Prospect Info: #83OA - Hurricanes Select RHD Anttoni Honka

[DaveG]

ANOTHER FINN

5'10 RHD

Super high skill RHD, brother of the Honka that was selected at 14 by Dallas a few years back. Part of the JYP system but also played for KeuPa on Loan, as well as in Jukurit in Liiga.

Click to read more...

 

[ijuka]

Big steal IMO.

Pure boom/bust. One of the best skaters.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Honka Honka burning love

 

[LastWordArmy]

This is a steal.

Anttoni Honka Scouting Report: 2019 NHL Draft #37

 

[A Star is Burns]

Hope he works better than his bro thus far, but seems like a great upside pick and RD is great. At least he should not be too rushed

 

[Mildan]

I feel Kokkonen who went next would have been safer pick, but I guess we can afford going boom or bust what comes defensive talents

 

[Jyssy]

 

[Lucky Lindy]

Love this.

 

[ijuka]

I feel Kokkonen who went next would have been safer pick, but I guess we can afford going boom or bust what comes defensive talents

Yep. Kokkonen was safer, Honka is a boom or bust with no middle ground. His absolute ceiling could even be an offensive #1C if he puts it all together. On the other hand, there's a significant risk.

IMO Honka is the best-skating and stickhandling defenseman of the draft.

 

[Ippenator]

Anttoni Honka
->
A. Honka
->
AHOnka

OMG! It’s an invasion by the Aho’s! No one is safe!

 

[Discipline Daddy]

Yep. Kokkonen was safer, Honka is a boom or bust with no middle ground. His absolute ceiling could even be an offensive #1C if he puts it all together. On the other hand, there's a significant risk.

IMO Honka is the best-skating and stickhandling defenseman of the draft.

I'd say Honka's ceiling is more a franchise goaltender, or maybe a very good general manager, but that's just me.

 

[ijuka]

I'd say Honka's ceiling is more a franchise goaltender, or maybe a very good general manager, but that's just me.

Oops, my alphabet was lagging behind.

 

[Sigismund]

As he comes from my team in Finland, JYP, I've watched him play a bit more closely than some.

Honka is, as already has been said, a boom/bust prospect. Last year in FEL his performance was unfortunately quite underwhelming. He's rather small, but highly skilled and a fast skater but made lots of stupid mistakes in the D-zone last season. He started the season with the FEL JYP team, but didn't earn his spot and found himself in the second highest division team KeuPa for the rest of the season.

However, the skills were there but he could not live up to his potential. Eventually his play got a bit frustrated as nothing worked out.

He's said to be the better version of Honka brothers (Julius playing with Dallas), but it remains to be seen. His ceiling is high, but the downside, well, he could play the rest of his career in FEL.

 

[Kiekura]

Great pick for so late. Watched him playing since juniors as well his brother. Maybe best skater from draft (D only) and has good hands. He was awesome 2017-2018 in FEL when he played in JYP, but was kinda bad this year. Lots of stupid mistakes and he kinda lost his confidence too and wasn't playing with his strengths.

He needs few years to get some strength and mass (he seriously have 16 year old physicality).

 

[Sens1Canes2]

I'd say Honka's ceiling is more a franchise goaltender, or maybe a very good general manager, but that's just me.

Underrated post.

 

[Unsustainable]

Cool

 

[DatDude44]

Great pick. So jealous of your guys draft.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Great pick. So jealous of your guys draft.

Will trade it for your Cup.

 

[DatDude44]

Will trade it for your Cup.

U guys may be gettin another one before ya know it haha

 

[Bart22]

I think this is a steal! With the depth in the D core the Hurricanes front office could afford to make this pick. If it pays off they could be looking at a Top 2 D man.

 

[spockBokk]

An excerpt from a Scott Wheeler article in the Athletic focusing on Honka last month (pointing out some flaws too...):

In the end, I’ll bet on that skill more often than not. When players like Honka put it together they become stars. And late in the first round or early in the second round, I’ll take that risk — especially when the available options are lower-end at their ceiling.

 

[Sigismund]

An excerpt from a Scott Wheeler article in the Athletic focusing on Honka last month (pointing out some flaws too...):

In the end, I’ll bet on that skill more often than not. When players like Honka put it together they become stars. And late in the first round or early in the second round, I’ll take that risk — especially when the available options are lower-end at their ceiling.

I'd agree with Wheeler, Honka does have the skillset to become a star. And then there's the but...

 

[the halleJOKEL]

honka will be a perennial all star in this league

also he might be a bust

 

[NotOpie]

honka will be a perennial all star in this league

also he might be a bust

Honka =

 

[MinJaBen]

Honka =

Not the picture I was hoping you would use...