C Aleksi Heponiemi- Modo, Hockey Allsvenskan, Sweden (2017, 40th, FLA)

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Prospect details.
Name Aleksi Heponiemi
Born 01 09 1999
Birthplace Tampere Finland
Height 5'10
Weight 143lbs
Shoots Left

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=284816
https://www.swiftcurrentonline.com/local-sports/35826-broncos-draft-heponiemi-from-finland
http://scbroncos.com/article/aleksi...team-finland-at-2016-ivan-hlinka-memorial-cup

Click to read more...

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

http://scbroncos.com/video/broncos-tv-meet-aleksi-heponiemi

 

[whlscowt]

This kid might surprise a lot of people this year. I saw the Regina game, and he was ALWAYS involved in the play. His 2nd goal was nice (the first one was a tap in) but he was constantly making things happen. Good skater, has some nice hands, and seems pretty intelligent on the ice. In my notes I have the 1st assist as a forced turnover and a nice pass. He looks bigger than 5'9, I think the Broncos have him listed at 5'10. He's a player I'll definitely be keeping a closer look on during the season, but like I said I have a feeling he's going to make it hard for people not to notice.

At the game I was looking at google images, and came across this beauty.

 

[Visul]

Seems like Heponiemi has crossed the pond with guns blazing. Very promising start in a new environment.

 

[illone84]

Seems like Heponiemi has crossed the pond with guns blazing. Very promising start in a new environment.

He seems really small, but is he physical for his size? That picture posted above looks like an 8 year old boy lol.

Is this kid really fast?

 

[Huokaus]

That picture posted above looks like an 8 year old boy lol.

Well, according to the image info that picture is from 2013, so he was actually 14 in that picture (maybe still not very flattering though)

 

[Juggernaut27]

Is Hippo his nickname?

Promising pre-season.

 

[ijuka]

Hepo is a playful way of saying "horse".

 

[Juggernaut27]

Hepo is a playful way of saying "horse".

Interesting. So his name is something like "horse land"?

I just saw the #hippo tag on the Broncos tweet and was thinking the new kid may have been given his title already.

Hippo would be hilarious.

 

[Eyelanders]

Was the best player on the U18 national team in a preseason game against Kiekko-Vantaa, then had a very good Hlinka tournament. Great hockey sense and offensive instincts, continues to get better defensively. Very smooth and quick on his skates. He thinks the game so well and distributes the puck nicely. Definitely could see him rise up the rankings this season, promising start with the WHL's Broncos, too.

 

[HockeyHistorian]

Interesting. So his name is something like "horse land"?

I just saw the #hippo tag on the Broncos tweet and was thinking the new kid may have been given his title already.

Hippo would be hilarious.

Heponiemi would be "Horse Cape". Hippo is actually ancient Greek for a horse.

 

[Juggernaut27]

Heponiemi would be "Horse Cape". Hippo is actually ancient Greek for a horse.

It is, but that's a pretty posh nickname for teenage hockey players. Unless he brought it with him, I don't know if Ancient Greek is popular for nicknames in Finland.

I imagined something more like he scored a sweet goal in a practice scrimmage, bench chanted "Hepo! Hepo!" and some genius probably called him "Hippo" about 30 seconds after that If I was on the other squad it would probably have been me

"Yeah, nice goal, Hippo."

 

[HockeyHistorian]

It is, but that's a pretty posh nickname for teenage hockey players. Unless he brought it with him, I don't know if Ancient Greek is popular for nicknames in Finland.

I imagined something more like he scored a sweet goal in a practice scrimmage, bench chanted "Hepo! Hepo!" and some genius probably called him "Hippo" about 30 seconds after that If I was on the other squad it would probably have been me

"Yeah, nice goal, Hippo."

I brought ancient Greek up only as pointless trivia I fully agree with you.

 

[SmartPuck]

Fantastic player and smart. Chance to be a 1st rounder.

 

[VictorLustig]

I saw one finn in a U17 national team tournament in Sweden last year who I thought looked fantastic. I think it was this guy.

 

[whlscowt]

Another really strong preseason game tonight. It's still really early and you can tell there are some gaps in his play that needs work, so I'm not buying into the "Chance to be a 1st rounder" hype like 2 posts up, but just in comparing him to Gawdin (4th) and Lajoie (5th) I'd say he's at least a 3rd-4th round talent. But I will say this, I think what we're seeing here is moreso a product of Emanuel Viveiros than some potential diamond in the rough superstar. The Broncos look like a really well coached team this year.

 

[HockeyHistorian]

I wish there were some highlights of the guy.

 

[JJTT]

I wish there were some highlights of the guy.

Ivan Hlinka games are on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/user/hokejcz/videos

Never mind, looks like there is only USA-Finland game..

 

[HockeyHistorian]

Ivan Hlinka games are on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/user/hokejcz/videos

Never mind, looks like there is only USA-Finland game..

Thanks. A whole game is actually better than highlights in evaluating a player as we all (should) know.

He seems to have a very slight build at 141 lbs and at 5'10 he isn't too tall either. Hopefully he'll be able to overcome the difficulties that his size poses for him in the future.

 

[Juggernaut27]

I brought ancient Greek up only as pointless trivia I fully agree with you.

I spent like an hour reading up on the history of the word Hippo. It's a pretty interesting one, as words go.

Really interested to see this kid play live this year. He's looking better and better already.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Another really strong preseason game tonight. It's still really early and you can tell there are some gaps in his play that needs work, so I'm not buying into the "Chance to be a 1st rounder" hype like 2 posts up, but just in comparing him to Gawdin (4th) and Lajoie (5th) I'd say he's at least a 3rd-4th round talent. But I will say this, I think what we're seeing here is moreso a product of Emanuel Viveiros than some potential diamond in the rough superstar. The Broncos look like a really well coached team this year.

It's too early to say for sure how high Heponiemi goes in draft.
If he makes Finland's U18 WJC team and plays well in U18 WJC's maybe then he can go somewhere TOP 70-90.

1999 born age group is really good to Finland and next years draft could be even better for Finland than this years draft was.
Heponiemi hasn't got top prospect status like Tolvanen has but that's not mean that Heponiemi won't get drafted.

He'll get his NHL draft pick next June but how high.
Let's wait and see

 

[HockeyHistorian]

I spent like an hour reading up on the history of the word Hippo. It's a pretty interesting one, as words go.

I'm glad if I had any part in your sudden desire to learn more about the word hippo. It warms my heart both as a historian and a teacher.

 

[buchleafs7717]

Looked real good against Lethbridge yesterday

 

[HockeyHistorian]

He now has 15 points (5 + 10) in six preseason games and leads the WHL scoring by four points. Is there anybody who has seen these games and could tell us something about how he gets his points and how good does he look? His production has come entirely out of the blue for me.

 

[Juggernaut27]

He now has 15 points (5 + 10) in six preseason games and leads the WHL scoring by four points. Is there anybody who has seen these games and could tell us something about how he gets his points and how good does he look? His production has come entirely out of the blue for me.

I think YouTube is streaming some of the WHL games. Though they don't have recordings of them which seems odd.

Either way I am going to have to go to a Giants game just to see him live.