Prospect Info: Lenni Hämeenaho (#58 Pick - 2nd Round - 2023 Draft)

[Oneiro]

I think it's a great point made earlier about his confidence level and willingness to try things. I respect that attribute a lot and it's not exactly common among prospects because of ego, fear, etc. but, no matter what you do in life, it's a quality that accelerates progress.

Aside from the skating, as I said earlier, I'm almost surprised by how bad his hands are. His shot is good which is what makes it twice as confusing.

Most intriguing prospect since Mukh and Misyul.

 

[Lou Bloom]

I think it's a great point made earlier about his confidence level and willingness to try things. I respect that attribute a lot and it's not exactly common among prospects because of ego, fear, etc. but, no matter what you do in life, it's a quality that accelerates progress.

Aside from the skating, as I said earlier, I'm almost surprised by how bad his hands are. His shot is good which is what makes it twice as confusing.

Most intriguing prospect since Mukh and Misyul.

I wouldn't say his hands are bad, just wildly inconsistent. He'll make a play where he strips the puck from behind the forward and dangle a defender and then the next play he'll struggle to receive a simple pass. For younger players I'll usually assume they'll be able to turn those flashes of good play into consistent results moving forward but at this time it's definitely something he needs to become better at consistently.

 

[Devs3cups]

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I hate this blanket statement about improving their skating and getting more explosive. It is a lazy way to say there is something mechanically wrong with one's skating unless there is a part of their body so weak it affects their speed.

You wonder before drafting players if the skating coach ever looked at their stride and said, I can fix this or I can't fix this.

 

[Tanaka]

DAS UBER!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I think it's a great point made earlier about his confidence level and willingness to try things. I respect that attribute a lot and it's not exactly common among prospects because of ego, fear, etc. but, no matter what you do in life, it's a quality that accelerates progress.

Aside from the skating, as I said earlier, I'm almost surprised by how bad his hands are. His shot is good which is what makes it twice as confusing.

Most intriguing prospect since Mukh and Misyul.

Are his hands bad or is he playing in a mens league where it is harder to make plays with the puck?

 

[Oneiro]

Are his hands bad or is he playing in a mens league where it is harder to make plays with the puck?

I'll preface this by saying I've only watched a little bit of footage in this thread and elsewhere, but making plays in stride on the zone entry, you see him lose the puck quite easily, on top of some less than ideal giveaways on bad passes. And even the video above of him deking out a few defenders is a little unconvincing and sluggish to me. I will say his battle level to try to recover is admirable. I'm not going to say his technique is bad - I don't think I have the right to say that since I haven't played in almost two decades - but he's definitely a thinker vs. a talent pick.

You might be right that he's adjusting to a higher level of competition. His production, as others have noted, tells you that he's doing pretty well despite these flaws.

 

[Blender]

I hate this blanket statement about improving their skating and getting more explosive. It is a lazy way to say there is something mechanically wrong with one's skating unless there is a part of their body so weak it affects their speed.

You wonder before drafting players if the skating coach ever looked at their stride and said, I can fix this or I can't fix this.

While there is truth to this of course, there are players who have made the NHL with a fundamentally flawed skating stride and drastically improved it after getting together with the right coach for them.

 

[beekay414]

Put him in a room with Jack, Luke and Jesper and watch his head explode lol

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

While there is truth to this of course, there are players who have made the NHL with a fundamentally flawed skating stride and drastically improved it after getting together with the right coach for them.

Point is the only one I can think of that turned from an average skater to elite. He rebuilt his stride completely.

 

[Guadana]

Lenni`s game, shift by shit.

 

[Guadana]

Another shift by shift video of Lenny.

 

[Guadana]

found a couple of international of his games on our resources. Spent today with his games.

Okay. I can shake my head all the time we didn`t drated this or that player in the moment.
But it`s time to live with it. He is our boy now.

So what I`m thinking about him.
It`s not that bad. Of course it is in some specific parts of his game, but overall it`s not that bad. He isn`t elite, but can be closer to. IF! he will develop his skating and speed. Needs to work on mechanics, technics, strengths, mobility, 4-way mobility with the puck. He is very vertical\straight forward with the puck\on his skates player now. And his skating is bad. It`s not NHL level. I don`t think he will be fourth line player if his skating will stand where it is now.

So on the other hand. If he will push it on average level or on above average level, we will have very solid middle six player. I like his(outside of skating) game million times more than Stillman`s. He is smart, positionally prepared, knows how find open ice and when. He has great hands that helps him to take away players from his path, he takes away the puck well.

But his skating ruin his game.

So he needs a lot of work on skating. Like A LOT. This is unacceptable. It's like lemons have survived right on my eyes.

But again. Late second round pick. Cristall is a bad slow skater(not as bad but may be slower) and he still small and questionable in puck battles. Heidt is faster and better skater but his two way game isn`t there. Lenny is good two way vertical player. He just needs to work on his skating. I know it is may be hardest skill to grow, especially for his level of skating and age. Am I repeating myself? @FinnishDevil please find him in instagramm and tell him Devils fans very happy to see him drafted, but he needs to work on his skates a lot.

 

[My3Sons]

found a couple of international of his games on our resources. Spent today with his games.

Okay. I can shake my head all the time we didn`t drated this or that player in the moment.
But it`s time to live with it. He is our boy now.

So what I`m thinking about him.
It`s not that bad. Of course it is in some specific parts of his game, but overall it`s not that bad. He isn`t elite, but can be closer to. IF! he will develop his skating and speed. Needs to work on mechanics, technics, strengths, mobility, 4-way mobility with the puck. He is very vertical\straight forward with the puck\on his skates player now. And his skating is bad. It`s not NHL level. I don`t think he will be fourth line player if his skating will stand where it is now.

So on the other hand. If he will push it on average level or on above average level, we will have very solid middle six player. I like his(outside of skating) game million times more than Stillman`s. He is smart, positionally prepared, knows how find open ice and when. He has great hands that helps him to take away players from his path, he takes away the puck well.

But his skating ruin his game.

So he needs a lot of work on skating. Like A LOT. This is unacceptable. It's like lemons have survived right on my eyes.

But again. Late second round pick. Cristall is a bad slow skater(not as bad but may be slower) and he still small and questionable in puck battles. Heidt is faster and better skater but his two way game isn`t there. Lenny is good two way vertical player. He just needs to work on his skating. I know it is may be hardest skill to grow, especially for his level of skating and age. Am I repeating myself? @FinnishDevil please find him in instagramm and tell him Devils fans very happy to see him drafted, but he needs to work on his skates a lot.

Your eyes usually kill those lemons?

 

[StevenToddIves]

found a couple of international of his games on our resources. Spent today with his games.

Okay. I can shake my head all the time we didn`t drated this or that player in the moment.
But it`s time to live with it. He is our boy now.

So what I`m thinking about him.
It`s not that bad. Of course it is in some specific parts of his game, but overall it`s not that bad. He isn`t elite, but can be closer to. IF! he will develop his skating and speed. Needs to work on mechanics, technics, strengths, mobility, 4-way mobility with the puck. He is very vertical\straight forward with the puck\on his skates player now. And his skating is bad. It`s not NHL level. I don`t think he will be fourth line player if his skating will stand where it is now.

So on the other hand. If he will push it on average level or on above average level, we will have very solid middle six player. I like his(outside of skating) game million times more than Stillman`s. He is smart, positionally prepared, knows how find open ice and when. He has great hands that helps him to take away players from his path, he takes away the puck well.

But his skating ruin his game.

So he needs a lot of work on skating. Like A LOT. This is unacceptable. It's like lemons have survived right on my eyes.

But again. Late second round pick. Cristall is a bad slow skater(not as bad but may be slower) and he still small and questionable in puck battles. Heidt is faster and better skater but his two way game isn`t there. Lenny is good two way vertical player. He just needs to work on his skating. I know it is may be hardest skill to grow, especially for his level of skating and age. Am I repeating myself? @FinnishDevil please find him in instagramm and tell him Devils fans very happy to see him drafted, but he needs to work on his skates a lot.

"It's like lemons have survived right in my eyes".

You are a gift to all of us, @Guadana

 

[Guadana]

Your eyes usually kill those lemons?

I lubricate them with bear fat. With fat bear. Morning routine.

"It's like lemons have survived right in my eyes".

You are a gift to all of us, @Guadana

First of all I am a gift for myself.

 

[FinnishDevil]

@FinnishDevil please find him in instagramm and tell him Devils fans very happy to see him drafted, but he needs to work on his skates a lot.

I feel like I'm assigned to this mission simply so theres no lost in translation kinda moment where poor Lenny would just go and buy new pair of skates.

 

[Ripshot 43]

First of all I am a gift for myself.

 

[My3Sons]

I feel like I'm assigned to this mission simply so theres no lost in translation kinda moment where poor Lenny would just go and buy new pair of skates.

Make sure you tell him about the lemons.

 

[RNCDevil]

@Guadana when I see Lenni, I am reminded of Nikita Gusev. The balance seems too forward and Nikita always struck me as a glider than a "fast-feet" skater. I am very curious how Lenni develops because this seems like a huge test of nature vs. nuture for skating. Can NHL skating be taught/corrected or will be always have these mechanics?

 

[DVision44]

@Guadana when I see Lenni, I am reminded of Nikita Gusev. The balance seems too forward and Nikita always struck me as a glider than a "fast-feet" skater. I am very curious how Lenni develops because this seems like a huge test of nature vs. nuture for skating. Can NHL skating be taught/corrected or will be always have these mechanics?

Sounds like a job for Ellen Hughes

 

[Guadana]

@Guadana when I see Lenni, I am reminded of Nikita Gusev. The balance seems too forward and Nikita always struck me as a glider than a "fast-feet" skater. I am very curious how Lenni develops because this seems like a huge test of nature vs. nuture for skating. Can NHL skating be taught/corrected or will be always have these mechanics?

Good question. Gusev didn`t.

Lenni isn`t as talented, especially as playmaker, but he has some different adventages in his game.
If we talk about mechanicks - Gusev was goo enough to make what he wanted to do with the puck. So we have worser skater here.
Lenni needs to learn. Of course gym will help a lot, but he needs to make it with very good specialist who will train him to gain stabilisator musclus. He needs in "dance" lessons with good dance teacher and with right training to have ready musclus for smooth movements, that are working in tempo of body and hands.

Overall it looks like he needs years of right development. And I`m not happy that he is in the shape he acually is for his age. I don`t know any top-9 nhler with skating like he has. I just hope Devils have a big plan, tools and opportunities to implement it. And I want it, because upper body work in the right way and he has good hockey sense.

 

[glenwo2]

I think it's safe to say, however, that Lenni is a faster skater than Goose was. lol

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Anyone have a location of a game online I can watch

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

While I agree his skating is his biggest deficiency, on a team surrounded by great skaters a poor skater can thrive in todays NHL

Its the same reason Tofolli will be a stud for us; its also why Id kill for a prime Ryan Clowe on this team

Palat isnt the greatest skater (today) and fits very well.

His defensive responsibility along with his IQ will make for an easier transition than 90% of poor skaters, who tend to be offensively-driven and struggle in a league where playmaking and puck possession are mostly moving your feet.