Went to Tappara's game against Lukko to see Utunen play. Tappara won 2-0, shots were roughly even 20+ to both. A "regular" game with few penalties. Pace wasn't either slow or fast, and the game was decided by Tappara scoring with their few good set up chances. Far enough from competitive NHL pace.
Toni was in the third pairing, up from being the 7th D that he was earlier before the u20 tournament. He had more defensive duties than offensive starts and rightfully so. He was effective throughout the game in keeping the play on the outside when the puck was being carried to Tappara's zone, and did his part in supressing the play. He had favorable matchups in most of his shifts but handled the play well without the puck even against Lukko's first line. Decent to good with positioning and in guarding his man. Needs time to mature physically in order to succeed when the pace of the game gets higher.
In the first period, after offensive face off wins, he made few giveaways or poor plays along the boards that ended in Tappara losing posession, and the play went to their end. That happened both under pressure and when he had a couple of seconds to decide what to do. He chose to toss the puck along the boards, without success, but always seemed to choose the most safe option and did not really panic.
He was a bit better in the second and almost mistake free in the third, but it is obvious that he needs to improve with his puckhandling and playmaking if he is to play first pairing minutes in Liiga. Carried the puck out, or dumped the puck effectively enough in the third period, in which he failed in the first two. Again, safe plays.
In the offensive rushes his line had, the play didn't cycle through him almost at all, but that was partially on his linemates. Tappara's bottom six was really ineffective as a whole. I counted him joining the rush or pinching in from the blue line twice but the play never reached him, even though he was nicely available for a pass.
No shots on goal, no playmaking passes in the offensive zone, no breakout passes or long first passes. Safe plays, safe shifts. Safe to say that it's going to take some years before he could be considered as an viable blueline option for the Canucks.