Luca Cunti

Name: Luca Cunti
Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Height: 6.00
Weight: 185 lbs
Born: 7/4/89
Acquired: 2007 Entry Draft, 3rd round, 75 Overall

Junior Career
Luca is the product of Switzerland's GCK Lions junior program where he rose quickly as a leader for their Junior A team. In 2005 he played for Switzerland's U18 World Junior Championship team scoring 1 goal and 2 points in 6 games with a -2 rating which tied for the team lead in scoring as the Swiss finished 9th in the tournament. In 2005-2006 he made his men's league debut in the second tier NLB going scoreless in 7 games with 2 penalty minutes. In 2006-2007 he played 13 games with GCK's Junior A team scoring 9 goals and 16 points in 13 games with 22 penalty minutes. He also played 10 games at the NLB level split between GCK and HC Thurgau in which he totaled 2 goals and 3 points with 8 penalty minutes. At midseason he appeared in 3 games for Switzerland's U20 World Junior Championship team and was scoreless as the Swiss ended the tournament by going 3-0 in the relegation round. After his club team season he appeared in 6 games for Switzerland's U18 World Junior Championship team scoring 3 goals and 4 points with 6 penalty minutes and a -5 rating. The Swiss team finished 6th in the tournament. He was rated the 12th best European skater in his draft class by the NHL Central Scouting Service and the 54th best prospect by Red Line Report. Cunti was drafted by the Chicago Steel of the USHL and was place on their July 1, 25-man protected list for the 2007-2008 season. He was passed over in the CHL Import Draft. The Lightning selected Cunti in the 3rd round, 75th overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Professional Career
Cunti will play college hockey at St. Cloud State University for at least one year before making any decision to turn pro.

Talent Analysis
Pros:
Cunti is an outstanding skater with an almost perfect stride mechanically. He's also an elite level puckhandler with no shortage of slick one on one moves. Good puckhandler with an above average shot and loves to shoot the puck from all angles. Red Line Report compared Cunti's skill level to that of NHLer Alexei Kovalev.

Cons:
Cunti was passed over until the Third Round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft primarily because of character concerns. Many scouts viewed him as a selfish player who could be a potential cancer in the dressing room with Red Line Report characterizing him as a "fabulously skilled but cancerous" potential second liner. Cunti also has a knock for being invisible in the defensive third of the ice.

Future
Cunti has already defied his critics by choosing to cross the pond to play in the NCAA for St. Cloud State, diffusing concern he would stay in Switzerland rather than come to North America. St. Cloud State was a fantastic choice too, with back-to-back WCHA Coach of the Year Bob Motzkos already having developed central European star Tomas Vanek when he was a head coach in the USHL and as an assistant at the University of Minnesota. The WCHA is a tough league, and should teach Cunti some hard lessons about the physical game and the importance of taking care of the defensive third of the rink. If Luca learns these lessons, he could be a top line scorer in the NHL. Make no mistake, Cunti is a boom or bust prospect. He now is in the right situation to blossom as a player, but it will ultimately up to him to capitalize on his amazing potential.

Profile Created 6/24/07 by Pete Choquette