C Aleksi Heponiemi- Modo, Hockey Allsvenskan, Sweden (2017, 40th, FLA)

[Hockeyisl1fe]

Are you sure Jets wants draft 5'10 tall and 143 lbs center?.
Yes Heponiemi has got really good skill-set and some GM will gamble of his skill.

But Heponiemi's biggest weakness is small physical frame.
Also his two way game needs a lot improving if he wants to be impact NHL center ( Heponiemi is pure center he isn't center winger like Mikael Granlund).

Heponiemi is high risk / high reward type project pick.

If his biggest weaknesses are smallish frame and 2way play, he definitely doesn't sound like a "pure" center. C -> W is easiest to convert out of all positions after all.

 

[wings5]

Are you sure Jets wants draft 5'10 tall and 143 lbs center?.
Yes Heponiemi has got really good skill-set and some GM will gamble of his skill.

But Heponiemi's biggest weakness is small physical frame.
Also his two way game needs a lot improving if he wants to be impact NHL center ( Heponiemi is pure center he isn't center winger like Mikael Granlund).

Heponiemi is high risk / high reward type project pick.

He will almost for certain gain weight and has a chance to grow as well. Might be a good investment 3rd round or middle rounds.

 

[HasbeenHallzy]

Nucks 2nd rounder plz

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

https://futureconsiderations.ca/heponiemi-earns-whl-rookie-of-the-year-nomination/
Great honor for Heponiemi and well earned.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

http://thehockeywriters.com/aleksi-heponiemi-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-profile/
http://www.dubnetwork.ca/interviews/nhl-draft-profiles/2017-nhl-draft-profiles-aleksi-heponiemi/

Some information of Aleksi Heponiemi

 

[LastWordArmy]

Our report

http://lastwordonhockeyprospects.com/2017/05/15/aleksi-heponiemi-scouting-report/

 

[Stive Morgan]

1st round talent.

 

[pckstpr31]

1st round talent.

Absolutely agree with this, he's incredibly talented. Really can't see a team taking him in the first but hopefully one proves me wrong.

 

[Stive Morgan]

Absolutely agree with this, he's incredibly talented. Really can't see a team taking him in the first but hopefully one proves me wrong.

I would take him at #25 if the better centres in that range were taken already (Thomas and Anderson-Dolan)

 

[kelsier]

Rankings
THW (Pike’s Picks): 53rd (final)
Future Considerations: 61st (Spring)
ISS: not ranked (May)
Bob McKenzie: 70th (Mid-season)
Craig Button: 24th (March)

ISS has become a joke. Others have him from 1st to 3rd round but I wouldn't be surprised if they hadn't even heard of him. The one scouting service that holds zero value.

Anyway, no matter the skill his size worries me and weight in particular. Imagine if the kid played in the NHL while being 143lb heavy, he would be absolutely demolished. How old is that info and does anyone have a clue how much he weights today?

 

[covfefe]

Rankings
THW (Pike’s Picks): 53rd (final)
Future Considerations: 61st (Spring)
ISS: not ranked (May)
Bob McKenzie: 70th (Mid-season)
Craig Button: 24th (March)

ISS has become a joke. Others have him from 1st to 3rd round but I wouldn't be surprised if they hadn't even heard of him. The one scouting service that holds zero value.

Anyway, no matter the skill his size worries me and weight in particular. Imagine if the kid played in the NHL while being 143lb heavy, he would be absolutely demolished. How old is that info and does anyone have a clue how much he weights today?

No one has a clue right now...depends on how he has spent his time after getting knocked out. As in: has he been working out and eating like crazy since his season ended, or is he relaxing? The combine will tell us that info.

Also, Gaudreau is listed at 157, so it's not impossible (to play in the NHL < 160) - but there's no question that Hepo needs to bulk.

This is a new league and I think Hepo has the skill and speed required to overcome his deficiency in size. Will gladly eat my words if he ends up in Europe but he's one of the more compelling darkhorses in this draft for me

 

[OSA]

No goals and a -7 in 14 playoff games might cause some scouts to pump the breaks on him a bit.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

https://finnishjuniorhockey.com/2017/05/20/2017-nhl-draft-prospect-profile-aleksi-heponiemi/

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

No goals and a -7 in 14 playoff games might cause some scouts to pump the breaks on him a bit.

Heponiemi is playmaking center not goal-scoring center.

 

[Runner77]

Are you sure Jets wants draft 5'10 tall and 143 lbs center?.
Yes Heponiemi has got really good skill-set and some GM will gamble of his skill.

But Heponiemi's biggest weakness is small physical frame.
Also his two way game needs a lot improving if he wants to be impact NHL center ( Heponiemi is pure center he isn't center winger like Mikael Granlund).

Heponiemi is high risk / high reward type project pick.

One site likens his potential to a Paul Byron type:

NHL Potential

Heponiemi projects as a middle six forward at the NHL level, potentially in the style of Paul Byron or Stephen Gionta.

And contrasts his strengths and weaknesses as follows:

Strengths
Good on-ice vision
Effective puck distributor
Elusive, able to avoid contact fairly easily
Underrated defensive player, smart instincts away from the puck

Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
Needs to fill out a bit physically
Relies on playing on the perimeter of the offensive zone
Fairly dependent on generating offense on the power play

http://thehockeywriters.com/aleksi-heponiemi-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-profile/

 

[Treb]

One site likens his potential to a Paul Byron type:



And contrasts his strengths and weaknesses as follows:



http://thehockeywriters.com/aleksi-heponiemi-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-profile/

I guess Byron and Heponiemi are both small

Byron is a shoot first player that relies on break-away to score while Heponiemi is an elite passer that feeds off the PP.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

https://canucksarmy.com/2017/06/08/nation-network-2017-prospect-profiles-18-aleksi-heponiemi/

 

[Kaako Kappo]

https://canucksarmy.com/2017/06/08/nation-network-2017-prospect-profiles-18-aleksi-heponiemi/

Gaining weight should be a piece of cake for him.

I think he's the most exciting finnish prospect in this draft. He is very skilled, and that's not something you can learn at the gym. The size issue is solved by eating and lifting.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

6'0 149.2 lbs at the combine

 

[Stive Morgan]

Pretty sure I've mentioned it in this thread already but gaining weight should be easy for him. Artturi Lehkonen was drafted at 152 and now weighs 176.

 

[wings5]

Didn't know he essentially made the jump from Jr.B to Major Junior and still had great success, impressive. He definitely seems shifty in the videos so he may be able to survive in pro even with a smaller frame, the WHL is a physical league and he adjusted very well at under 150 lbs playing against much bigger players. He has a frame that may still be growing and if so the weight will come in time. With weight his shot strength should go up and he should be able to generate more more offensive chances. To note, his combine section had their heights reposted , Heponiemi was still listed at 5'10.

 

[The Iron Goalie]

6'0 149.2 lbs at the combine

They messed up the measurements for the 1st group, and most had ~2 extra inches. He's offical height was 5'10.5.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

They messed up the measurements for the 1st group, and most had ~2 extra inches. He's offical height was 5'10.5.

Ah ok thanks for the clarification, I didn't realize that.

 

[Double Dion]

Living in Swift Current I saw a lot of him. I'd take Steenbergen ahead of him all day. Not saying he's not a legit prospect, but I think you'd need to take him outside of the top 60 at this point. I'd take Steenbergen in the early 2nd. I think he'll play almost for sure and I think Aleksi needs to have a growth spurt to play. He doesn't have Gaudreau's elusiveness. He also tends toward the edges of the play and relies on his elite hockey sense instead of weaving in and out. He sees the ice incredibly though. His shot is seriously like a kid in Bantam, so not sure where the goal scorer thing is coming from.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Living in Swift Current I saw a lot of him. I'd take Steenbergen ahead of him all day. Not saying he's not a legit prospect, but I think you'd need to take him outside of the top 60 at this point. I'd take Steenbergen in the early 2nd. I think he'll play almost for sure and I think Aleksi needs to have a growth spurt to play. He doesn't have Gaudreau's elusiveness. He also tends toward the edges of the play and relies on his elite hockey sense instead of weaving in and out. He sees the ice incredibly though. His shot is seriously like a kid in Bantam, so not sure where the goal scorer thing is coming from.

He's 5'10. He doesn't need a growth spurt. All he needs is mass.