Prospect Info: 58th Joni Ikonen

[Naslund]

Oh his dangles and one timer are excellent. It'd also be refreshing to have Drouin or Galchenyuk have someone to pass to cross crease on that side, who can also return the favour. Would really force the opponents to give up the points and good luck with that (Weber).

It'll be very interesting to watch him develop. Frölunda will be playing in Austria in the CHL. Might drive over there to see our boy play.

I will enjoy reading your reports on him! Even though I did not agree with you this year about Chytil, I share your opinions most of times. I really liked your Keller support last year.

 

[WeThreeKings]

My favorite selection of the day

Here's the Black Book report

Joni has developed the past two seasons in Sweden despite originally starting with the Blues program in
Finland. He split this season with Frolunda HC in the Swedish Elite League and the SuperElit league with
Frolunda HC's J20 team. He has performed internationally for Finland posting over a point per game a the
World Under 17 Challenge, Five Nations and IIHF Under 18 Championships.
Joni is a highly skilled forward with great skating and creativity. He has a good top speed and can change
speeds when entering the offensive zone throwing off opponents. He prefers to go wide, but will
occasionally cut through the middle with the puck and take the puck to the net. He does a great job of
mixing up his puck decisions, not being labelled as a player who leans towards passing or shooting, making
him a little more unpredictable. He has excellent creativity and vision and processes the game extremely
fast. This allows him to create plenty of scoring chances for his team. He isn't the strongest player but he's
2017 NHL DRAFT PROSPECTS — 111
not afraid to engage physically, showing a few good hits in our viewings and a competitiveness to fight
through contact.
Joni needs to fill out his frame a little more and growing a little more wouldn’t hurt him any. He is already
taller than his older brother but would definitely benefit from more size. He is capable of making very
skilled puck plays at speed and has top six potential in the NHL.
Quotable: “A lot of skill. His speed and shiftiness make him very dangerous. Defensman
seem to play safer and back off a bit with him on the rush.” - HP Scout, Mark Edwards
Quotable: "Joni is a forward who showed moments of skill, but every time I've seen him
at a new event he just seemed to progress at a fast rate. I'm very impressed with his
development and unlike his brother who is very talented in his own, Joni has grown a bit."
Hp Scout, Ryan Yessie
Quotable: “He’s small but plays fast. Good hands.” - NHL Scout (April 2017)
Quotable: “I think he’s one reason behind Vesalainen producing so much at the U18. He
was the missing link.” - NHL Scout (May 2017)
Quotable: “I got all good reviews regarding his NHL Combine interviews, one Scout listed
him as one of his favorite interviews.” - HP Scout, Mark Edwards

FIN #24 C Ikonen, Joni (2017) – Good hands to beat defender one on one. Showed good skill with the
puck and maintained control.

FIN #24 C Ikonen, Joni (2017) – Good hit on the forecheck. Showed good speed on a puck race and good
hands in tight to evade checkers. At one point he got knocked down, down low but got up and maintained
puck control the entire time. Excellent move on one one then perfectly placedshot top glove for 4-3 goal.
Great pass at speed to set up 5-4 overtime winner.

FIN #24 C Ikonen, Joni (2017) – Went to the net and made a nice deflection. Skatied right in front of his
own net with the puck, lost control of the puck and the sequence lead to the winning goal against.

 

[Goldenhands]

For those who watched both, who is the better prospect between Robert Thomas or Ikonen IYO and why?

 

[Svart]

My favorite selection of the day

Here's the Black Book report

Joni has developed the past two seasons in Sweden despite originally starting with the Blues program in
Finland. He split this season with Frolunda HC in the Swedish Elite League and the SuperElit league with
Frolunda HC's J20 team. He has performed internationally for Finland posting over a point per game a the
World Under 17 Challenge, Five Nations and IIHF Under 18 Championships.
Joni is a highly skilled forward with great skating and creativity. He has a good top speed and can change
speeds when entering the offensive zone throwing off opponents. He prefers to go wide, but will
occasionally cut through the middle with the puck and take the puck to the net. He does a great job of
mixing up his puck decisions, not being labelled as a player who leans towards passing or shooting, making
him a little more unpredictable. He has excellent creativity and vision and processes the game extremely
fast. This allows him to create plenty of scoring chances for his team. He isn't the strongest player but he's
2017 NHL DRAFT PROSPECTS — 111
not afraid to engage physically, showing a few good hits in our viewings and a competitiveness to fight
through contact.
Joni needs to fill out his frame a little more and growing a little more wouldn’t hurt him any. He is already
taller than his older brother but would definitely benefit from more size. He is capable of making very
skilled puck plays at speed and has top six potential in the NHL.
Quotable: “A lot of skill. His speed and shiftiness make him very dangerous. Defensman
seem to play safer and back off a bit with him on the rush.†- HP Scout, Mark Edwards
Quotable: "Joni is a forward who showed moments of skill, but every time I've seen him
at a new event he just seemed to progress at a fast rate. I'm very impressed with his
development and unlike his brother who is very talented in his own, Joni has grown a bit."
Hp Scout, Ryan Yessie
Quotable: “He’s small but plays fast. Good hands.†- NHL Scout (April 2017)
Quotable: “I think he’s one reason behind Vesalainen producing so much at the U18. He
was the missing link.†- NHL Scout (May 2017)
Quotable: “I got all good reviews regarding his NHL Combine interviews, one Scout listed
him as one of his favorite interviews.†- HP Scout, Mark Edwards

FIN #24 C Ikonen, Joni (2017) – Good hands to beat defender one on one. Showed good skill with the
puck and maintained control.

FIN #24 C Ikonen, Joni (2017) – Good hit on the forecheck. Showed good speed on a puck race and good
hands in tight to evade checkers. At one point he got knocked down, down low but got up and maintained
puck control the entire time. Excellent move on one one then perfectly placedshot top glove for 4-3 goal.
Great pass at speed to set up 5-4 overtime winner.

FIN #24 C Ikonen, Joni (2017) – Went to the net and made a nice deflection. Skatied right in front of his
own net with the puck, lost control of the puck and the sequence lead to the winning goal against.

I like it too. Those little hungry Finns...

 

[Stive Morgan]

For those who watched both, who is the better prospect between Robert Thomas or Ikonen IYO and why?

Depends. Thomas is the safer pick, Ikonen has the higher ceiling.

 

[HaZiKaN]

I didn't know Joni Ikonen before Yesterday, but since he's been drafted by the habs, I see only positives comments about him.

My question is, with such skills, why wa he avalible at 58?! What are his weaknesses?

I'm really excited by this pick, it seems to good to be true!

 

[WeThreeKings]

I didn't know Joni Ikonen before Yesterday, but since he's been drafted by the habs, I see only positives comments about him.

My question is, with such skills, why wa he avalible at 58?! What are his weaknesses?

I'm really excited by this pick, it seems to good to be true!

He's small.

 

[Adam Michaels]

[NHL2]c-52329803[/NHL2]

 

[Jethlan]

Between him and Reway, who do you think have the highest potential?

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

knowing very little about Ikonen, I'd say Ikonen. His game just seems more translatable. Reway's got an underrated shot and a silly back hand but Ikonen's shot seems Lehkonen like. Maybe even better. Ikonen could be the better skater (though I think Reway made some strides in that department) and doesn't seem to have effort issues.

Sheer skill though, I just haven't seen enough of these Ikonen dangles. If Reway was faster and worked harder then it could be a toss up. Just my opinion which means literally nothing. Really hope like WTK suggested that Reway could possibly have had a bit of a wake up call with this illness and maybe it drives him more. A more motivated Reway could be a great asset. Excited to see what both do this coming year.

 

[Naslund]

Between him and Reway, who do you think have the highest potential?

Putting things into context, here are the players in front of Reway in the organization (LHD winger):

Pacioretty
Drouin
Galchenyuk (if his not playing center)
Lekhonen
Hudon
Byron
Scherback


For Ikonen, who is likely going to be a RHD winger with us:

Gallagher
Shaw
McCarron (if he is not playing center)
Bitten

Add the fact that Reway has to beat the completion now for a spot, while Ikonen has three years to get better before he try for a spot.

They are both skilled players, but because of competition, Reway will likely never play with us, while Ikonen has a clear road to an easy top 9 spot, if not better.

 

[Mike Mike Caron]

Reway won't compete for a spot, the guy needs a complete year of hockey and off-ice training if he ever excpect to play in the league.

 

[Jethlan]

Putting things into context, here are the players in front of Reway in the organization (LHD winger):

Pacioretty
Drouin
Galchenyuk (if his not playing center)
Lekhonen
Hudon
Byron
Scherback


For Ikonen, who is likely going to be a RHD winger with us:

Gallagher
Shaw
McCarron (if he is not playing center)
Bitten

Add the fact that Reway has to beat the completion now for a spot, while Ikonen has three years to get better before he try for a spot.

They are both skilled players, but because of competition, Reway will likely never play with us, while Ikonen has a clear road to an easy top 9 spot, if not better.

I see, thanks for the reply

 

[WeThreeKings]

Reway is more talented. Ikonen is more likely to be a player.

 

[NotProkofievian]

As of today I'd say Ikonen. We have no idea how Reway will even recover. Before his illness? I would really like for Ikonen to have the level of offensive success that Reway enjoyed. That would be an awesome next step for Joni.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

What are the chances he can become a 1st line center?

 

[NotProkofievian]

What are the chances he can become a 1st line center?

Pretty unlikely at this stage.

 

[Goldenhands]

So Is Ikonen a center or more of a winger IYO guys? It would be nice to have a very skilled center in the system for once..

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

He could technically play AHL next year, right? Either way he's better off staying in Finland for a couple years

 

[Jethlan]

He could technically play AHL next year, right? Either way he's better off staying in Finland for a couple years

Especially since lefebvre is still the coach

 

[Naslund]

So Is Ikonen a center or more of a winger IYO guys? It would be nice to have a very skilled center in the system for once..

I would love him to be a center for us, and he might be developed as one in the Frolunda system. Realistically due to his size (5ft11, 176lbs), I think his speed, shooting abilities and feistiness in the corners will make him a great winger for us. As I said in other posts, it's hard for me not to be excited about a Lekhonen-Poehling-Ikonen line. A big center that likes to pass and two Finns (a RH and a LH) that like to shoot (and are good at it).

 

[googlymoogly]

I would love him to be a center for us, and he might be developed as one in the Frolunda system. Realistically due to his size (5ft11, 176lbs), I think his speed, shooting abilities and feistiness in the corners will make him a great winger for us. As I said in other posts, it's hard for me not to be excited about a Lekhonen-Poehling-Ikonen line. A big center that likes to pass and two Finns (a RH and a LH) that like to shoot (and are good at it).

He's 5'11" nothing wrong with that height for a center. As he adds muscle he'll gain weight and may still grow as well.

 

[yianik]

He was one of about 5 guys I wanted with one of our first few picks so I am stoked we got him. Love this pick. High skill guy. Big risk but big reward potential.

 

[Weber Fan]

13th best natural scorer in the draft according to Red line...

13. Joni Ikonen — Absolutely lives to score, and for a little guy, he can really fire the puck. Loves to shoot from any angle.

 

[montreal]

If he makes the team in the fall he'll be teammates with Max Friberg. I know Frolunda lost a few players to transfer but with Lasch coming back (was one of their top players when Lehkonen was there) plus 7th overall pick Lias Andersson I assume makes Frolunda after ripping up the J-20s with HV71's team.