Finnish Top Prospects part II

plaaplaa72

Registered User
Jul 29, 2011
739
11
Helsinki
Been a bit out of the loop on our top upcoming players, so who are the top prospects we have upcoming in the next couple drafts?
 

jalperi

Registered User
Feb 17, 2016
322
64
Been a bit out of the loop on our top upcoming players, so who are the top prospects we have upcoming in the next couple drafts?

Shows something like that on this moment:
2017:Eeli Tolvanen LW, Juuso Välimäki D, Miro Heiskanen D, Urho Vaakanainen D, Kristian Vesalainen RW, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen G, Robin Salo D
2018: Jesperi Kotkaniemi C/W, Niklas Nordgren RW, Toni Utunen D, Santeri Salmela D (Kotkaniemi will be maybe go on late round 1, others are not so top talents.
2019: Leevi Aaltonen LW, Mikko Kokkonen D, Henri Nikkanen C, Iivari Räsänen D. (Jukurit is youth team of three of them.)
2020: Veeti Miettinen W(-01 born), Kasperi Simontaival LW, Ruben Rafkin D, Roni Hirvonen C, Christian Sedoff D

Edit:
And you should check your facts. Aatu Räty won't be even eligible for this draft because of late birthday.
Thanks for correction.
 
Last edited:

Eyelanders

Registered User
Jan 9, 2011
422
4
Shows something like that on this moment:
2020: Veeti Miettinen W(-01 born), Kasperi Simontaival LW, Ruben Rafkin D, Roni Hirvonen C, Christian Sedoff D, C Aatu Räty

Center Anton Lundell and defenseman Kasper Puutio should be on the list in my opinion. Especially if you have Miettinen, who's a really good skater with a pretty good shot, but otherwise he might not be that special. And you should check your facts. Aatu Räty won't be even eligible for this draft because of late birthday.
 

JJTT

Registered User
Jan 18, 2013
7,707
1,212
Oulu
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/sportsnets-2017-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings-january/

Vesalainen drops to 17th place in sportsnet rankings, Tolvanen still 4th.

I predicted Vesalainen to 2nd round, Tolvanen top 10 at the time of WJC Latvia games. At least BB88 disagreed and said Vesalainen is better than Tolvanen, but looks I'm once again seen the games the right way.

Don't really know what to think about Vesalainen anymore. Other than the U17 WHC last year, he hasn't shown any elite offensive ability at all. His skating seems to be pretty average too. I think he still goes in the late 1st round at least, mostly due his size and defensive game.

Btw, does anybody have any info on big RHD Otto Latvala? Been a regular with the U18 national team this year and has put up some solid numbers(16 points in 34 games +8) for HPK in A-juniors. Is he going to get drafted in the top 3 rounds?
 
Last edited:

wings5

Registered User
Jan 6, 2008
7,443
931
The problem is defense. Sweden isn't special when it comes to offense and we already have Laine, Barkov and Puljujärvi - top tier forwards (assuming that Pulju will live up to the hype).

Sweden is just on another level defensively, I don't know why many have claimed that Finland is going to surpass Sweden in skill. The only really good defenseman we have is Ristolainen, that's about it. Have to see what comes of Juolevi.

Sweden also plays a different game that translates well to all levels, first even if their lesser skilled forwards are usually at least good skaters if not great, and on the national level every one of them can handle the puck somewhat. You can see the Bandy influence in their game in terms of puck movement and skating contantly moving their feet, its why they produce talented defenceman. Finland teams is seems is inconsistant when it comes to having fast skating players. If they do they are usually midgets. They do work hard though and can play physical and have puck skills which allows them to compete with the top teams usually. When they have large forwards who can skate and have skills, along with solid puck moving two way D, you get the end result of gold medal competitors like last years WJC team.
 

Quethas

Registered User
Jan 19, 2010
279
52
Tampere
Btw, does anybody have any info on big RHD Otto Latvala? Been a regular with the U18 national team this year and has put up some solid numbers(16 points in 34 games +8) for HPK in A-juniors. Is he going to get drafted in the top 3 rounds?
Doubt it but I think he will be picked at some point. He is still very raw but there is a lot to like in his size, grit and defensive game. He has pretty heavy slapshot too. From the recent Finnish prospects, I think Niko Mikkola is pretty similar type of player.

Marco Bombino wrote pretty good article about him in October: http://finnprospects.com/2016/10/14/why-nhl-teams-should-take-notice-of-defenseman-otto-latvala/
 

BL92

Double Gold
May 22, 2016
2,096
1,201
Finland
Don't really know what to think about Vesalainen anymore. Other than the U17 WHC last year, he hasn't shown any elite offensive ability at all. His skating seems to be pretty average too. I think he still goes in the late 1st round at least, mostly due his size and defensive game.

Btw, does anybody have any info on big RHD Otto Latvala? Been a regular with the U18 national team this year and has put up some solid numbers(16 points in 34 games +8) for HPK in A-juniors. Is he going to get drafted in the top 3 rounds?
Yeah, I was wondering why he was thought as a top prospect. The guy has tanked.
 

BL92

Double Gold
May 22, 2016
2,096
1,201
Finland
Sweden also plays a different game that translates well to all levels, first even if their lesser skilled forwards are usually at least good skaters if not great, and on the national level every one of them can handle the puck somewhat. You can see the Bandy influence in their game in terms of puck movement and skating contantly moving their feet, its why they produce talented defenceman. Finland teams is seems is inconsistant when it comes to having fast skating players. If they do they are usually midgets. They do work hard though and can play physical and have puck skills which allows them to compete with the top teams usually. When they have large forwards who can skate and have skills, along with solid puck moving two way D, you get the end result of gold medal competitors like last years WJC team.
Even if Finland has size, we don't put it to use. We are notoriously less physical, than the other countries.
 

wings5

Registered User
Jan 6, 2008
7,443
931
Even if Finland has size, we don't put it to use. We are notoriously less physical, than the other countries.

Finland was always noted for playing a physical North American brand of hockey. Over the last few years other European countries have adapted to the physical play however and it is now more universal, that's all.
 

Hammer Slammer

Registered User
Mar 26, 2010
12,716
1,210
Winnipeg
Hi guys!

I am wondering if anyone can help me find Junior A/A Nuoret (Nuorten?) game video. Last year there was a good amount of video on LiveArena, but this year it is terrible. I can only see B and C or AAA leagues. Are the games on a different website now or are less games recorded?

Thank you so much!

I am looking for video of guys like Ylönen, Pajuniemi, Kotkaniemi, Korhonen, Seppälä... but cannot find anything.
 

Quethas

Registered User
Jan 19, 2010
279
52
Tampere
Hi guys!

I am wondering if anyone can help me find Junior A/A Nuoret (Nuorten?) game video. Last year there was a good amount of video on LiveArena, but this year it is terrible. I can only see B and C or AAA leagues. Are the games on a different website now or are less games recorded?

Thank you so much!

I am looking for video of guys like Ylönen, Pajuniemi, Kotkaniemi, Korhonen, Seppälä... but cannot find anything.
This was changed bit over month ago or so. Finnish ice Hockey Assiociation made a deal with Fanseat and they will show Nuorten SM-liiga from now on. Fanseat.com also show Finnish Mestis (second highest level of hockey) but if you want to focus on U20 games, go to the http://go.fanseat.com/. There you will find upcoming games and also some recordings.

The selection is not really broad at the moment since Nuorten SM-liiga was on hold during the World Juniors but the selection should improve as the season progresses and more and more teams joins to service. Compared to LiveArena, at least Ilves and Tappara are added to the list of teams which does the broadcasting. It does come with the price (1 month trial, then 7.99 €/month) but that's not too much.
 

Hammer Slammer

Registered User
Mar 26, 2010
12,716
1,210
Winnipeg
This was changed bit over month ago or so. Finnish ice Hockey Assiociation made a deal with Fanseat and they will show Nuorten SM-liiga from now on. Fanseat.com also show Finnish Mestis (second highest level of hockey) but if you want to focus on U20 games, go to the http://go.fanseat.com/. There you will find upcoming games and also some recordings.

The selection is not really broad at the moment since Nuorten SM-liiga was on hold during the World Juniors but the selection should improve as the season progresses and more and more teams joins to service. Compared to LiveArena, at least Ilves and Tappara are added to the list of teams which does the broadcasting. It does come with the price (1 month trial, then 7.99 €/month) but that's not too much.

Oh fantastic, I do actually have a Fanseat subscription for Mestis already so that is great news. Thank you Quethas!
 

LoveHateLeafs

Registered User
Jul 7, 2009
690
327
After a five-point outburst today, 2001-born C Henri Nikkanen has 9 points in 7 games with JYP's u20 team. Can anyone give a scouting report on the kid?
 

BL92

Double Gold
May 22, 2016
2,096
1,201
Finland
Seriously, can we get like a couple of good C's in the future? Otherwise it'll just be Barkov.

Maybe we could exchange a couple of our wingers. Seems like that's what we're primarily getting :D.
 

Vohaul

Registered User
Jan 24, 2017
427
65
Seriously, can we get like a couple of good C's in the future? Otherwise it'll just be Barkov.

Maybe we could exchange a couple of our wingers. Seems like that's what we're primarily getting :D.

Yes, it does seem quite winger heavy as far as promising Finnish forwards go. Aho could potentially play C.. he did so with good succes in the WJC, not sure how good he would be at taking faceoffs at NHL level for example tho.

There must be some good Centers coming through the system sooner or later.
 

FiLe

Mr. Know-It-Nothing
Oct 9, 2009
6,897
1,260
Barkov-class centres are rare, at least for a country of our size. But we have and will be producing names who might be on the step below, but still perfectly serviceable.

I'm talking guys on the level of Teräväinen, both Granlunds and Saarela. Aho too. And there could be late bloomers.

If there's an issue, it could be that in an ideal team, some if not most of these names would play wing. But to slot them on wings in favor of worse centres is the worse option than making 'em play C if we can still fill the wings with quality names.
 

BL92

Double Gold
May 22, 2016
2,096
1,201
Finland
Barkov-class centres are rare, at least for a country of our size. But we have and will be producing names who might be on the step below, but still perfectly serviceable.

I'm talking guys on the level of Teräväinen, both Granlunds and Saarela. Aho too. And there could be late bloomers.

If there's an issue, it could be that in an ideal team, some if not most of these names would play wing. But to slot them on wings in favor of worse centres is the worse option than making 'em play C if we can still fill the wings with quality names.
Good point. Luckily Finland still has Koivu.
 

jalperi

Registered User
Feb 17, 2016
322
64
On this moment I put my hope to Kotkaniemi, Nikkanen and Lundell
 
Last edited:

FiLe

Mr. Know-It-Nothing
Oct 9, 2009
6,897
1,260
Will be needed if NHL players get to go to the Olympics.
Which is exactly a year away. None of the current household names will be too young or too old by then.

And even if you're worried about some being, this isn't exactly the right thread to look for potential replacements. For the names being discussed here, it's definitely too soon.
 

Loffer

Registered User
Sep 22, 2011
3,928
414
The issues are in thick and deep, it is not just a current anomaly of the nature "no apt centers coming outta the ranks at the moment, nothing serious here, relax, just normal variation"... So, what've got here is a characteristic and a flaw of Finnish junior program, maybe even more generally that of general sport culture (or even even that of general Finnish culture!) that there are no real elite centers apart from Sasha coming out of the Finnish ice hockey 'factory'. And tellingly the only one is as much a Russian product as a Finnish one.

What is the problem here? I won't repeat my earlier rants on this issue. Go and reread them in the relevant threads, this prolly included. Sigh.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->