Prospect Info: Leafs' 2019 3rd-round (#84) -- D Mikko Kokkonen -- Liiga Finland 5' 11" /200 lbs

[Drew311]

Can Dubas draft one player over 6' please!!!!

Kid is 200lbs already. I don’t care that he isn’t an inch taller. If the kid fills out to 210lbs he’ll have no problem holding his own in front of the net.

 

[Drew311]

Not for the NHL.

6'1" is the average height in the NHL.

That will change in the next 3 - 5 years.

 

[Eye Test]

This looks like a great pick. More points than Heiskanen in his draft year in Same league. Great value.

Can you link or show some stats please that’s amazing

 

[MyBudJT]

Reminds me of the Liljegren pick in that he was highly regarded the last couple years but seemed to really fall during the draft season.

 

[MyBudJT]

Can you link or show some stats please that’s amazing

 

[Eye Test]

View attachment 239627

Ignoring all the old names on the list that’s very impressive company. Eye test confirmed.

 

[MyBudJT]

Ignoring all the old names on the list that’s very impressive company. Eye test confirmed.

What is even more impressive about the offensive production was Jukurit was the 2nd worst team in the league, with the 2nd worst offensive output.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

View attachment 239627

Not sure why it keeps listing Kokkonen as having the most U18 points by a Dman in Liiga history when that graphic clearly shows otherwise.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

What I like about what he said is that he thinks he only needs one year in the Liiga before coming over.

It could be tight fitting in everyone on the Marlies again. Liljegren will be in the NHL but Lindgren, Hollowell and Duszak could all be there next year. Rasanen and Kokkonen then joining them. Wow that's some depth on the right side.

 

[deletethis]

17 years old as a full time player in the Liiga. Tied for most points by a defenseman for his team. I'm saying it in full homer glory: how was this guy still available in the 3rd round?

 

[PuckMagi]

obviously i never heard of the guy before 5 minutes ago... but I'm loving this pick.

well done Dubas!

 

[diehardleafsfan9878]

I didn't know. Even better.

Yeah even on the draft board he was listed as a RD, I think everyone assumed, because it usually does, mean Right Handed Defencemen.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I didn't know. Even better.

TBH, we have a lot of RD prospects right now. I don't know why people were so concerned about adding more over LD. Our RD is probably better than our LD in our pool right now.

LD: Sandin, Greenway, Kral, O'Connell, Kivihalme, Rosen, Borgman, Koster
RD: Liljegren, Duszak, Hollowell, Lindgren, Rasanen, Kokkonen, Loponen

 

[GermanLeaf]

Not sure why it keeps listing Kokkonen as having the most U18 points by a Dman in Liiga history when that graphic clearly shows otherwise.

Because it wasn't 'Liiga' back then probably. The league used to be named FEL.

Even though, these are still really impressive numbers; better PPG than Heiskanen. Playing in the Liiga at his age is an achievement in and of itself. The reports, numbers and especially the linked video material make the pick seem pretty promising to me. There is definite NHL potential here

 

[oooooooooohCanada]

His model had Kokkonen as the 15th best skater.

 

[Dayjobdave]

The narrative's that he's close to his peak without much more room for improvement and that his skating isn't good. Of course, I'm not buying that lack of potential improvement considering how much he managed to improve in just the last year.

The other thing to keep in mind is that Jukurit is an awful, awful Liiga team, a perennial bottom feeder with a very tiny budget. He wasn't exactly in a position to succeed, yet still had a historical Liiga season.

It’s possible he fell because most NHL teams don’t scout bad teams, especially senior teams where there are not many draft-eligible players.

The kid looks good.

 

[613Leafer]

Hard to complain about this pick. Looks like great value for an 84th OA pick!

 

[BertCorbeau]

I like what I'm reading about this pick. 200 lbs @ 5'11 would indicate to me that he has a solid frame that he can add some strength too (like Sandin).

Like me some high IQ defenders that have some mobility.

 

[Joey Hoser]

Seems like he's trying to usher in a new era of smurf hockey.
Kind of like how Detroit had a bunch of Russians in the 1994-2004 era only they weren't smurfs, lol.

A 5'11, 200lb 18 year old, who if he makes it, will probably play at around 6'1 and 215+lbs, represents "A new era of smurf hockey"?

 

[Warden of the North]

His model had Kokkonen as the 15th best skater.

Hes a random dude. Does he have any proof his model is any good?

 

[67Cup]

A 5'11, 200lb 18 year old, who if he makes it, will probably play at around 6'1 and 215+lbs, represents "A new era of smurf hockey"?

Not disagreeing that this is no Smurf but it may be a mistake to assume he will grow much more. One of the caveats in the Black Book is that Kokkonen was essentially the same height a couple of years ago and has already filled out to a considerable degree. They think that because of this early physical maturity he could dominate over less physically mature prospects previously, but that the latter may overtake him as they fill out.

Not necessarily my opinion. I don’t kniw enough about the prospect to have an opinion. But I thought it was worth mentioning

 

[hockeynorth]

Not disagreeing that this is no Smurf but it may be a mistake to assume he will grow much more. One of the caveats in the Black Book is that Kokkonen was essentially the same height a couple of years ago and has already filled out to a considerable degree. They think that because of this early physical maturity he could dominate over less physically mature prospects previously, but that the latter may overtake him as they fill out.

Not necessarily my opinion. I don’t kniw enough about the prospect to have an opinion. But I thought it was worth mentioning

but he's playing against men?

 

[SprDaVE]

Hes a random dude. Does he have any proof his model is any good?

I'm not vouching for him or anything but he's well known and liked among the analytics community. He makes projections models and all that stuff.

EDIT: Here's his top 62 pre-draft projection

 

[Warden of the North]

I'm not vouching for him or anything but he's well known and liked among the analytics community. He makes projections models and all that stuff.

EDIT: Here's his top 62 pre-draft projection

How has his past draft projections turned out? Thats really what matters

 

[ijuka]

Hes a random dude. Does he have any proof his model is any good?

Guy who made Corsica is a random dude? :/

He's also posted updated NHLe comparison charts yearly.