Where else do you suggest he could have went other than to Kitchener with Ahokas with whom he already made bad experiences and whose own experience in North American hockey is rather thin?
Whether Ahokas is a competent coach overall or not doesn't really matter, as a free agent you take the best deal available to you personally. With HIFK that was pro hockey at a bigger organization including everything that comes with it, ability to continue studies, and a different coach more willing to provide opportunities. Kitchener would have been junior hockey, quit studies, and try prove yourself to your old coach that didn't give you opportunities even while the team was bottom of the league in offensive production. Because of the injury this season went quite different than intended, but I can't imagine I would have even seriously considered leaving with Ahokas to Kitchener if I was in Kiviharju's shoes in the summer of 2023.
Being drafted in the first round is also mostly just noise, not something worth basing fundamental career choices on. He can be drafted wherever and have a good career in Europe until that team comes calling. For every Heiskanen there are too many Finnish defensemen drafted in the first round that didn't manage to build on that. Ristolainen is probably the only one currently in the league that really improved his fortunes significantly by being drafted high.
That's my point, I don't suggest anything, I'm questioning. Also, what was those bad experiences? I mean why even mention bad experiences and then not tell about them? That's pretty lame if anything. Last but not least, does bad experiences have to mean something is written on stone and that things is going to be like that forever? Just like development can go up and down, so can relations and other things in life.
I mean you never heard Kiviharju get the same treatment or be questioned as Lambert did and I do think that's quite inconsistent and strange that the same people who questioned Lambert a whole lot don't do the same with a hyped- or in worst case overhyped prospect in Kiviharju?
Also, it's not like Ahokas has the worst merits either, he has actually won some things in his coaching career.
And lastly, Lambert always had some serious speed and decent stickhandling. Those dynamic things seem even to be a weakness of his if anything.
Yeah, i understand you and you have plenty of valid points but you make it sound like there would only be one junior league available. And that's making things bit too simple. Also, even if the injury was crucial he still hasn't managed to produce more points in HIFK than in TPS.
And... If you saw the pre games for the last WJC's it was clear that Kiviharju hadn't developed the physique to play at that level and especially against the NA teams. He had neither enough strength or speed to do so. I mean that was already a sign for me, like "Perhaps don't rush this kid to play in the mens league if he's not ready".
I mean EK65 was a lot bigger prospect with actual good skating ability and he didn't get to play seriously against men before 08/09. That route isn't the best for everyone and there are some players that grow later.
I mean Aatos Koivu is another example. I don't wanna see him grind in Liiga when hasn't shown jack in the u18's or that impressive numbers at juniors. Like let the kid develop some serious skill before throwing him to the wolves and then only reach a top9 level at Liiga. What's the point in that. Same could be said about talents like Leevi Aaltonen and others.
But at the end of the day I blame mentors, youth directors etc more than the kid himself. It's their job to give some helpful advice and be able to problematize youth development and really see the individual and his strength and weaknesses. In this aspect or department the Finnish junior hockey seem to lack severely at the moment.
I think he should've played against juniors and focus a whole lot on training and developing skating and then skill for the long run. And I do believe he would've benefitted a whole lot more of that than another finnish prospect like... Say Heiskanen. Because Miro was and is actually a great skater. Kiviharju is not.
