RD Topi Niemelä - Kärpät, Liiga (2020, 64th, TOR)

[Zaddy]

Not really a fan of Niemelä. His skating is pretty meh and he doesn't offer a whole lot offensively. Seems more to be like a guy who is very mature and plays a solid all-around game and that is why he was able to be a full-time Liiga player this season. Not overly enthusiastic about his hockey sense either. Don't like his NHL potential. I'd take fellow Finn Eemil Viro over him.

 

[Zaddy]

There are a lot of Dmen projected to go in the late 1st or second round that are great skaters and are bigger(Barron, Wallinder, Grans, Jurmo, etc). A lot of teams will want that size and reach over a player like Niemela or O'Rourke, unless they really are convinced about their game.

O'Rourke is better than all of those guys IMO.

 

[MMC]

Welcome to Toronto!

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

How did he slip to the third round my god

 

[Sundinisagod]

How did he slip to the third round my god

Zaddy tanked his value.

 

[JJTT]

Niemelä is finally playing his first game of the season in Liiga today vs Pelicans

Lineups | Kärpät - Pelicans 28.10.2020 | Liiga

 

[LeafChief]

Niemelä is finally playing his first game of the season in Liiga today vs Pelicans

Lineups | Kärpät - Pelicans 28.10.2020 | Liiga

How did he do?

 

[Morgs]

His season prior to today's game:

Topi Niemelä (18):
6 GP
2 Points
+11.8 rel.CF%
60.6 OZF%
14:42 ATOI
7.0 oiSH%

 

[LeafChief]

His season prior to today's game:

Topi Niemelä (18):
6 GP
2 Points
+11.8 rel.CF%
60.6 OZF%
14:42 ATOI
7.0 oiSH%

Excited to see how he'll look at the WJC.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

His season prior to today's game:

Topi Niemelä (18):
6 GP
2 Points
+11.8 rel.CF%
60.6 OZF%
14:42 ATOI
7.0 oiSH%

What is OZF? He’s taking face offs?

assuming this is all situations either he must be pretty unlucky or not getting PP time. 14:42 ATOI without PP time (and potentially PK) is pretty good usage.

 

[Morgs]

What is OZF? He’s taking face offs?

assuming this is all situations either he must be pretty unlucky or not getting PP time. 14:42 ATOI without PP time (and potentially PK) is pretty good usage.

Offensive zone faceoff %. Aka how often he starts in the Ozone compared to the dzone.

 

[BoredBrandonPridham]

Offensive zone faceoff %. Aka how often he starts in the Ozone compared to the dzone.

ohh got it. Used to seeing that as OZS%

 

[LeafChief]

Two points in his WJHC debut. Had two points in the pre-tournament game as well.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Not really a fan of Niemelä. His skating is pretty meh and he doesn't offer a whole lot offensively. Seems more to be like a guy who is very mature and plays a solid all-around game and that is why he was able to be a full-time Liiga player this season. Not overly enthusiastic about his hockey sense either. Don't like his NHL potential. I'd take fellow Finn Eemil Viro over him.

Are we watching the same player?

 

[QJL]

I thought Niemela was Finland’s best player today. He’s smart, a fantastic skater, and decisive puck mover. I think Toronto has a sturdy future defender here.

 

[ahmon]

I also want to ask how did this player fall to the 3rd.. IMO hes up there with Heinola who is a 1st rounder.

 

[JJTT]

Just don't understand where the no offensive upside talk comes from, he has always looked great on the offensive end vs kids his own age.

It's very hard to put up point with limited minutes in pro league.

 

[FinPanda]

He has been great in both games so far.

I also want to ask how did this player fall to the 3rd.. IMO hes up there with Heinola who is a 1st rounder.

Some had him ranked as a late 1st rounder, so idk how he fell to 3rd.

 

[Zaddy]

Are we watching the same player?

That was what I saw last season albeit in limited viewings. But I'm the first to admit that he's been impressing me in the two games at the WJC level so far. Definitely looks way better now than when I saw him last season. IMO been one of the best Finnish D so far. Skating, puck-handling, passing all look good.

 

[Zaddy]

Just don't understand where the no offensive upside talk comes from, he has always looked great on the offensive end vs kids his own age.

It's very hard to put up point with limited minutes in pro league.

He also didn't score much in his draft -1 year. 8 points in 39 games in the U20 league, only 1 point in the WHC-17 as well as U18's. You typically see more production at that age from players with a high offensive ceiling. His production has been in the single digits at pretty much every level.

 

[nobody]

He also didn't score much in his draft -1 year. 8 points in 39 games in the U20 league, only 1 point in the WHC-17 as well as U18's. You typically see more production at that age from players with a high offensive ceiling. His production has been in the single digits at pretty much every level.

I don't blame you or anyone else for doubting his offensive upside. I'm a Leafs fan and I pay very close attention to our prospects and Niemela is surprising me with his play in these first 2 games thus far. And I was able to watch his J20 games this year with Loponen and while he was in LIGA.

He's always been a stud defensively and in transition where his gap control and active stick helps kill plays before they cross his blueline. His ability to pass and transition the puck forward is also something I noted as a strength of his, but him actually being able to be more assertive and produce offense has been a pleasant surprise. I don't want to take away from other teams' prospects but IMO watching the game today, Topi was probably the most consistent d-man on the team at both ends of the ice. Lundell, Lambert and Hirvonen were also very impressive at both ends of the ice. I'm kind of giddy watching Hirvonen trying to get under Stutzle's skin as well as the other German players. I loved that he isn't afraid to take the body even though he's one of the smaller guys out there and his pass on that first goal to #2 was a thing of beauty.

 

[Svedu]

Not really a fan of Niemelä. His skating is pretty meh and he doesn't offer a whole lot offensively. Seems more to be like a guy who is very mature and plays a solid all-around game and that is why he was able to be a full-time Liiga player this season. Not overly enthusiastic about his hockey sense either. Don't like his NHL potential. I'd take fellow Finn Eemil Viro over him.

Viro over Niemelä? Naaah, no, njiet, nej. Compared to Viro he looks like a star.

 

[Zaddy]

Viro over Niemelä? Naaah, no, njiet, nej. Compared to Viro he looks like a star.

Small sample size. They're pretty close as prospects. I liked Viro more last year, but not by a lot. I mean, they were taken #64 and #70 in the draft which would signal that scouts had a similar opinion.

 

[3 Minute Minor]

if pressed for a criticism, I'd say he could stand to be a bit more selective with his shot. He's a bit quick to throw a shot into traffic when he's more than capable of looking to make a play to a teammate. With that said, he has a knack for getting the puck through that traffic so it's barely even a knock atm

 

[Svedu]

Small sample size. They're pretty close as prospects. I liked Viro more last year, but not by a lot. I mean, they were taken #64 and #70 in the draft which would signal that scouts had a similar opinion.

Yeah I hear you. Small sample size indeed but the thing is Viro has looked really, really bad, like scary bad. I´m a bit concerned. Viro has probably been the worst player of all in these two games.