Prospect Info: Niclas Almari | Defenseman | Jokerit U20 → HPK (Liiga) | 5th round, 151st overall

[shureshot66]

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=241335

Click to read more...

 

[Waffle Fries]

Anyone know anything about him?

 

[DegenX]

From: http://overtheboards.net/jokerit-u20-scouting-notes-moilanen-nyman-and-almari/
Dated 3.25.16

RD Niclas Almari – Jokerit U20

Height/Weight: 6’2, 172 lbs

Regular Season Stats: 27 GP, 2-5-7, 10 PIMs

2016 NHL Draft Eligible

Scouting Notes: Almari left Blues juniors for Jokerit U20 during this season. The 6’2 defenseman has showed solid improvement from last season’s viewings, particularly in his puck management. Almari often prefers to make the simple first pass rather than carry the puck up the ice. He’s got some poise with the puck and his long-range passes are often accurate. However, he still needs to get rid of some iffy passes in the defensive zone. Almari gets shots to the net pretty effectively, though some more velocity would make him more dangerous at the point. He’s a pretty good skater for his size, with the agility and backwards skating to keep with the forwards in the U20 league. Solid stick positioning, but I’d like to see more aggressiveness from him in the defensive zone as he can be a bit passive at times.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Good skater and can get shots on net? Good enough for me for the 5th round.

 

[Uemoda]

His hair is on point.

...That's about all I got. Jokerit has a solid program, so that's good.

 

[Jacob]

His hair is on point.

...That's about all I got. Jokerit has a solid program, so that's good.

All these kids seem to have good genetics. Bjorkvist's jaw line & cheek bones are insane.

 

[Koempel]

All these kids seem to have good genetics. Bjorkvist's jaw line & cheek bones are insane.

Looks like ol' JR is assembling some kind of (prep) school kid super team. Maybe they have the right sorts of Finnish blood type/organs to fix Maatta?

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I'm going to run with the idea that we're just drafting an organ farm for Olli.

We learned our lesson that duct tape alone isn't enough with Beau.

 

[td_ice]

I'm going to run with the idea that we're just drafting an organ farm for Olli.

Hahaha

 

[shureshot66]

 

[Doogle]

The scouting report makes him sound like a poor man's Paul Martin. Mark Eaton?

 

[Zen Arcade]

The scouting report makes him sound like a poor man's Paul Martin. Mark Eaton?

Maybe, but Eaton actually came up as a PMD, the defensive stuff came later.

 

[UnrealMachine]

He looks like a male fashion model from the early 90's - even down to the turtleneck.

 

[Peat]

Niclas Almari – D – Blues U18 – Has some interesting upside, can definitely skate but could be more reliable in the defensive zone.

https://finnishjuniorhockey.wordpress.com/2015/07/05/thoughts-on-some-undrafted-finnish-prospects/

 

[Burgs]

There's a pretty good chance we'll never hear from him again. Or does anyone remember Timo Seppänen and Tommi Leinonen? But then again, it's a 5th round pick so it's almost expected. Still, good to see that our Euro scouts are apparently getting their word in at the draft table.

He looks like a male fashion model from the early 90's - even down to the turtleneck.

So the question now is: can he turn left?

 

[Jacob]

Anyone know where he's playing next season? SM-Liiga? Mestis (I think that's their 2nd division)? Do any CHL teams own his rights?

 

[shureshot66]

Looks like he got a three-year Liiga deal with HPK in April.

http://www.hpk.fi/hpkn-ensi-kauden-joukkue/

 

[Shrimper]

Looks like he got a three-year Liiga deal with HPK in April.

http://www.hpk.fi/hpkn-ensi-kauden-joukkue/

Certainly looks it, will be good for him to progress and play against other men instead of in a juniors league.

 

[Jacob]

Cool. Nice find.

 

[TheSlave]

First of all, I don't really follow the Finnish league but...

Based on what I found so far, Almari is hoping to "play as many games as possible in the league". Also the fans of the team are ranking him as a future player, not a current member of the team. He might play most of the season in the juniors. However, from all the defensemen in HPK team, only three have contracts for 2017-2018 and Almari is the only one with contract until 2019. This has more to do with the fact that the team has had some financial issues so longer contracts have not been possible.

In general the team's defense doesn't really impress so he will be given some chance in the league and if he plays well, might even play a lot. That would not be so much due to his amazing abilities but more just because the team sucks

 

[EXTRAS]

20 year old Niclas almari signed a 3 year entry level contract today.

 

[JBose7]

So.........any info on his progress over there? Has his play in his own zone improved?? Has he put on muscle and gotten strong noticeably? Is his puck moving good??

 

[steelcityassault]

So.........any info on his progress over there? Has his play in his own zone improved?? Has he put on muscle and gotten strong noticeably? Is his puck moving good??

Yes. 10 lbs muscle. Yes

 

[WayneSid9987]

Been trying to get any footage that i can from this past season and went over a bunch of Liiga highlight vids on yt.

From what i can tell, he's very solid positionally.
Was used regularly on HPK's pk and a fairly good skater.
He's probably the most matured D in our pipeline that could potentially steal a job from the likes of Riiko.
Think Riiko's a better all around player at this point but Almari could be more solid in his own end vs Riiko right at this very moment tho.

He'll no doubt come over and start in Wilkes and theres a chance he could get comfy fast and progress to the point where he's pushing Rikko, JJ, Olli(if he's still here) for jobs.

 

[JBose7]

Been trying to get any footage that i can from this past season and went over a bunch of Liiga highlight vids on yt.

From what i can tell, he's very solid positionally.
Was used regularly on HPK's pk and a fairly good skater.
He's probably the most matured D in our pipeline that could potentially steal a job from the likes of Riiko.
Think Riiko's a better all around player at this point but Almari could be more solid in his own end vs Riiko right at this very moment tho.

He'll no doubt come over and start in Wilkes and theres a chance he could get comfy fast and progress to the point where he's pushing Rikko, JJ, Olli(if he's still here) for jobs.

I really think Riko couldve benefited from the Ahl....i think he's better than what we saw but could've used the minor leagues to get used to the NHL size rinks, and speed. But i guess we will see.