C Henri Nikkanen - JYP, FIN JRS (2019, 113th, WPG)

[jalperi]

I think this guy also earns his own thread. Has played now with JYP A-juniors on Finnish U20 Hockey Champion League. Statistics are 11 games 3 goals, 8 assist and +6.
http://www.tilastopalvelu.fi/ih/bet...stsbdistrict=&sstsbstatgroup=22&sstsrsct=2322

Earlier on season he played 24 games on B-juniors with 10 goals and assist.
http://www.tilastopalvelu.fi/ih/bet...sstsbdistrict=&sstsbstatgroup=168&sstsrsct=22

(Oh, the links dont work how i thinked, so where read "kaikki joukkueet"(=all teams) choose JYP and you can find Nikkanen easier)
He is also old Jukurit junior from same class as Mikko Kokkonen and Leevi Aaltonen.

Unfortunately i didnt find any game video from Youtube about him.

Finnprospects profile scouting report:

Nikkanen is an intelligent, smooth skating center who had a major impact on Finland’s first line. He has very good stickhandling skills and created puck possession through smart decisions. He scored a beautiful backhand goal from a sharp angle in the third period, displaying silky smooth hands on that occasion. He was strong defensively. His reading of the play and supporting of teammates were above and beyond a 15-year-old player. Won’t be eligible for the NHL Draft until 2019 but has plenty of potential to be a big-time prospect.

http://finnprospects.com/player/henri-nikkanen/

Eliteprospects profile:
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=395081

Click to read more...

 

[JFA87-66-99]

How does he compare to Leevi Aaltonen? Both 2019 NHL draft eligible.

 

[jalperi]

How does he compare to Leevi Aaltonen? Both 2019 NHL draft eligible.

Nikkanen has played more on A-junior level than Aaltonen, but Aaltonens stats on B-juniors were better and on National Team lightly better. Thought Nikkanen hadnt very good teammates on his B-junior team. Their stats were on this season:

Leevi Aaltonen
KalPa U20(A-junior) League 2 games 0+0=0 0
KalPa U18 (B-junior) Leagues playoffs 4 games 1+2=3
KalPa U18 (B-junior) League 15 games 7+14=21
KalPa U18 (B-junior) Leagues qualification serie 23 games 14+24=38
Finland U17 National Team 6 games 0+0=0
Finland U16 (C-junior) National Team 14 games 3+17=20 +12

Henri Nikkanen
JYP U20 (A-junior) League playoffs 3 games 1+1=2 0
JYP U20 (A-junior) League 13 games 3+8=11 +7
JYP U18 (B-junior) League lower serie 4 games 3+5=8
JYP U18 (B-junior) Leagues qualification serie 30 games 11+16=27
Finland U16 (C-junior) National Team 14 games 9+8=17 +10

I dunno how they look compared to eachother.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

Is he fast? If he's 6'1 at 15 you gotta hope he's not wayy too slow

 

[Noma]

Is he fast? If he's 6'1 at 15 you gotta hope he's not wayy too slow

Not bad skater at all, I'd say his above average in that area.

FinnProspects report here: https://finnprospects.com/player/henri-nikkanen/

 

[jalperi]

Not bad skater at all, I'd say his above average in that area.

FinnProspects report here: https://finnprospects.com/player/henri-nikkanen/

Yeah, its read on the OP. Smooth is only adjective about his skating. I havent found any video about him yet, but you have seen him?

 

[FinPanda]

Small bump and update: 21gp 8+8 so far this season.

Anyone who has watched how he has looked lately? I think those are good numbers.

 

[JJTT]

Small bump and update: 21gp 8+8 so far this season.

Anyone who has watched how he has looked lately? I think those are good numbers.

JYP finally has a good team at A Junior level. Two other centers Mustonen and Stråka are both PPG players so concidering that Nikkanen is playing mostly on the third line, those seem like a pretty good numbers.

Looks like Stråka got a transfer to Peliitat's Mestis team yesterday so Nikkanen should get more icetime now.

 

[FinPanda]

After going pointless in three games in a row he scored a hat trick today against Sport U20.

27gp 11+10 now.

 

[JJTT]

Moving back to Jukurit, great move, wan't going to get any icetime with JYP anyway.

 

[Hammer Slammer]

Henri Nikkanen vs KalPa U20 | Mar 13 2018 - ProspectShifts.com

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

Henri Nikkanen vs KalPa U20 | Mar 13 2018 - ProspectShifts.com

Great, I haven’t been able to find much footage of him. Will watch this.

 

[FinPanda]

Scored his first Liiga goal in his first Liiga game.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I don't know why he doesn't get talked about more. He looks like an obvious first rounder.

 

[FinPanda]

Scored tonight too in the beginning of the game. Over 2 periods left.

He may be underrated.

 

[ookhaab]

Taps in his 2nd goal in his 2nd game.

He is playing as 4th line center.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Scored tonight too in the beginning of the game. Over 2 periods left.

He may be underrated.

He'll be 100% correctly rated when the season is over, be it a 1st rounder or a 3rd rounder.

It would be amazing though if he could rise his stock enough to go in the 1st round.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He'll be 100% correctly rated when the season is over, be it a 1st rounder or a 3rd rounder.

It would be amazing though if he could rise his stock enough to go in the 1st round.

I don't think his stock needs to rise to go in the first round.

 

[NikF]

FYI, Nikkanen was ranked #5 in Europe on the list published by Draftin Europe at the end of last season, and there are usually more than 5 Europeans selected in the 1st round...Of course, we're not an NHL team making the picks, but we've made more than a few good early calls in the past.

 

[Kevin Musto]

For now he's a 1st round lock

 

[Peeps]

He could have been a 1st rounder just with the season he had last year in Jr. A SM-liiga at 16.

At 6'2'' 1/2 and 180 lbs, it's a nice body for a center. Wouldn't be surprise at all also to see him crack the top 31 in june.

 

[jalperi]

Made a shootout goal today, was only one from his team and Jukurit lost 2-3 on shootouts.

 

[tony d]

Sounds like he could be a guy to watch going into this season. Could he become a lottery pick?

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Jukurit should give him more responsibility. He's playing 8:30 per game on the 4th line. On one of the worst teams in Liiga.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Playing left wing on the second line today. Good.