Prospect Info: Aleksi Heponiemi (2017, #40 overall), Kärpät (Liiga)

[letsgrowcactus]

A short interview with Hepo here.

 

[sashalaine]

Aleksi Heponiemi kaksivuotisella sopimuksella Kärppiin – Tino Metsävainio try-outille

Heponiemi has made a two-year contract with Kärpät, current Finnish Liiga champion team. (source in Finnish)

 

[letsgrowcactus]

Aleksi Heponiemi kaksivuotisella sopimuksella Kärppiin – Tino Metsävainio try-outille

Heponiemi has made a two-year contract with Kärpät, current Finnish Liiga champion team. (source in Finnish)

As we talked about, getting to play against adults. Should be good for him.

Thanks for the info

 

[SoupyFIN]

From a developmental view and which teams still have room (most teams had their 2018-19 rosters set months ago while the current season was still ongoing), the team in question is probably Kärpät.

Easy choice for Hepo. Kärpät is at least a top3 team when it comes to development (arguably number 1 in recent years when you look at how many NHLers they've developed, along with the players they've had that have gone to the KHL) and they had a big role to offer him, as they lost most of their top players to the KHL for 2018-19.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

The only right choice imo. Another year in juniors would not have given him much at all, probably been depressing if anything lol.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Easy choice for Hepo. Kärpät is at least a top3 team when it comes to development (arguably number 1 in recent years when you look at how many NHLers they've developed, along with the players they've had that have gone to the KHL) and they had a big role to offer him, as they lost most of their top players to the KHL for 2018-19.

Does he get to play center there?

 

[Jussi]

Does he get to play center there?

Absolutely. Kärpät lost a lot of players after the season and have plenty of room.

 

[SoupyFIN]

Absolutely. Kärpät lost a lot of players after the season and have plenty of room.

I'd hold my horses to see if they sign someone else, have to keep in mind that Kärpät is still sort of behind everyone else on signing players.

Though their coach played Mäenalanen (signed with the Canes) as a center who'd never played center before, so it's far more likely than unlikely, at least to see if it works or not.

 

[RainingRats]

great move, even if it was obvious. looking forward to seeing what he can do in that league.

 

[FLpanthers16]

Nice should be able to develop and put up a good amount of points in that league aswell.

 

[Jakeybonz]

awesome. when does he sign a 3 yr deal with the florida panthers of the nhl?

 

[Mogo]

Holy shit.. I'll actually have a reason to go see a Liiga game now

 

[Chaos2k7]

Only logical choice.

 

[PSLguy]

Holy ****.. I'll actually have a reason to go see a Liiga game now

Be sure to post some updates so we can see his progress!

 

[SoupyFIN]

Someone should tweet CapFriendly and ask if Hepo signing in Europe extends his NHL rights, like it did with the Leafs prospect who's a 2nd rounder from the same draft.

Holy ****.. I'll actually have a reason to go see a Liiga game now

20/25 euros (one team or the whole league, there's also an option to buy single games but that hasn't been priced yet) to see games on Telia's streaming service though, a bit pricey. I feel they dropped the ball with this launch, the main reason why Nelonen (now Ruutu+) struggled to gain viewers at their start was their inflated pricing.

 

[Jakeybonz]

I really am legit concerned about him. unless signing in karpat somehow prevents him from signing with the panthers, I just don't get why we haven't locked him up. I may be paranoid cause of mascherin so someone calm me down.

 

[vendetta]

I really am legit concerned about him. unless signing in karpat somehow prevents him from signing with the panthers, I just don't get why we haven't locked him up. I may be paranoid cause of mascherin so someone calm me down.

Calm down

 

[Beezeral]

I really am legit concerned about him. unless signing in karpat somehow prevents him from signing with the panthers, I just don't get why we haven't locked him up. I may be paranoid cause of mascherin so someone calm me down.

Because he is not physically ready for the NHL and isn’t allowed to play in the AHL. This move allows him to play against men instead of playing in a league he has nothing left to prove in.

 

[BB88]

I really am legit concerned about him. unless signing in karpat somehow prevents him from signing with the panthers, I just don't get why we haven't locked him up. I may be paranoid cause of mascherin so someone calm me down.

He's a Finn, he'll sign.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

He's a Finn, he'll sign.

Donskoi, Pakarinen were both Finish and we lost them (though with Donskoi we apparently didn't want to sign him, so that's on the Panthers...)

I do agree that Hepo doesn't seem like a prospect that wouldn't sign.

 

[SoupyFIN]

Donskoi, Pakarinen were both Finish and we lost them (though with Donskoi we apparently didn't want to sign him, so that's on the Panthers...)

I do agree that Hepo doesn't seem like a prospect that wouldn't sign.

There was a Finnish poster who supposedly (not sure if the source was confirmed, this happened 2 years before I started modding) had close family relation to Donskoi (IIRC he said his dad was Donskoi's agent at the time, don't quote me on that though, it's been like 6 years) and he said that FLA offered Donskoi a contract, but he didn't feel ready to make the jump and so he went unsigned. Then when he did sign a couple years later with SJ, he mentioned the "not ready" -part (didn't say anything related to FLA though, just in general sense), which kinda backs up that story.

Pakarinen had his breakout season the year after his rights expired, before that he was average even by Liiga standards. We don't know if the team ever offered him a contract, but I'd guess no based on his performance. NHL/AHL tweener is alright for that late (7th round pick), but nothing to lose sleep over. He's probably going back to Europe for next season anyway.

 

[BB88]

Donskoi, Pakarinen were both Finish and we lost them (though with Donskoi we apparently didn't want to sign him, so that's on the Panthers...)

I do agree that Hepo doesn't seem like a prospect that wouldn't sign.

Hepo is new age kid, he's much better scouted and I'm sure with the Finns on the team his one and only option is Florida.

All of Barkov, Laine, Aho, Pulju, Risto(and so on) have signed their contracts.

 

[JJTT]

I really am legit concerned about him. unless signing in karpat somehow prevents him from signing with the panthers, I just don't get why we haven't locked him up. I may be paranoid cause of mascherin so someone calm me down.

Kärpät will get money for Heponiemi when he is signed while playing in Finland. If Panthers would've signed him this summer this would mean no money for Kärpät and likely a lot smaller salary to Heponiemi. Just his agent being smart.

 

[SoupyFIN]

Kärpät will get money for Heponiemi when he is signed while playing in Finland. If Panthers would've signed him this summer this would mean no money for Kärpät and likely a lot smaller salary to Heponiemi. Just his agent being smart.

IIRC the rule for European teams is actually that the team who had that prospect the year or two prior to the signing (don't recall if it's one or two years), would get compensated. I'm not sure if the CHL has a similar "development compensation" (or whatever you want to call it), but I'd think the money goes to SC Broncos in this case. Unless Hepo spends the required time with Kärpät of course, but I highly doubt making money was in their mind when they signed him.

 

[SoupyFIN]

@coopdaloop123

Unless you guys get really lucky with the Liiga schedule (Kärpät away game preferably vs. HIFK, secondary options Pelicans/KooKoo/HPK are a short drive away, the rest are an hour+), seeing Hepo live more than likely isn't going to be possible. You could take a flight to Oulu, but I think that would tie up too much of your time away from the main event (compared to say a HIFK game in Helsinki, you could leave early or arrive late to the Kärpät game depending on your schedule). Or are you staying behind for an extra day or two?

Liiga's schedule for 2018-19 hasn't been released yet btw.