a teammate who is in a better position to do so. I really liked this shift from Lewandowski.
At about 5:00, Lewandowski accepts a breakout pass and tries to work his way through a few defenders, but the puck is easily knifed off his stick and sent the other way. It’s hard to blame Lewandowski for losing a 1-on-3, but I highlight it to show an example of Lewandowski lacking an explosive gear when it comes to his skating or skill level. It’s something mentioned in some of the reports and it showed up here.
At 6:20, Lewandowski shows more strong hockey IQ and defensive instinct by positioning himself in the slot and intercepting a dangerous pass while his team is on the penalty kill. He does a great job of skating the puck out of the zone, but his headman pass is picked off and sent right back in. But there’s Lewandowski again to collect a loose puck in his zone and this time he makes a terrific breakout pass that showcases high hockey IQ and even some higher-end skill. It’s a bit of a mixed bag on this shift, but the highs were pretty high.
His next shift comes on the power play. Here he sets up on the near wall and shows off some good patience and playmaking touch before firing a shot home for a power play goal. It was sort of a weird one, as he seemed to almost get caught between a shot and a flip toward the net, but regardless, Lewandowski gets on the board.
At about the 10:52 mark, it’s not much but I feel it’s worth highlighting. Lewandowski and his line take an offensive zone faceoff, and a few seconds later, his team scores. Lewandowski did not score and he did not collect an assist on the goal, but after the faceoff he IMMEDIATELY went to the front of the net and set up between the defenders. At various points, both defenders in the net-front area are occupied by trying to body Lewandowski out of the inner slot. This frees up time and space for the rest of his teammates, and they take advantage. It’s a subtle play, but I really like how Lewandowski showed some hockey IQ, grit, and strength by working his way to the middle and indirectly setting his team up to score.
An Opinion
As far as mid-round prospects go, I like what I see out of Lewandowski. He seems like a prospect with a high floor, as his hockey IQ, defensive instincts, and playmaking ability all stand out to me and give him a baseline as a responsible bottom six winger that can get some PP2/PK time. Now, high floor prospects aren’t exactly what you should be on the lookout for in the 2nd-3rd round range, as a lot of the time it’s better to take swings on players with dynamic traits. And while Lewandowski’s playmaking is good, I wouldn’t say it is a difference-making tool of his, in addition to good but not great skating and skill.
That being said, I do think he’s got room to grow as a prospect. As mentioned, his skating and skill don’t jump out at you, but he shows flashes of dynamic ability here and there. If he can learn to harness that part of his game more, something I think is very possible as he matures and fills out his very lean frame, we could see Lewandowski develop into a strong player. With his hockey IQ, defensive motor, and playmaking touch, we could be looking at a middle-six winger that can chip in 40-50 points a season while playing on both special teams units. That’s if he hits his ceiling of course, which is a big if.
But at the end of the day, I like Lewandowski as a prospect. Even though he lacks a dynamic element, his hockey IQ, willingness to battle defensively, and solid offensive skill make him a player I would not mind the Devils taking with one of their two second round picks.
Your Take
What do you think of David Lewandowski? What is the most promising part of his game to you? What about his most concerning aspect? Would you be ok with the New Jersey Devils drafting him in the second round, or would you rather select him later if he is available? As always, thanks for reading!