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

[letsgrowcactus]

But will he score 40?

You know what line he is playing on? 1st or 2nd?

Second line right wing.

 

[Mara]

But will he score 40?

You know what line he is playing on? 1st or 2nd?

Second line, playing with Kings prospect Rasmus Kupari and veteran Mika Pyörälä.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Hepo with an assist tonight but it's a champions league game? What is that? Similar to EPL soccer when they play tournament style games during the regular season?

 

[letsgrowcactus]

Hepo with an assist tonight but it's a champions league game? What is that? Similar to EPL soccer when they play tournament style games during the regular season?

I guess? What's EPL?

Started four years ago, the Champion's hockey league is an international tournament between European clubs - from SHL, Liiga, Czech Extraliga, NLA and other European leagues - it's 13 leagues and 32 teams in total, with 5 teams max per country. Each league sends their best clubs (the exact number depends on the league; the choice on how they placed in their country last year). It's a tournament that takes place spread over the year so it doesn't interphere too much with the teams' seasons - first they play within their group, then there's playoffs. Three of the four winners were from the SHL, last year a Liiga team won; in total there were five finalist from the SHL, two from Liiga and one from the Czech Extraliga.

It's fun It's a chance to see your team play against other countries' teams and learn a bit more about the hockey in other countries. Each team approaches it a bit differently - like, from Extraliga, Kometa Brno rarely sends their best team (especially in group games), but prefers to use the tourney to try out some of their kids at high level. Other teams are in it to win and send their best group.

 

[Mogo]

I guess? What's EPL?

Started four years ago, the Champion's hockey league is an international tournament between European clubs - from SHL, Liiga, Czech Extraliga, NLA and other European leagues - it's 13 leagues and 32 teams in total, with 5 teams max per country. Each league sends their best clubs (the exact number depends on the league; the choice on how they placed in their country last year). It's a tournament that takes place spread over the year so it doesn't interphere too much with the teams' seasons - first they play within their group, then there's playoffs. Three of the four winners were from the SHL, last year a Liiga team won; in total there were five finalist from the SHL, two from Liiga and one from the Czech Extraliga.

It's fun It's a chance to see your team play against other countries' teams and learn a bit more about the hockey in other countries. Each team approaches it a bit differently - like, from Extraliga, Kometa Brno rarely sends their best team (especially in group games), but prefers to use the tourney to try out some of their kids at high level. Other teams are in it to win and send their best group.

and nobody has a clue who won last year or that before because no1 cares

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

I guess? What's EPL?

Started four years ago, the Champion's hockey league is an international tournament between European clubs - from SHL, Liiga, Czech Extraliga, NLA and other European leagues - it's 13 leagues and 32 teams in total, with 5 teams max per country. Each league sends their best clubs (the exact number depends on the league; the choice on how they placed in their country last year). It's a tournament that takes place spread over the year so it doesn't interphere too much with the teams' seasons - first they play within their group, then there's playoffs. Three of the four winners were from the SHL, last year a Liiga team won; in total there were five finalist from the SHL, two from Liiga and one from the Czech Extraliga.

It's fun It's a chance to see your team play against other countries' teams and learn a bit more about the hockey in other countries. Each team approaches it a bit differently - like, from Extraliga, Kometa Brno rarely sends their best team (especially in group games), but prefers to use the tourney to try out some of their kids at high level. Other teams are in it to win and send their best group.

You always go above and beyond LGC. I appreciate it. couldn't tell if you were being sarcastic or not with the big grin.

EPL is English Premier League soccer with teams like Manchester United/City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal etc but they have similar style games for tournaments/trophies during the regular season.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

You always go above and beyond LGC. I appreciate it. couldn't tell if you were being sarcastic or not with the big grin.

EPL is English Premier League soccer with teams like Manchester United/City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal etc but they have similar style games for tournaments/trophies during the regular season.

Heh, sometimes I probably go too elaborate... blame the teacher/scientist in me. I love explanations and references and good data
Ah, so the EPL is the main football league in England... thanks I've heard of it and I know most of the club names but I don't really care for footbal... prefer hockey since it's much faster and more dynamic. (Also Czech footbal is pretty meh while we're decently competitive in hockey...)

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Heh, sometimes I probably go too elaborate... blame the teacher/scientist in me. I love explanations and references and good data
Ah, so the EPL is the main football league in England... thanks I've heard of it and I know most of the club names but I don't really care for footbal... prefer hockey since it's much faster and more dynamic. (Also Czech footbal is pretty meh while we're decently competitive in hockey...)

I saw you have like 7 jobs in the Introduce yourself thread.
It's all good, I prefer more info than less.
Keep up the good work reporting on Heponiemi.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

Hepo with an assist tonight but it's a champions league game? What is that? Similar to EPL soccer when they play tournament style games during the regular season?

It's based on the soccer version of Champions League. Basically European teams playing against eachother in a tournament.

It's not very popular atm but I really hope it grows and I'd love to see KHL teams join in on it

 

[Mogo]

It's based on the soccer version of Champions League. Basically European teams playing against eachother in a tournament.

It's not very popular atm but I really hope it grows and I'd love to see KHL teams join in on it

I'm shocked they still play it. Pretty much in front of empty arenas

 

[Jakeybonz]

Hepo 1+1 in a 7-2 win of Karpat, 4 shots on goal.
Currently has 9 points in 10 games.

what amount of points do u think hepo would have to put up in liiga for you to consider him a better prospect than borg? assuming borg scored about .80 ppg in the ahl.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

what amount of points do u think hepo would have to put up in liiga for you to consider him a better prospect than borg? assuming borg scored about .80 ppg in the ahl.

Tough to say.
There's always a certain risk that Hepo will be a superstar in Europe but his game won't translate. I don't think I'll consider Heponiemi a better prospect at this point unless Borgstrom struggles this year... and that's no knock on him, I think very highly of both of them. Hepo's vision and passing skills are elite.
I'll say that Hepo could make a stronger point for himself if he started shooting more and added that scoring dimension to his game. He'll obviously always be a playmaker first, but there's a difference between scoring 15 goals a year and 20-25 goals a year (I'm thinking NHL future, not juniors/Liiga).
Ideally, both him and Borgstrom will be top6 players for us in a not so distant future.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

I'm shocked they still play it. Pretty much in front of empty arenas

Yea aside from not having caught on yet it's also very mismanaged and they shouldn't be doing these when it's basically still summer

 

[Jakeybonz]

Tough to say.
There's always a certain risk that Hepo will be a superstar in Europe but his game won't translate. I don't think I'll consider Heponiemi a better prospect at this point unless Borgstrom struggles this year... and that's no knock on him, I think very highly of both of them. Hepo's vision and passing skills are elite.
I'll say that Hepo could make a stronger point for himself if he started shooting more and added that scoring dimension to his game. He'll obviously always be a playmaker first, but there's a difference between scoring 15 goals a year and 20-25 goals a year (I'm thinking NHL future, not juniors/Liiga).
Ideally, both him and Borgstrom will be top6 players for us in a not so distant future.

makes sense. but theres gotta be a crazy number at which point ud be forced to say hes the better prospect. like im assuming if hepo miraculously put up 100 pts in 60 games ud immediately say woa, uh yea hes probably the better player. so i was just wondering how crazy the number would have to be for you to be confident calling him our best prospect. for me itd be 80 pts. if he put up 80 in 60 id say hes got a better future than borg almost certainly. i know its incredibly unlikely, but not impossible.

 

[Mara]

makes sense. but theres gotta be a crazy number at which point ud be forced to say hes the better prospect. like im assuming if hepo miraculously put up 100 pts in 60 games ud immediately say woa, uh yea hes probably the better player. so i was just wondering how crazy the number would have to be for you to be confident calling him our best prospect. for me itd be 80 pts. if he put up 80 in 60 id say hes got a better future than borg almost certainly. i know its incredibly unlikely, but not impossible.

I don't think a single player has managed 80 points during this millennia. In fact it's somewhat rare that more than one to three players break 60 points. For Heponiemi, playing on a team that doesn't have a single pure goal scorer and on a line with the somewhat struggling prospect Kupari, even reaching PPG would be an amazing feat. To get that far they really need to click as a line and the line has to be one of the best in the league. That's not really the case right now. In any case the kid needs to build muscle, a lot of muscle, before he can even dream of reaching the NHL.

 

[Jakeybonz]

I don't think a single player has managed 80 points during this millennia. In fact it's somewhat rare that more than one to three players break 60 points. For Heponiemi, playing on a team that doesn't have a single pure goal scorer and on a line with the somewhat struggling prospect Kupari, even reaching PPG would be an amazing feat. To get that far they really need to click as a line and the line has to be one of the best in the league. That's not really the case right now. In any case the kid needs to build muscle, a lot of muscle, before he can even dream of reaching the NHL.

lol I know its not happening. I just said its what would need to happen for me to flat out say he's better than borg. but yea if he gains muscle he'll be scary.

 

[Jakeybonz]

11 pts in 12 games. my ppg prediction not lookin too outlandish.

 

[RainingRats]

he's going to be good

 

[GermanPanther]

Interisting will be also how can he handle the balance on getting up weight and still being skilled and fast.
We saw it on Borgstrom, getting Weight is a good move but it cost him speed. I hope he also go to the skating Coach Barkov had before. what she did to barkov was great.

 

[batting1k]

Henrik Haapala was a point per game player in Liiga too, and now he's in NLA. I don't think being a point per game there necessarily means anything, but it's a good sign nonetheless, especially for a 19 year old.

And that's not to say I'm not high on Hepo, because I am. Dominant player last year. Super smart. But just wanted to point this out.

 

[BabyBennettov]

Henrik Haapala was a point per game player in Liiga too, and now he's in NLA. I don't think being a point per game there necessarily means anything, but it's a good sign nonetheless, especially for a 19 year old.

And that's not to say I'm not high on Hepo, because I am. Dominant player last year. Super smart. But just wanted to point this out.

Funny how you've tried lately to be the "toning down" voice, instead of being the always over-optimistic persona like you did when you followed the team.

Also, I found your arguments way off lately ! Nothing personal...

I know you did mention the age factor a bit, but how can you bring up Haapala seriously in that comparison ? Haapala was 23 when he did achieve a ppg in Liiga, he was a player that was brought in along his own-team system in Finland... If Heponiemi does it this year he will have started his season as a teenager, coming back to Europe playing against men while having spent his last two years in NA with kids... Like comparing apples to oranges...

I'm curious how many 19/20 years old were ppg in Liiga and weren't successful in the NHL after that ? I will try and find it out when I come back from work tonight.

But hey, I'm not giving up on Haapala myself... If I remember correctly, the guy was the leading scorer of Liiga the first time he was a ppg/player... Still pretty impressive ! But again, not comparable to a teenager coming in an posting ppg/numbers !

 

[FLpanthers16]

Funny how you've tried lately to be the "toning down" voice, instead of being the always over-optimistic persona like you did when you followed the team.

Also, I found your arguments way off lately ! Nothing personal...

I know you did mention the age factor a bit, but how can you bring up Haapala seriously in that comparison ? Haapala was 23 when he did achieve a ppg in Liiga, he was a player that was brought in along his own-team system in Finland... If Heponiemi does it this year he will have started his season as a teenager, coming back to Europe playing against men while having spent his last two years in NA with kids... Like comparing apples to oranges...

I'm curious how many 19/20 years old were ppg in Liiga and weren't successful in the NHL after that ? I will try and find it out when I come back from work tonight.

But hey, I'm not giving up on Haapala myself... If I remember correctly, the guy was the leading scorer of Liiga the first time he was a ppg/player... Still pretty impressive ! But again, not comparable to a teenager coming in an posting ppg/numbers !

Postning PPG numbers is rare in Liiga from what i have heard and seen.

Or at least for younger players.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

Hepo is off to a great start but it's only a start and on top of that even it holds the rest of the season as well it only justifies an invite to the dev/training camp. Maybe one or two (three if we pull a lucky horseshoe out out of Stanley C's rear end) out of Hepo, Borg, Tipp and Deni pans out into the NHL. Thus, we can only rejoice that the prospect pool looks great but, in Hepo's case, we have seen so many players being churned out of the system because of not being able to translate their decent numbers in a lesser league into the big show.

 

[RogerRoger]

I know you did mention the age factor a bit, but how can you bring up Haapala seriously in that comparison ? Haapala was 23 when he did achieve a ppg in Liiga, he was a player that was brought in along his own-team system in Finland... If Heponiemi does it this year he will have started his season as a teenager, coming back to Europe playing against men while having spent his last two years in NA with kids... Like comparing apples to oranges...

I'm curious how many 19/20 years old were ppg in Liiga and weren't successful in the NHL after that ? I will try and find it out when I come back from work tonight.

But hey, I'm not giving up on Haapala myself... If I remember correctly, the guy was the leading scorer of Liiga the first time he was a ppg/player... Still pretty impressive ! But again, not comparable to a teenager coming in an posting ppg/numbers !

19 years old: 19-Year Old Liiga Players - Regular Season Stats

22 years old: 22-Year Old Liiga Players - Regular Season Stats

Olli was at 1.3 pt/g at 19 years old. Mikael Granlund was 1.133. Saku Koivu at 1.128. Tuomo Ruutu was at 0.9 and Teravainen was at 0.898.

Now, I'm unaware if the scoring in the league is increasing or is fairly stable since the mid 90's, or how Hepo's teammates compare to the other players I listed, but it gives an idea imo.

 

[Mara]

Hepo is off to a great start but it's only a start and on top of that even it holds the rest of the season as well it only justifies an invite to the dev/training camp. Maybe one or two (three if we pull a lucky horseshoe out out of Stanley C's rear end) out of Hepo, Borg, Tipp and Deni pans out into the NHL. Thus, we can only rejoice that the prospect pool looks great but, in Hepo's case, we have seen so many players being churned out of the system because of not being able to translate their decent numbers in a lesser league into the big show.

Based on what I've seen so far his hockey IQ is high enough that his NHL success or lack thereof will be determined by his size and if he manages to make the necessary adjustments to his game. His time spent in NA was probably beneficial in that sense. A very Mikael Granlund-esque case in many ways, though Heponiemi has much better skating than Granlund did at his age. Hopefully he doesn't lose that as he bulks up.

As for him reaching PPG this season, it's very much possible. He's almost at that pace even though his line and his PP unit have room for improvement.