I was super high on Pokka as an islanders prospect. I thought he was a safe bet to be an NHL Defensman. He's still young and can still make it. I'm just surprised the Hawks are waiving him.
Yeah, at the time of his drafting he was seen as one of the best d-prospects out of Finland.. i even remember vets on his team in Liiga saying this kid will be good etc.
Since 13-14 he's been more or less spinning his wheels. Too slow for the NHL game skating-wise, and his head is probably a bit too slow too.
At this point in time i'd say his future is in the KHL (or somewhere else in Europe). The kid can be good on the bigger ice with more time to make decisions and the game slows down just enough for him in lesser leagues. But in terms of NHL, doesn't look like there's much upside.