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

[Thewselius]

From the highlights he looks to be a very sneaky player when scoring his goals. In EHM sim talk I'd say he's got very good off the puck awareness.

 

[Narow]

Great value pick. Very talented he just need to get some juice and hit the gym.

Arent the serious mass building juices + cardio a recipy for enlarged heart tho? Perhaps they have ways around that that i am not aware of tho...

215 lb hieponiemi incoming

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Heponiemi is on fire 17 points ( 2+15) in 5 games and 2nd best scorer in WHL.
Also Heponeimi has recorded 1/4 of all his last season's assists in 5 games. Wow.

I'm not statistic analyst but if Aleksi can keep this scoring pace all season long.
How likely it'll be he can score almost or over 100 points this season of course in that scenario he won't miss any games due to injuries and world juniors.

 

[Lovsan]

can they call him up to nhl this season? he would be a good 2nd line center.

 

[Chaos2k7]

can they call him up to nhl this season? he would be a good 2nd line center.

He is looking good but he is not better than Barky or Tro, lol.

 

[Lovsan]

He is looking good but he is not better than Barky or Tro, lol.

yeah he isnt better than barky or troy but htey could rotate him in line 2 and 3, im sure he is capable to play in nhl, the numbers in whl alone shows that dam good playmaker

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Pump the brakes.

A lot of whl or other junior league stars never can convert their game to the pros.

Also this kid is listed at 145 lbs and some here want to throw him in the nhl? lol

 

[Lovsan]

Pump the brakes.

A lot of whl or other junior league stars never can convert their game to the pros.

Also this kid is listed at 145 lbs and some here want to throw him in the nhl? lol

dude i wasnt gonna throw him in the nhl, but id like to see him play with the big boyz, the size isnt really that big issue, he will get bigger during the season and hopefully after the next post season he is ready to join the team. he got the skillz. as you guy see.. that amount of points in 5 games is ridiculous. and yeah i know its stilla "kiddys" league.

3rd line center next season, he needs a Rw and Lw next to him who can score. this guy can pass so well

 

[Jakeybonz2]

dude i wasnt gonna throw him in the nhl, but id like to see him play with the big boyz, the size isnt really that big issue, he will get bigger during the season and hopefully after the next post season he is ready to join the team. he got the skillz. as you guy see.. that amount of points in 5 games is ridiculous. and yeah i know its stilla "kiddys" league.

3rd line center next season, he needs a Rw and Lw next to him who can score. this guy can pass so well

don't look now, but aleksi is quickly becoming our top prospect. he is absolutely destroying the whl with seemingly 4 points every game. only superstars do that for a full season so lets see if he and steenbergen can keep up their absurd pace...

p.s. borgstrom off to a real good start too but I'm just saying if heponiemi keeps this avg going for the full year I don't care how tiny he is, he's gonna have to make the team next yr.

 

[RainingRats]

don't look now, but aleksi is quickly becoming our top prospect. he is absolutely destroying the whl with seemingly 4 points every game. only superstars do that for a full season so lets see if he and steenbergen can keep up their absurd pace...

p.s. borgstrom off to a real good start too but I'm just saying if heponiemi keeps this avg going for the full year I don't care how tiny he is, he's gonna have to make the team next yr.

yup, he's looking like a fantastic pick.

 

[Lundell4Prez]

Heponiemi-Borgstrom-Tippett

 

[GrumpyKelly]

don't look now, but aleksi is quickly becoming our top prospect. he is absolutely destroying the whl with seemingly 4 points every game. only superstars do that for a full season so lets see if he and steenbergen can keep up their absurd pace...

That line is scoring at a crazy, record setting pace right now. Heponiemi is averaging about 2.72 PPG and while it's still very early, that kind of production is unheard of since the 80's when all the WHL records were set.

To put it in perspective, since the 90's the top WHL scorers have usually scored around 100-120 points per season with a few players scoring 130.

Heponiemi and Steenbergen are scoring at a 200 point pace right now.

Again, it's super early, the sample size is still small. But if they can keep this production up even half the season that would be amazing.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

So, uh. How good is the stat line he's rocking right now? Any comparable NHL players from the past?

 

[GrumpyKelly]

So, uh. How good is the stat line he's rocking right now? Any comparable NHL players from the past?

Nobody since the 80's really. Cliff Ronning is second all time in scoring in the WHL with 197 points in one season, he might ring a bell. Joe Sakic scored 160 points in 64 games the year after he was drafted. Also in the 80's though.

Edit: Iginla scored 136 points in '96 the year after he was drafted.

 

[StrangeVision]

30 points in 11 games. Holy crap.

 

[Clint]

30 points in 11 games. Holy crap.

Holy crap indeed. Wasn't paying much attention to this guy until I randomly clicked on this thread.

Is there any reason in particular Swift Current's top line is just dominating so hard right now? Is it that Heponiemi is really that good, or is it Steenberger, or is the chemistry just really that amazing?

And again: THIS. NEW. SITE. FORMAT. SUCKS.

 

[Brokin]

Steenbergen on pace for 120 goals and Hepo 48. Let's look at the synergy between the two before we start labeling each of them superstars. Certainly both have caught the eye of the public but interesting to see how they do mono e mono.

 

[KW]

Steenbergen on pace for 120 goals and Hepo 48. Let's look at the synergy between the two before we start labeling each of them superstars. Certainly both have caught the eye of the public but interesting to see how they do mono e mono.

Yeah, 30 points in 11 games is PROOF that he's gonna crash and burn, all so that you can tell people that you told us so.

Boring.

 

[FinlandPanther]

Yeah, 30 points in 11 games is PROOF that he's gonna crash and burn, all so that you can tell people that you told us so.

Boring.

Typical post honestly.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

Holy crap indeed. Wasn't paying much attention to this guy until I randomly clicked on this thread.

Is there any reason in particular Swift Current's top line is just dominating so hard right now? Is it that Heponiemi is really that good, or is it Steenberger, or is the chemistry just really that amazing?

And again: THIS. NEW. SITE. FORMAT. SUCKS.

Didn't watch them myself, but people in the NHL prospect thread said it's a combination of those things. Steenberger + Hepo both really really good and they also have amazing chemistry.

 

[FrolikFan67]

he was a high 2nd rounder, so he already had some pedigree. not like he was a 7th rounder or anything.
another kek pick and he has an eye for talent it seems between barkov and borgstrom (and others).
hes looked fantastic in the camps here.
already in his D+1 year hes tearing it up so far. I think the kid has legit skill so its great to see him producing like this. i know hes underweight but luckily the league is transitioning a little more in that direction. no need to rush him, we can be patient. hes 145 now but after his D+2 year and a year or two in the ahl i think he'll put on some solid weight, get to around 170-175+ by then and with his skill he could definitely get by. yamamoto is getting some nhl action right now at 154, gaudreau is around 167. not like that should be the measuring stick but he'll get heavier. id worry more on the talent and his production and development trend (so far everything is looking great).

 

[Brokin]

he was a high 2nd rounder, so he already had some pedigree. not like he was a 7th rounder or anything.
another kek pick and he has an eye for talent it seems between barkov and borgstrom (and others).
hes looked fantastic in the camps here.
already in his D+1 year hes tearing it up so far. I think the kid has legit skill so its great to see him producing like this. i know hes underweight but luckily the league is transitioning a little more in that direction. no need to rush him, we can be patient. hes 145 now but after his D+2 year and a year or two in the ahl i think he'll put on some solid weight, get to around 170-175+ by then and with his skill he could definitely get by. yamamoto is getting some nhl action right now at 154, gaudreau is around 167. not like that should be the measuring stick but he'll get heavier. id worry more on the talent and his production and development trend (so far everything is looking great).

I'll tell you what, I'll take Steenbergen straight up in a trade for Hepo right now. This is no knock on Heponiemi but an endorsement of the kind of player Steenbergen is and what he would bring to the Cats. He is already close to 190, fast, soft hands, laser shot, and is not afraid to go to the dirty areas. His downside is defense but that is coachable. Most scouts had him topping out in the bottom 6 after a successful season last year with 51 goals but the Yotes took a flyer on an overager in the 5th round this past draft and they will be handsomely rewarded IMO. 21 goals in 11 games, are you kidding me?

http://www.dobberprospects.com/tyler-steenbergen/

That being said, it's not like we are stuck with a bum. Hepo has all the attributes to be a top 6 phenom. I'm not worried about his size as the scouts think his hockey IQ, speed, skill, 200' game and ability to protect the puck will serve him well for an undersized NHL player. They already say he is excellent in the FO circle, so I definitely see him as a C with the Cats as the new FO rules are benefiting smaller players. With our abundance of C's at this point, someone will likely be traded down the line. Nice problem to have.

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

I'll tell you what, I'll take Steenbergen straight up in a trade for Hepo right now. This is no knock on Heponiemi but an endorsement of the kind of player Steenbergen is and what he would bring to the Cats. He is already close to 190, fast, soft hands, laser shot, and is not afraid to go to the dirty areas. His downside is defense but that is coachable. Most scouts had him topping out in the bottom 6 after a successful season last year with 51 goals but the Yotes took a flyer on an overager in the 5th round this past draft and they will be handsomely rewarded IMO. 21 goals in 11 games, are you kidding me?

http://www.dobberprospects.com/tyler-steenbergen/

That being said, it's not like we are stuck with a bum. Hepo has all the attributes to be a top 6 phenom. I'm not worried about his size as the scouts think his hockey IQ, speed, skill, 200' game and ability to protect the puck will serve him well for an undersized NHL player. They already say he is excellent in the FO circle, so I definitely see him as a C with the Cats as the new FO rules are benefiting smaller players. With our abundance of C's at this point, someone will likely be traded down the line. Nice problem to have.

I wouldn’t. He’s a year older than Hepo and his numbers were average before he started playing with him.

 

[Jakeybonz2]

I'll tell you what, I'll take Steenbergen straight up in a trade for Hepo right now. This is no knock on Heponiemi but an endorsement of the kind of player Steenbergen is and what he would bring to the Cats. He is already close to 190, fast, soft hands, laser shot, and is not afraid to go to the dirty areas. His downside is defense but that is coachable. Most scouts had him topping out in the bottom 6 after a successful season last year with 51 goals but the Yotes took a flyer on an overager in the 5th round this past draft and they will be handsomely rewarded IMO. 21 goals in 11 games, are you kidding me?

http://www.dobberprospects.com/tyler-steenbergen/

That being said, it's not like we are stuck with a bum. Hepo has all the attributes to be a top 6 phenom. I'm not worried about his size as the scouts think his hockey IQ, speed, skill, 200' game and ability to protect the puck will serve him well for an undersized NHL player. They already say he is excellent in the FO circle, so I definitely see him as a C with the Cats as the new FO rules are benefiting smaller players. With our abundance of C's at this point, someone will likely be traded down the line. Nice problem to have.

tough to say if I'd rather have steen or hepo cause steen is a yr older which makes a huge diff. on the stats in general but I guess with the panthers goal scoring needs too many playmakers + mascherin not looking like he's gonna turn into a real nhl goalscorer we'd have to go with steen as panthers fans but if we were building a team from scratch I'd say they're about even.

 

[Brokin]

I wouldn’t. He’s a year older than Hepo and his numbers were average before he started playing with him.

You have to take into consideration the type of system he was playing under before Hepo.

"In 2015-16 Steenbergen put up 46 points and was considered a long shot to be drafted. But he played for a defensive coach in Mark Lamb that season and didn’t see much power play time. In 2016-17, Steenbergen played for head coach Emmanuel (Manny) Viveiros, who plays a much more offensive up-and-down system that has led to more scoring chances. He also got a ton of power play time and responded scoring 37% of his goals on the man advantage."