Prospect Info: LAK Draft (66th, 2020) RW Kasper Simontaival, Tappara, FIN JRS

[IceColdOx]

Finnish winger Kasper Simontaival dominated the Finnish Under-20 league this past season. Playing in the Junior-A SM Liiga in the Tappara system he put up 25 goals and 32 assists for 57 points in 48 games. He also scored one goal and six assists for seven points in three playoff games before the season was shut down. Simontaival was named to the league All-Star Team. He also played games in Finland’s men’s leagues. Simontaival got in four SM-Liiga games, but with limited ice time. He also spent time with KooVee in the Mestis, picking up one goal and three assists for four points in six games.

Last season, Simontaival scored nine goals and 18 assists for 27 points in 27 games in the J20 league. He also put up two assists in five SM-Liiga games. Simontaival went out on loan to LeKi in the Mestis, putting up five goals and 14 points in 21 games. Simontaival also represented his country at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, scoring seven points in four games. He also put up four points in four games at the IIHF Under-18 World Championships. In 24 games with Finnish National Under-18 Team, he scored eight goals and 27 points.

Kasper Simontaival Scouting Report: 2020 NHL Draft #79

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[Appleyard]

Absolute steal.

A swing for the fences guy... but if he hits?

 

[Steve Zissou]

I see we drafted 2020 Oscar Moller again.

 

[Telos]

I like a good old-fashioned underdog pick. Will be fun to watch him develop.

 

[kilowatt]

The Kings now have Maatta, Kupari, and Simontaival from Finland.

 

[Martyros]

The Kings now have Maatta, Kupari, and Simontaival from Finland.

Are you forgetting Laine?

 

[kilowatt]

Are you forgetting Laine?

Depends what it would cost. If I’m LA, I’m not trading Byfield, Turcotte, or Vilardi. We have a player very similar to Laine in Kaliyev, too.

 

[AzKing]

McKeen's Hockey raved about him and had him at #34:

The top scorer – by eight points! – among all U18 players in Finland’s junior league,
Simontaival has long been a feature on Finland’s age-based national teams, often as an
underager. For example, in his age 16 season, he played for Finland at both the Hlinka Gretzky
Cup and the WU18 tournaments. He led the club in scoring in the former event and tied for
third in the latter. Those totals mirror his regular season production in that he has been a top
scorer wherever he has played.

His offensive weapons are all high end. Simontaival’s shot, in particular, is close to the elite
level and is in the running for the best shot of any player available in the 2020 draft class. He
has a shot for all occasions and can score with any of a one-timer slapper, wrist shot or on the
backhand. He doesn’t need a lot of space to score, as the shots are all released very quickly and
with great power. Simontaival avoid tunneling in on his shot and does not hesitate to look for
linemates. He is especially sharp as a playmaker from behind the red line. His ability to read
and process the game quickly helps him generate scoring chances for himself and others.
While Simontaival isn’t very big, his frame is stocky and strong, and he does not avoid getting
dirty in the corners when there is a puck to be won. For as much as he is an offensive weapon, his
effort off the puck is commendable and he does his job defensively, to the point that he shouldn’t
have to be protected at the higher levels. The main drawback to Simontaival’s game, more than
his size, is his skating. In fairness, it is much improved from even one year ago, with improved
fitness and durability. His first few steps are fine, but over the long haul his high-end speed will
need to improve to allow him to play his game at the highest level. If he gets there, he has top
six potential and could be a power play weapon of the highest echelon.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm good with the boom/bust here, sounds like Brandon Pirri

 

[rajuabju]

Needs to drink his milk... bulk up and grow... But I'm good with this

 

[SpinninRodIntoArmpit]

Been somewhat following him past three years. His deployment has been odd in Tappara, as he has seen much more U20 league games than players of his caliber usually get in Finland. Would have handily managed Liiga duties all of last season in my opinion. Tappara does have a very deep forward pool, so maybe it was best for his development to play in lower levels with more ice time and a more offensive role, while training with the pros.

It seems that without injuries in the team he'd get roughly 30 Liiga games this season in a middle six role. However since hockey players tend to get injured, he'll likely end up with around 45ish games. Unless he's lights out or injured himself. He was very good and productive in preseason.

Drives the net a lot. Definitely not a perimeter player. Quick hands. Defensive positioning sometimes lacking, however very active backchecker. I think he's a steal in the third round, I remember three seasons back he was considered an early first-rounder by many, before a few injuries.

 

[Peter James Bond III]

Scott Wheeler had him 27th! Ahead of the likes of Ghule...Foerster...Brisson...Wallinder...Braedon Schneider. Crazy.

27. Kasper Simontaival — RW, Tappara, 5-foot-9

Simontaival’s one of the prospects in this draft I’m most comfortable sticking my neck out to defend. After wowing me late last season and into the beginning of his draft year, I started to nitpick Simontaival’s game in the middle section of the season because he didn’t make the jump to Liiga. But he was so dominant down the stretch and into Finland’s Jr. A playoffs that I still think he’s a first-round talent in this class — or at the very least an early second. That isn’t an opinion that’s widely shared, though, and he’s quite likely to fall much further than he should. The risk with Simontaival is that he doesn’t have that extra straight-line gear you’d hope for in a smaller winger. The rest of his skill set is too high-end to ignore, though.
I’m particularly fond of his game along the wall and his low centre of gravity through the base of his stride, both of which help him absorb contact and make plays off the wall to the interior. Watch the way No. 38 in blue fights off stick checks and bumps to escape the wall with control, attack the net, draw pressure and then feed the point ahead of the goal below. Notice, too, the way he fights back to the front of the net (he scored a surprising number of goals on tips and redirects this season for someone who is 5-foot-9):

 

[Buddy The Elf]

 

[HookKing]

The Kings now have Maatta, Kupari, and Simontaival from Finland.

Nousiainen?

 

[HockeyHistorian]

Needs to drink his milk... bulk up and grow... But I'm good with this

He is plenty bulked up already and not likely to grow vertically. Great offensive tools, a great PP player, but a bit on the slow side and not the best defensively. Lack of two-way game and speed has held him back somewhat and explains why hasn't played as much in Liiga as some other prospects.

 

[All The Kings Men]

 

[Fishhead]

McKeen's Hockey raved about him and had him at #34:

His offensive weapons are all high end. Simontaival’s shot, in particular, is close to the elite
level and is in the running for the best shot of any player available in the 2020 draft class. He
has a shot for all occasions and can score with any of a one-timer slapper, wrist shot or on the
backhand. He doesn’t need a lot of space to score, as the shots are all released very quickly and
with great power. Simontaival avoid tunneling in on his shot and does not hesitate to look for
linemates. He is especially sharp as a playmaker from behind the red line. His ability to read
and process the game quickly helps him generate scoring chances for himself and others.
While Simontaival isn’t very big, his frame is stocky and strong, and he does not avoid getting
dirty in the corners when there is a puck to be won. For as much as he is an offensive weapon, his
effort off the puck is commendable and he does his job defensively, to the point that he shouldn’t
have to be protected at the higher levels.

The main drawback to Simontaival’s game, more than his size, is his skating. In fairness, it is much improved from even one year ago, with improved
fitness and durability. His first few steps are fine, but over the long haul his high-end speed will
need to improve to allow him to play his game at the highest level. If he gets there, he has top
six potential and could be a power play weapon of the highest echelon.

Reminds me of some stuff from the 2010 draft.

“His hands and shot are NHL elite already.”

" not a bad skater, but will need to improve. He has improved already in this department and was evidently quicker as the season went on."

"Good edges and tough to knock off the puck"

This is pretty much Tyler Toffoli's scouting report with a different name attached.

 

[riznat]

Reminds me of some stuff from the 2010 draft.

“His hands and shot are NHL elite already.”

" not a bad skater, but will need to improve. He has improved already in this department and was evidently quicker as the season went on."

"Good edges and tough to knock off the puck"

This is pretty much Tyler Toffoli's scouting report with a different name attached.

That waa from 2010? Damn

 

[bland]

Toffoli was much, much sturdier. Simontaival is a longershot to make it, but his attacking speed is really something to behold. Good thing here is that the Kings just ridiculously deep pool is going to allow him plenty of time.

This a is a big swing for a payoff in a few years when fewer quality prospects are coming in.

 

[SufferingSelfCreated]

 

[Fishhead]

Thanks for this.

Kids got a lot of talent. He's obviously above his peers, but what stuck out the most to me is his soft hands. Regardless of the pass it was almost like a magnet going on his stick, he doesn't seem to break stride or even think about it. It reminded me a lot of Kopitar or P. Kane, both of them have that particular skill. Pretty good acceleration too, although I could see the lack of overdrive. He's a bit shifty, but doesn't seem to waste much motion and takes a straight line to the net. Appears to be a good finisher. I don't really see the shooting hype talked about in the McKeen's scouting, but they've seen him more than I have obviously.

Definitely something to work with here.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

fair warning, do NOT have your volume and bass turned up to start that video!

 

[tny760]

Thanks for this.

Kids got a lot of talent. He's obviously above his peers, but what stuck out the most to me is his soft hands. Regardless of the pass it was almost like a magnet going on his stick, he doesn't seem to break stride or even think about it. It reminded me a lot of Kopitar or P. Kane, both of them have that particular skill. Pretty good acceleration too, although I could see the lack of overdrive. He's a bit shifty, but doesn't seem to waste much motion and takes a straight line to the net. Appears to be a good finisher. I don't really see the shooting hype talked about in the McKeen's scouting, but they've seen him more than I have obviously.

Definitely something to work with here.

shout out to that big boy that set him up a couple times too, looked like vanhatalo. sure made him look small though

agreed about the shot though, looks pretty average from that, but that backhand from the hash was real slick. i appreciate the north-south attitude

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Man I love this kid but even in those highlights that league looks like shit

But he does seem to use his teammates really well and has the IQ to go with it which means he'll 'get it' when playing with and against better players so that's a big +++

 

[SufferingSelfCreated]

Thanks for this.

Kids got a lot of talent. He's obviously above his peers, but what stuck out the most to me is his soft hands. Regardless of the pass it was almost like a magnet going on his stick, he doesn't seem to break stride or even think about it. It reminded me a lot of Kopitar or P. Kane, both of them have that particular skill. Pretty good acceleration too, although I could see the lack of overdrive. He's a bit shifty, but doesn't seem to waste much motion and takes a straight line to the net. Appears to be a good finisher. I don't really see the shooting hype talked about in the McKeen's scouting, but they've seen him more than I have obviously.

Definitely something to work with here.

No problem. I just came across the video while scouring the youstubes. And I agree with your breakdown. His skating, hands and IQ stand out. He's definitely a few years away at least, but the skill is there. And he looks to have a natural feel for keeping defenders off balance.