Finnish Top Prospects part II

JJTT

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Jan 18, 2013
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Ville Leskinen is quietly having a great year for Kärpät, has been absolutely dominant for the past few weeks. Looks a lot like Donskoi did few years ago.

After a slow start to the season with only 2+1 in 21 games, he has scored 14+12=26 in 28 games and 8+5 in the last 11 games with very little PP time.

Don't think he will get a NHL contract after this year but could be name to watch for the 2018.

Scored this today:

 
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FrodoBeggins

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Jun 26, 2016
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Minnesota three years ago drafted Kaapo Kahkonen. It seems to be developing well. 92.2%. Not bad, if you play for the outsider team. What are his prospects? Will he be able to replace Dubnik in the future as a main goalkeeper?
 

JJTT

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Minnesota three years ago drafted Kaapo Kahkonen. It seems to be developing well. 92.2%. Not bad, if you play for the outsider team. What are his prospects? Will he be able to replace Dubnik in the future as a main goalkeeper?

Kähkönen will probably stay in Finland for one more year and hopefully have a better team in front of him next season. He has been developing well this season and has been a starter for his team for last month or two.

His team was the worst team in the league until they fired their head coach in late November. Kähkönen has 11W/5OTL/5L since then and is one of the biggest reasons why the team is now fighting for a playoff spot instead of being on the last place.

He still needs to play at least a full season as a starter in Finland and probably a year or two in AHL. Dubnyk's contract ends in 2021 so if everything goes right Kähkönen will be ready by then.
 

JJTT

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Pohjola Camp All Stars for 02 age group

G Niko Lappi, JYP 170/74, Left
D Christoffer Sedoff, HIFK 180/72 Left (MVP)
D Nikolas Ketonen, TPS, 180/73, Left
F Roni Hirvonen, Blues, 172/62, Left
F Eetu Liukas, TPS, 180/72, Left
F Oliver Suni, Kärpät 183/80, Right

Full 44 player roster for next year's U16 team(Simontaival missed the camp with injury and was not chosen because of that.)

http://www.leijonat.fi/maajoukkueet...den-poikien-maajoukkue-ehdokkaiden-lista.html

You can search stats for these players here:

http://www.leijonat.fi/pelaajat.html
 

Narow

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Nov 11, 2016
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What type of injury on simontaival? He has been putting up some crazy numbers hope its nothing serious
 

ChicagoBullsFan

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Jun 6, 2015
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What type of injury on simontaival? He has been putting up some crazy numbers hope its nothing serious

Mentioned on jatkoaika.com discussion board Simontaival has lower body injury.
That's why he couldn't participate 2017 Pohjola Camp.
 
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LoveHateLeafs

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Jul 7, 2009
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Full 44 player roster for next year's U16 team(Simontaival missed the camp with injury and was not chosen because of that.)

http://www.leijonat.fi/maajoukkueet...den-poikien-maajoukkue-ehdokkaiden-lista.html

Going through the players on that list, there doesn't seem to be anyone on there who truly stood out at the highest levels of u16 play.

Roni Hirvonen had 1.25 pts/game in the C-nuorten SM-sarja
Oliver Suni 1.38 pts/game in a small sample of only 8 games.
His teammate Aatu Räty had 1.63 pts/game in 16 games.

None of these are really eye-popping numbers at this level, at least for forwards, so is it fair to say that as of now Simontaival is the only really elite forward prospect in this birth year?

Also, has anyone seen the two D-men Sedoff and/or Ketonen? How about Karpat D-man Kasper Puutio, who had a higher points per game than either Sedoff and Ketonen in league play?
 

Tormentor

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Dec 27, 2007
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None of these are really eye-popping numbers at this level, at least for forwards, so is it fair to say that as of now Simontaival is the only really elite forward prospect in this birth year?

Luckily eye-popping numbers in C-SM aren't a requirement for a NHL career. We know that for example Teuvo Teräväinen and Mikko Rantanen "only" scored a point per game in C-SM as U15 players.

I'm thinking Aatu Räty could perhaps develop into a Erik Haula type of player, but we might have to wait a little longer for him to truly impress since he's a November birthdate (=10months younger than Simontaival).

As far as Simontaival goes, he's certainly an elite player in this age group right now, but does that automatically make him an elite prospect? I mean most of these small starlet wingers never really pan out. It's worth noting that Artturi Lehkonen is our only sub-6-feet guy in the NHL right now who's a pure winger.

Also, has anyone seen the two D-men Sedoff and/or Ketonen? How about Karpat D-man Kasper Puutio, who had a higher points per game than either Sedoff and Ketonen in league play?

Christoffer Sedoff has the frame, athletic ability, skating, skill and smarts to become a very good defenseman. Hopefully he stays healthy and has the desire and work ethic required to reach the top.

Ruben Rafkin seems like a rather intriguing prospect as well and he has some nice tools, but some aspects of his game were a slight disappointment at Pohjola camp. Turned the puck over a few too many times and at times looked a bit lost in the defensive zone.
 

wings5

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Jan 6, 2008
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Ruben Rafkin seems like a rather intriguing prospect as well and he has some nice tools, but some aspects of his game were a slight disappointment at Pohjola camp. Turned the puck over a few too many times and at times looked a bit lost in the defensive zone.

What is the point of Rafkin playing USPHL hockey at his age? Whats wrong with playing in Finland?
 

LoveHateLeafs

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Jul 7, 2009
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Luckily eye-popping numbers in C-SM aren't a requirement for a NHL career.
Nor are they a guarantee of anything in the future. I'm sure not a lot of people around here remember that when Barkov played as a u15 in C-SM(in the 2009-2010 season), he was outscored by another u15 teammate by the name of Jonatan Tanus. All these years later and Tanus has yet to even establish himself in the Liiga while Barkov thrives in the NHL.
 

Eyelanders

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Jan 9, 2011
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Also, has anyone seen the two D-men Sedoff and/or Ketonen? How about Karpat D-man Kasper Puutio, who had a higher points per game than either Sedoff and Ketonen in league play?

From what I saw in the U16 league this season, I think Sedoff is more promising than Puutio. Sedoff doesn't seem to have any glaring weaknesses in his game. Very good mobility, excellent passer, sees the ice really well and plays a solid defensive game. Puutio is a promising defenceman as well, but I haven't seen similar offensive potential from him, therefore I would consider Sedoff the more promising prospect of the two. Puutio is very solid defensively, however.
 

kelsier

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Aug 17, 2013
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Finland's Ivan Hlinka roster is out:

http://leijonat.fi/maajoukkueet/u18...nkan-muistoturnaukseen-talla-joukkueella.html

What do people think of the omission of Aaltonen and Nikkanen in favour of older, lower-scoring players?

Don't like it. The country should be past the "meidän peli" system where all players are treated equally and the more talented ones suffer. Of course if the coaching staff believes that the older players have more current ability than the two mentioned, then I would understand the decision.
 

DoingItCoolKiwi

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May 23, 2017
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JJTT

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Jan 18, 2013
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Wiljami Myllylä(01-born) is playing Hermes's second line on their practice game vs IPK. Scored a goal in the first period and has an assist in the 2nd period.

Had a tough last season but he still has lots of potential.
 

BronxBruin

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Feb 27, 2002
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Any word on the injury Urho Vaakanainen suffered during the World Junior Summer Showcase? I haven't heard anything about what it was or the severity other than him missing the last game of that series.
 

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