1. RW - Joel Armia (Ässät), 31-MAY-93, 6’4’’ / 192 lbs, R
Has the tools of a goal scorer in a big frame; composure, very good hands, an accurate and hard wrist shot with a good release. And what’s even more important; he loves shooting and has no problem going to the net. Creates some scoring chances with his ability to challenge defensemen in one-on-one situations, but becomes more effective when lined up with a good playmaker. He’s well aware of his surroundings and knows how to set up plays as well, but by nature he’s more of a goal scorer. Not an elite two-way player, but knows what is required from him and fulfils his defensive duties. There are times when he’s not the most visible player on the ice, but he’s a big threat in the offensive zone. Already a good player among men and will likely just get better once he gains more experience and adds some muscle to that somewhat scrawny frame. Has definite NHL potential - he’s talented, determined, focused and confident. Projection: 1st round.
2. GK - Christopher Gibson (Chicoutimi Sagueneens), 27-DEC-92, 6'0.5" / 193 lbs, L
An athletic goalie with good technique and quickness. He’s balanced, his moves are controlled and he has an excellent net coverage. He moves really well on his skates and has a strong command of his crease. He fights to get a good view of the game, reads the play quite nicely and has a pretty good rebound control. It’s hard not to like what he brings to the table, he’s a big time competitor and on a good night a true difference maker, a star of the game. He needs to improve his lateral movement from post to post. His below average performance during the key events of the season might have left some room for speculation, i.e. the play-offs, U20 national team games in August and the CHL top prospect game. His reoccurring knee injury could in someway affect his valuation as well. Goalies are hard to predict, but Gibson has many qualities which should help him make the transition to pro level. Projection: 2nd or 3rd round.
3. GK – Samu Perhonen (JYP), 07-MAR-93, 6’4’’ / 172 lbs, L
A huge butterfly goalie with good athletic ability, flexibility and technical prowess, it's rare to see such a big goalie showing so much promise at such an early age. He’s composed, confident and plays with a wide stance that covers the lower corners really well. Often goes down quite early and has bit of a tendency to stay there for too long. He needs to improve his stick work and handling of the puck. He’s a Jr.A champion from this season, so he can definitely be a winning goalie behind a strong team defence, but as the WU18C’s showed, he’s still fairly green and inexperienced so he needs to get more tough games under his belt. A lot of work is required, but he doesn’t have any alarming flaws in his game. He has a very nice foundation for future development, so one might say that he has plenty of potential and could very well develop into a NHL goalie someday. Projection: 3rd or 4th round.
4. C/W - Miikka Salomäki (Kärpät), 09-MAR-93, 5’11’’ / 194 lbs, L
A hard working smallish power forward with a tremendous drive and desire. Reliable and a steady performer, tough, extremely competitive and has a good physical presence on the ice. Strong on his skates, has a good balance and knows how to protect the puck. Shows willingness to engage in puck battles and isn’t afraid of going full throttle to the net. Can play all forward positions and is reliable defensively. His skating speed has improved by leaps and bounds during the last year, but he’s still slightly heavy footed, which could impose a problem going forward, since his potential NHL role is seen first and foremost as an energetic checking line forward. He needs to work on his shot in order to become a better scoring threat. Spent the season playing 3rd/4th line minutes and it really didn’t help develop his offensive game that much. He’s a strong player for his age, so you probably won’t see too much improvement in that sector. Projection: 3rd, 4th or 5th round.
5. D – Jyrki Jokipakka (Ilves), 20-AUG-91, 6’3’’ / 192lbs, L
A mobile, big, rangy defenseman with a good sense for the game. A true late bloomer, two years ago as a first time draft eligible player he was still playing in a U18 league and no one probably paid much attention to him. Has grown since then and moved up a level per year, ending to SM-liiga this season. He has good awareness and plays a solid positional game. Moves the puck pretty well under pressure and is a pretty good puck rusher. He’s active, disciplined and able of playing big minutes. Uses his stick well in defensive situations, but isn’t very physical which could be a turn off for some NHL teams. His play during WJC’s showed that he can contribute offensively if given the chance, so if his development continues, he might turnout to be a viable two-way defenseman. As of now he’s a decent PP quarterback, but his shot isn’t anything special and it often takes too long to get it off. Projection: 4th, 5th or 6th round.
6. CE - Markus Granlund (HIFK), 16-APR-93, 5’10’’ / 170 lbs, L
A smallish playmaking centre forward, younger brother of Minnesota’s first rounder from last year; Mikael Granlund. Has very good offensive instincts and creativity, an able passer and at his best on power play where he can play the point as well. Calm and skilled with the puck, has a pretty nice wrister. Not very shifty, explosive or dynamic, as a smallish player he should be a better skater. He needs to get faster and stronger, so that he can open more ice for himself and succeed better in puck battles. Overall his physical game is poor, he likes to stay inside his comfort zone and on most nights he doesn’t look like a full blooded hockey player, could definitely have a higher competitive drive. He has plenty of offensive potential and his future in hockey depends largely on how much he’ll be able to improve his weaknesses. Nevertheless he’s still years away from reaching his prime. Projection: 4th, 5th or 6th round.
7. CE - Alexander Ruuttu (Jokerit), 09-DEC-92, 6’1’’ / 183lbs, R
A competitive and smart centre forward with good wheels, strong in the face-off circle and can be used in all situations. Son of a former NHL’er Christian Ruuttu and was actually born in Chicago while his dad played for the Blackhawks. He plays a fairly straightforward game and is a pretty good checker, his style of play should be fitting for North American rinks. He’s fairly aggressive, doesn’t hold back and plays with a slight edge. He has a nose for the net and a decent shot, so he can provide secondary scoring. He has grown a lot during the last two years. Getting bigger and stronger has helped his game, and improved his confidence and courage on the ice. He’s still a pretty scrawny kid and it’s going to take some time for him to grow into his body. He’s still very much a project and needs improvement in all areas of the game, but there’s enough potential to warrant a draft pick IMO. Projection: 5th, 6th or 7th round.
8. RW- Sami Salminen (HIFK), 12-APR-93, 6’5’’ / 203 lbs, R
A huge forward with a nice set of hands and fairly good offensive instincts. He’s not very physical, but it’s not easy to tail him when he uses his reach advance together with his puck skills. Good around the net and has a good scoring touch, but needs to improve his shot from further away. He’s still growing into his body and having slight problems with coordination. Technically his skating is pretty good, but he needs more speed, continuity and reaction quickness to his movement. He could have better anticipation of how the play develops, because this alongside with his lacking mobility means that he’s quite often left behind the play and therefore unable to contribute fully, both offensively and defensively. Needs more confidence. A boom or bust type of prospect, I think some team will try to hit a home run with a late round pick and drafts him. It’s unlikely that he ever makes it, but if he does, the reward could be grand. Projection: 5th, 6th or 7th round.
9. D – Samuli Piipponen (Saipa), 13-FEB-93, 6’3’’ / 180 lbs, L
A big all-around defenseman. His game is far from polished, but that’s understandable given his extensive injury history. He could be a surprise, if he manages to stay healthy for a change and work on his game. There’s plenty of untapped potential and under the right coaching he could develop into a fine player. He’s a hard working player who wants to make a difference on the ice. Played over 25 minutes a game for the last placed team in Jr.A and carried a lot on his shoulders, exhibited leadership and contributed in all areas of the game. Moves pretty well and has adequate puck skills. Has a good physical presence and balance, does well in puck battles. His lack of exposure (played only 21 games during the regular season) and the fact that he’s so raw means that it’s fairly unlikely that he gets drafted, but IMO he’s worth keeping an eye on. He’s the only 93-born Finnish defenseman that I really like. Projection: Possible late round pick.
Honorable mention:
-. RW/LW - Mika Partanen (Mississauga St.Michael's Majors), 18-OCT-92, 6’2’’ / 200 lbs, L
A big winger with pretty good wheels, has good acceleration and straight line speed. Knows how to shield the puck and has pretty good puck handling skills. Has good size and strength, but doesn’t use them as an asset as much as he should. Was unable to acquire a top-6 role in one of the top teams in CHL and didn’t really shine enough in other roles.
-. D – Henri Auvinen (JYP), 21-FEB-93, 6’1’’ / 185 lbs, L
Not a very strong skater, has some tendency of trying to play the physical game, but doesn’t really have the means to do so yet. Knows how to give a decent first pass, but doesn’t show much creativity offensively. Fairly reliable defensively and has solid positioning. Apparently he has received some attention form scouts, but personally I don’t see what the fuss is about. Maybe I’ve been watching the wrong games.
-. CE – Joel Mustonen (Skellefteå), 18-SEP-92, 5’10’’ / 170 lbs, L
An energetic forward with good skating ability. Has a pretty good skill set, wants to be involved with the game and plays for the team. Has suffered form back injuries during the last few seasons and it has affected his development. He’s an interesting prospect, but based on what I’ve seen I’m not sure if he’s a NHL prospect.
-. GK – Timo Niemi (HIFK), 16-SEP-92, 6’1’’ / 185 lbs, L
One of those Finnish goalies that don’t receive much attention behind the more hyped ones. Forced the U18 national team goalie Richard Ullberg to change team, because of his good play. Played his first national team games with the U19 team just two weeks ago. It’s worth keeping an eye on how he develops from now on.
Has the tools of a goal scorer in a big frame; composure, very good hands, an accurate and hard wrist shot with a good release. And what’s even more important; he loves shooting and has no problem going to the net. Creates some scoring chances with his ability to challenge defensemen in one-on-one situations, but becomes more effective when lined up with a good playmaker. He’s well aware of his surroundings and knows how to set up plays as well, but by nature he’s more of a goal scorer. Not an elite two-way player, but knows what is required from him and fulfils his defensive duties. There are times when he’s not the most visible player on the ice, but he’s a big threat in the offensive zone. Already a good player among men and will likely just get better once he gains more experience and adds some muscle to that somewhat scrawny frame. Has definite NHL potential - he’s talented, determined, focused and confident. Projection: 1st round.
2. GK - Christopher Gibson (Chicoutimi Sagueneens), 27-DEC-92, 6'0.5" / 193 lbs, L
An athletic goalie with good technique and quickness. He’s balanced, his moves are controlled and he has an excellent net coverage. He moves really well on his skates and has a strong command of his crease. He fights to get a good view of the game, reads the play quite nicely and has a pretty good rebound control. It’s hard not to like what he brings to the table, he’s a big time competitor and on a good night a true difference maker, a star of the game. He needs to improve his lateral movement from post to post. His below average performance during the key events of the season might have left some room for speculation, i.e. the play-offs, U20 national team games in August and the CHL top prospect game. His reoccurring knee injury could in someway affect his valuation as well. Goalies are hard to predict, but Gibson has many qualities which should help him make the transition to pro level. Projection: 2nd or 3rd round.
3. GK – Samu Perhonen (JYP), 07-MAR-93, 6’4’’ / 172 lbs, L
A huge butterfly goalie with good athletic ability, flexibility and technical prowess, it's rare to see such a big goalie showing so much promise at such an early age. He’s composed, confident and plays with a wide stance that covers the lower corners really well. Often goes down quite early and has bit of a tendency to stay there for too long. He needs to improve his stick work and handling of the puck. He’s a Jr.A champion from this season, so he can definitely be a winning goalie behind a strong team defence, but as the WU18C’s showed, he’s still fairly green and inexperienced so he needs to get more tough games under his belt. A lot of work is required, but he doesn’t have any alarming flaws in his game. He has a very nice foundation for future development, so one might say that he has plenty of potential and could very well develop into a NHL goalie someday. Projection: 3rd or 4th round.
4. C/W - Miikka Salomäki (Kärpät), 09-MAR-93, 5’11’’ / 194 lbs, L
A hard working smallish power forward with a tremendous drive and desire. Reliable and a steady performer, tough, extremely competitive and has a good physical presence on the ice. Strong on his skates, has a good balance and knows how to protect the puck. Shows willingness to engage in puck battles and isn’t afraid of going full throttle to the net. Can play all forward positions and is reliable defensively. His skating speed has improved by leaps and bounds during the last year, but he’s still slightly heavy footed, which could impose a problem going forward, since his potential NHL role is seen first and foremost as an energetic checking line forward. He needs to work on his shot in order to become a better scoring threat. Spent the season playing 3rd/4th line minutes and it really didn’t help develop his offensive game that much. He’s a strong player for his age, so you probably won’t see too much improvement in that sector. Projection: 3rd, 4th or 5th round.
5. D – Jyrki Jokipakka (Ilves), 20-AUG-91, 6’3’’ / 192lbs, L
A mobile, big, rangy defenseman with a good sense for the game. A true late bloomer, two years ago as a first time draft eligible player he was still playing in a U18 league and no one probably paid much attention to him. Has grown since then and moved up a level per year, ending to SM-liiga this season. He has good awareness and plays a solid positional game. Moves the puck pretty well under pressure and is a pretty good puck rusher. He’s active, disciplined and able of playing big minutes. Uses his stick well in defensive situations, but isn’t very physical which could be a turn off for some NHL teams. His play during WJC’s showed that he can contribute offensively if given the chance, so if his development continues, he might turnout to be a viable two-way defenseman. As of now he’s a decent PP quarterback, but his shot isn’t anything special and it often takes too long to get it off. Projection: 4th, 5th or 6th round.
6. CE - Markus Granlund (HIFK), 16-APR-93, 5’10’’ / 170 lbs, L
A smallish playmaking centre forward, younger brother of Minnesota’s first rounder from last year; Mikael Granlund. Has very good offensive instincts and creativity, an able passer and at his best on power play where he can play the point as well. Calm and skilled with the puck, has a pretty nice wrister. Not very shifty, explosive or dynamic, as a smallish player he should be a better skater. He needs to get faster and stronger, so that he can open more ice for himself and succeed better in puck battles. Overall his physical game is poor, he likes to stay inside his comfort zone and on most nights he doesn’t look like a full blooded hockey player, could definitely have a higher competitive drive. He has plenty of offensive potential and his future in hockey depends largely on how much he’ll be able to improve his weaknesses. Nevertheless he’s still years away from reaching his prime. Projection: 4th, 5th or 6th round.
7. CE - Alexander Ruuttu (Jokerit), 09-DEC-92, 6’1’’ / 183lbs, R
A competitive and smart centre forward with good wheels, strong in the face-off circle and can be used in all situations. Son of a former NHL’er Christian Ruuttu and was actually born in Chicago while his dad played for the Blackhawks. He plays a fairly straightforward game and is a pretty good checker, his style of play should be fitting for North American rinks. He’s fairly aggressive, doesn’t hold back and plays with a slight edge. He has a nose for the net and a decent shot, so he can provide secondary scoring. He has grown a lot during the last two years. Getting bigger and stronger has helped his game, and improved his confidence and courage on the ice. He’s still a pretty scrawny kid and it’s going to take some time for him to grow into his body. He’s still very much a project and needs improvement in all areas of the game, but there’s enough potential to warrant a draft pick IMO. Projection: 5th, 6th or 7th round.
8. RW- Sami Salminen (HIFK), 12-APR-93, 6’5’’ / 203 lbs, R
A huge forward with a nice set of hands and fairly good offensive instincts. He’s not very physical, but it’s not easy to tail him when he uses his reach advance together with his puck skills. Good around the net and has a good scoring touch, but needs to improve his shot from further away. He’s still growing into his body and having slight problems with coordination. Technically his skating is pretty good, but he needs more speed, continuity and reaction quickness to his movement. He could have better anticipation of how the play develops, because this alongside with his lacking mobility means that he’s quite often left behind the play and therefore unable to contribute fully, both offensively and defensively. Needs more confidence. A boom or bust type of prospect, I think some team will try to hit a home run with a late round pick and drafts him. It’s unlikely that he ever makes it, but if he does, the reward could be grand. Projection: 5th, 6th or 7th round.
9. D – Samuli Piipponen (Saipa), 13-FEB-93, 6’3’’ / 180 lbs, L
A big all-around defenseman. His game is far from polished, but that’s understandable given his extensive injury history. He could be a surprise, if he manages to stay healthy for a change and work on his game. There’s plenty of untapped potential and under the right coaching he could develop into a fine player. He’s a hard working player who wants to make a difference on the ice. Played over 25 minutes a game for the last placed team in Jr.A and carried a lot on his shoulders, exhibited leadership and contributed in all areas of the game. Moves pretty well and has adequate puck skills. Has a good physical presence and balance, does well in puck battles. His lack of exposure (played only 21 games during the regular season) and the fact that he’s so raw means that it’s fairly unlikely that he gets drafted, but IMO he’s worth keeping an eye on. He’s the only 93-born Finnish defenseman that I really like. Projection: Possible late round pick.
Honorable mention:
-. RW/LW - Mika Partanen (Mississauga St.Michael's Majors), 18-OCT-92, 6’2’’ / 200 lbs, L
A big winger with pretty good wheels, has good acceleration and straight line speed. Knows how to shield the puck and has pretty good puck handling skills. Has good size and strength, but doesn’t use them as an asset as much as he should. Was unable to acquire a top-6 role in one of the top teams in CHL and didn’t really shine enough in other roles.
-. D – Henri Auvinen (JYP), 21-FEB-93, 6’1’’ / 185 lbs, L
Not a very strong skater, has some tendency of trying to play the physical game, but doesn’t really have the means to do so yet. Knows how to give a decent first pass, but doesn’t show much creativity offensively. Fairly reliable defensively and has solid positioning. Apparently he has received some attention form scouts, but personally I don’t see what the fuss is about. Maybe I’ve been watching the wrong games.
-. CE – Joel Mustonen (Skellefteå), 18-SEP-92, 5’10’’ / 170 lbs, L
An energetic forward with good skating ability. Has a pretty good skill set, wants to be involved with the game and plays for the team. Has suffered form back injuries during the last few seasons and it has affected his development. He’s an interesting prospect, but based on what I’ve seen I’m not sure if he’s a NHL prospect.
-. GK – Timo Niemi (HIFK), 16-SEP-92, 6’1’’ / 185 lbs, L
One of those Finnish goalies that don’t receive much attention behind the more hyped ones. Forced the U18 national team goalie Richard Ullberg to change team, because of his good play. Played his first national team games with the U19 team just two weeks ago. It’s worth keeping an eye on how he develops from now on.
