Markus Nurmi – McKeen's Hockey

2018 WJC in Review: Finland

Marco Bombino — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 19:56:06 +0000

For the second World Juniors tournament in a row, the result was a big disappointment for the Finnish team after being eliminated in the quarterfinals against Czech Republic in shootout. The team did get better as the tournament progressed and they largely controlled the play against the Czechs.

The opening game against Canada was a very sloppy one from Finland and Canada took a 4-2 win. However, Finland was clearly the better team in the following wins against Denmark and Slovakia. They lost the last round robin game against USA after giving up a goal late in the third period. To their credit, though, Finland made it a tight game despite playing really badly in the first period.

One of the main concerns for the Finnish team was their inability to score goals, as their power play was generally ineffective. They did generate enough scoring chances on a consistent basis but the decisiveness was missing on too many occasions.

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 28: Rasmus Kupari. Finland vs Denmark preliminary round 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen played all the five games in net. He allowed a few soft goals and had a particularly shaky first game against Canada. However, he consistently improved and looked much more poised towards the end of the tournament. He was more effective when moving less in the crease. Luukkonen has solid skills to build on, but the team would have needed a stronger tournament from him in order to be able to advance further.

Among defensemen, Olli Juolevi (Vancouver), Juuso Välimäki (Calgary) and Henri Jokiharju (Chicago) all averaged over 20 minutes of ice-time per game. Juolevi impressed with his terrific mobility and puck moving abilities, while Välimäki played a strong all-around game on the first defensive pairing. Jokiharju started the tournament on a high note but the intelligent and efficient blueliner cooled off a bit after the first three games.

Miro Heiskanen (Dallas) averaged almost 24 minutes per game but he was far from his usual self and overall had a very quiet tournament. Afterwards it was announced in the Finnish media that he had been playing with an upper body injury from which he had been suffering for some time.

At forward, Kristian Vesalainen had an extremely strong tournament and constantly stood out. He has an excellent blend of size, speed and skill. He was strong on the puck. The Winnipeg Jets’ first rounder showed plenty of improvement from the previous World Juniors, playing an efficient and productive power forward game while also taking responsibility on the ice.

Eeli Tolvanen put his shot on display averaging six shots on goal per game. However, much like the entire team, he struggled to find the back of the net and only scored his first goal of the tournament in the final round robin game against USA. I would have liked to see a little bit more patience, especially on the power play.

After having a nice opening game of the tournament against Canada, Islanders prospect Otto Koivula was unable to perform at a high level. His skating is still very heavy, lacking in both acceleration and mobility. His lack of speed frequently left him a step or two behind the play. He was not able to adapt to the game pace. He has offensive ability but the current skating concerns limit his upside.

Janne Kuokkanen was another forward who was not able to live up to the expectations that were placed on his shoulders prior to the start of the tournament. He finished the WJC with only two assists and really seemed to lack in confidence, not being able to drive the play on his line. He was dropped off the first line after a few very mediocre performances.

2018 draft eligible Rasmus Kupari did not receive a whole lot of ice-time after playing on the third line in the first game. When he did get the odd shift, the 6-1” forward showed some promise. He demonstrated great quickness in his first three strides. He played an energetic game and carried the puck well at full speed.

Edmonton prospect Aapeli Räsänen led the team in goals with four. While he is not a flashy player and his skating will need to improve quite a bit in the coming years, the center does have the ability to finish off his chances. He also demonstrated good hockey sense and attention to detail. Räsänen led all players in face-off percentage at the tournament (64.42%).

The fourth line of Joona Koppanen, Markus Nurmi and Juha Jääskä had a really strong and consistent tournament. Each one of them played regularly on the penalty kill as well.

Koppanen exceeded the expectations with his responsible two-way game. He had a high work rate, strong awareness without the puck and excellent finishing ability, scoring three goals and adding one assist in the tournament. The Boston Bruins prospect has many qualities that you want to see from a bottom six NHL center.

Nurmi forechecked effectively and played a solid two-way game. His positional play and ability to play within the team’s system stood out. He does not possess the most exciting offensive skill set or blazing quickness, but the Ottawa Senators prospect is highly competitive and thinks the game very well. His development is definitely heading in the right direction. He is tall and with additional muscle, he could become even more difficult for defensemen to handle.

Undrafted Jääskä is another hard-working player. He showcased deft passing skills and good vision from time to time. He possesses good top-end speed and he plays with high intensity. Jääskä could hear his name called in this year’s NHL Draft as an overage prospect. He has developed into a versatile, reliable winger who can play up and down the line-up as needed.

Next year, Finland could have ten returning players, including the team’s top scorers in Tolvanen and Vesalainen as well as the number one goalie Luukkonen. The 1999 born age-group features both high-end talent and depth, so the roster should be competitive once again. In next year’s roster shows the same level of improvement year over year as this year’s crew compared to last year’s, Finland could be competing for a medal once again.

Ottawa – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 20:32:44 +0000

2011 marks the last time that the Ottawa Senators came out of the draft with a multitude of pure skill players. Armed with three first rounders and ten picks in total, they could afford to take a few risks, but that focus on productive players has resulted in a class from which a remarkable eight of ten players now have NHL experience. Their draft haul starred Mika Zibanejad and also included players like Shane Prince, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Ryan Dzingel.

Since that time, nearly every player drafted by the team was lauded first for his character and ability to play in his own zone before talk ever turned to offensive skills. That is not to say that they did not draft skilled players, but that the skill component of their player profiles was of secondary importance. So it should come as little surprise that of the eight teams in the Atlantic Division, only two have seen their drafted players experience less of the NHL than the bunch drafted by Ottawa from 2012 onwards. Further, those two, Boston and Detroit, were generally trading picks for present gains and picking further down when they did pick. Between Ottawa’s haul and the fifth ranked team lie 150 games of combined NHL experience.

The situation is actually worse than that for Ottawa as, 464 of the 492 games of experience those five draft classes have accrued have come from two players, Cody Ceci and Curtis Lazar. No one else has yet had any sort of NHL impact.

Looking at Ottawa’s system right now, there are three players who sit heads and shoulders above everyone else. These three – Thomas Chabot, Colin White, and Logan Brown – would fit on many teams’ top threes. But after that trio, the system is lacking in both quantity and quality. The reason for the former issue is that Ottawa has also been a generally competitive team, only once picking more than the standard allotment of seven players (eight in 2015) and only nine players drafted in total across the last two draft classes.

The reason for the latter issue is that the team has drafted very conservatively when they have drafted. As mentioned above, the team has stressed character and two-way play, with a secondary stress of size, at the draft table. Even of the three top prospects, White was more known as an ultra-smart two-way player before he was drafted while Brown packaged decent skills with two-way play into a massive body. Outside of Chabot, the only players drafted by the Sens who could be argued as being skills-first players are Francis Perron and Christian Wolanin. One seventh rounder and one fourth rounder.

Once Chabot, White, and Brown begin their NHL careers in earnest – the former two are expected to be NHLers this year – the numbers for Ottawa will change. But until then, for a team that has loudly and publicly scoffed at the analytics movement, their inattention to scouting, reportedly having one of the smallest scouting staffs in the game, will prevent them from bringing in the next generation of cheap, impact talent.

Ottawa Senators Thomas Chabot (72) . (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

1 Thomas Chabot – Along with Boston’s Charlie McAvoy, one of the most dynamic blueline prospects in the game. His skating is elite. His offensive skills are all high end. He has a hard slap shot from the point that he can get through a crowd and is a precise and effective passer. Wrapping up those skills is his commitment and intelligence off the puck and in his own zone. Uses his stick very effectively and can land a play changing hit when the situation calls for it. If Ottawa didn’t already have Erik Karlsson, Chabot would be their future #1.

2 Colin White – Drafted with the expectation that he could develop into a strong, two-way center, White has instead seen tremendous growth in his offensive game across two seasons at Boston College. His hockey IQ is still plus-plus, but he has learned to combine his high-end skating and skilled puck play into a player with strong offensive projections. He plays the puck with great confidence and patience. He is always thinking the game one step ahead of his defenders.

June 24, 2016: Logan Brown is congratulated by Ottawa Senators management and coaches after he was selected as the 11th pick in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft at First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire.)

3 Logan Brown – Limited by injury to 35 games in his first post draft year, Brown was nonetheless very effective when he was able to suit up. He will always have amazing size and he uses that to advantage, not so much as an intimidation factor, but he has the reach of a condor and he is willing to stretch out to block passing and shooting lanes in his own end. He is also a delight with the puck, dishing off sweet pass after sweet pass. Skates well for his size.

Shane Bowers of the Waterloo Black Hawks, USHL

4 Shane Bowers – An occasionally frustrating player to watch in the USHL, Bowers’ pace was often too much for his teammates and some of his more interesting offensive attempts unfortunately ended meekly. An impressive skater with a power forward approach to offense, he can look dangerous when rushing the puck. He can push through checks and has the possession skills to establish the offensive zone. Should see his production improve playing with skilled teammates at Boston University.

5 Christian Jaros – Signed to an ELC after finally spending the full season in the SHL with Lulea, Jaros has slowly, but steadily improved his overall game since the Senators used a fifth round pick on him in 2015. He profiles as more of an offensive defenseman than one who stays at home and will sometimes act like a fourth forward once his side has established the offensive zone. Pace may be a concern, but his physical play and NHL size portend to an NHL future.

6 Marcus Hogberg – Four years after being drafted, Hogberg put together a lights out season for Linkoping in the SHL and earned an ELC and the presumptive title of “goalie of the future” for Ottawa. He has prototypical size, competes well for every puck and tracks the puck nicely. He should get the bulk of the starts this year as the Senators move their AHL affiliate to Belleville.

7 Ben Harpur – Another super-sized prospect at 6-6”, 225, Harpur was a late arrival to defense. He has come a long way in the past few years, in terms of his mobility, his puck moving skills and especially his positional play. He will never be a big point producer, but he is at least efficient at getting the play moving in the right direction. He can handle the toughest shifts, including heavy time in the PK rotation. Keep expectations low, but he will do alright.

8 Filip Chlapik – While his first post-draft season was a disappointment, Chlapik ended his QMJHL career with a bang, including both over 90 points with Charlottetown, often alongside Daniel Sprong, and a stronger repeat performance at the WJC with the Czech Republic squad. He will never be a great skater, but he has the ability to slow the game down when he is on the puck. A very intelligent player who knows his limitations and plays within them.

9 Andreas Englund – Englund came to North America for the first time last season and basically was the same player he was while developing in Sweden. He is a no-frills, no-nonsense, stay-at-home blueliner with offensive production that you can count on one hand. He can be used for tough shifts and on the penalty kill. Think a shorter Ben Harpur with less puck moving ability and more of a nasty edge to his game.

10 Francis Perron – A rare prospect drafted by the Senators for his skill, Perron exploded in his final QMJHL season, winning the league MVP award for both the regular season and the playoffs. It would be unfair to call his rookie pro season a no-show, but it was disappointing. He is very slight of frame and was all too often neutralized on the ice by bigger, stronger opponents. He can still flash his strong puck game and creativity, particularly with his playmaking, but more should be expected.

11 Alex Formenton – A curious prospect, Formenton has near elite skating ability, speed that can make a scout sit up straighter, but little else. To be fair, it is not that he cannot shoot, or handle the puck, or pass, or any of the other things that make a good hockey player. It is that he doesn’t do those things often enough. Needs to overthink less often and relax with the puck. Unfortunately, players who struggle to produce offense as much as he does, rarely figure it out down the road. But he can fly.

12 Drake Batherson – A late bloomer, Batherson was not drafted in his first year of eligibility, still playing in the Maritime Hockey League. He then joined Cape Breton in the QMJHL and quickly rose up prospect lists due to his impressive hockey smarts and a simple overall game that can get the job done at both ends of the ice. A fairly typical Senators prospect in many regards. Expect a lot more promise in a second major junior season.

13 Christian Wolanin – While Batherson is a typical Senators draft pick, Wolanin is fairly atypical for this team. Drafted in his third year of eligibility as a puck moving blueliner in the USHL, his development over two seasons in NCAA with North Dakota has been promising. He has a decent point shot and solid puck protection ability. His defensive zone play still has rough edges to be smoothed up, especially in man-on-man coverage, but he has a nice offensive edge to his game, at times even looking dynamic.

14 Max Lajoie – At his best, Lajoie is a solid puck moving blueliner, capable of starting the transition, or manning the point on the man advantage, all traits he has exhibited throughout his three year career with Swift Current. At his worst, he does those things, but not well enough to get away with it. He can be loose on the puck. His shot is OK, but not especially threatening. He still plays well enough in his own end that he should receive his share of opportunities to continue developing as a pro.

15 Fredrik Claesson – After that nice, brief interlude with players bearing some skills, we are back to the land of low upside. The difference between Claesson and some of the others of that type on this list is that Claesson has already reached his peak level. He fell two games short of losing his prospect eligibility last year and is likely to make the third pairing this year. He will stay there until he is passed from below.

16 Max McCormick – If Andreas Englund was a winger, he might be Max McCormick. The Ohio State alum has a strong motor. He is an above average skater with a nice wrist shot to boot. But despite below average size, his best attribute is his physical game. His offensive upside is moderate at best, but he plays to hurt. He should see a good bit of NHL ice time this year, likely losing his prospect eligibility.

17 Nick Paul – The most surprising thing about Nick Paul’s career thus far is that his development has stalled. He has a solid skill set, highlighted by strong possession ability and good net drive. He also impresses in his commitment to his own zone, a trait he showed from early in his junior days. While the effort is always there, his vision and creativity are lacking, putting a hard ceiling on his potential for future offensive production.

18 Filip Ahl – After utterly failing to make much headway as a teenager in the SHL, Ahl came to North America last year to kickstart his career in the WHL with Regina. The results were middling. He does everything at an OK level, from skating, to shooting, to puck handling, to overall situational awareness. He has good size and plays the requisite physical game, but we are basically looking at another low-ceiling player. Ahl is going back to Sweden for now.

19 Markus Nurmi – Tall and rangy, Nurmi may be able to separate himself from the mass of similar players in the middle regions of the Ottawa system by dint of a plus shot. A strong scorer in the Finnish junior reaches, he has had limited exposure to high level hockey thus far. He has already shown improvement in the season since being drafted, particularly in his skating ability and a strong season in Liiga with TPS will allow him to shoot up this list.

20 Gabriel Gagne – Seen as a reach when the Senators used an early 2nd round pick on him in 2015, Gagne has done nothing since then to dispel that notion. Gifted with great height, the best thing I can say about his game is that his hands are not overly hard. He was never one to drive the play, even in the QMJHL, and his rookie pro season was a disappointment.

With Chabot and White both expected to play in Ottawa full time this year, the system that they leave behind will be extremely barren, one of the weakest in the league. By consistently drafting “safe” players, the Senators have almost no upside to speak of at any position. Perhaps they believe that taller players just take longer to develop, as is often assumed with pitchers in baseball. Or perhaps, they simply need a new approach to keep this team relevant after Erik Karlsson stops being the best defenseman in hockey.

Scouting Reports: Finland – Robin Salo, Emil Oksanen, Markus Nurmi, Tarmo Reunanen, Niko Mikkola

Marco Bombino — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 22:03:40 +0000

A note on the 20-80 scale used below. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.

Robin Salo	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: D, Shoots L	H/W: 6-1", 190 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Sport, Liiga (45-1-12-13-14)

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA - APRIL 14: Finland's Robin Salo #4 skates with the puck while Czech Republic's Ondrej Najman #10 chases him down during preliminary round action at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Skating: Salo will need to improve his skating, especially his first few strides and when skating in reverse. He does not have the quickest feet. For his clear skating deficiencies, he is strong and balanced on his skates. Grade: 45

Shot: Salo's slap shot is heavy and accurate. He does a good job of getting quality wristers through traffic and on to the net. However, certain times it can take a little bit long for him to get a shot off. Grade: 55

Skills: Salo has good vision for breakout passes and can move the puck quickly out of the zone. His passes are crisp and easy to receive. Despite this, I would not consider him to be a high end puck handler. Grade: 50

Smarts: Salo has the smarts to make up for his lack of quickness. He reads the play well. He maintains good gap control both vertically and laterally. His sound positioning and quick stick allow him to keep forwards on the perimeter. He covers the slot well and can clear loose pucks out of danger. He is also capable of turning defense around quickly into the offensive transition. Grade: 55

Physicality: Despite his slightly below average size, Salo plays a physical, competitive game. He is tough to play against and is willing to pay the price while battling along the boards. He can take hits to make plays. Grade: 55

Summary: Salo is strong all-around and has a great deal of two-way potential. He plays in all situations for Sport in the men's league. He is already extremely reliable in the defensive zone, has a high hockey IQ and makes few mistakes with the puck. Skating is certainly an area for improvement. I see him being picked in the middle rounds of this year's draft.

Emil Oksanen	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: RW/LW, Shoots R	H/W: 6-1", 190 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Blues U20, Jr. A SM-liiga (45-28-31-59-16)

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA - APRIL 14: Finland's Emil Oksanen #23 skates with the puck while Czech Republic's Filip Zadina #24 defends during preliminary round action at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Skating: Oksanen has fairly good mobility, including smooth starts and stops, but his skating still requires work. His acceleration is very much average at this time. He needs to gain more leg strength in order to have more powerful and longer strides. Grade: 50

Shot: Oksanen has an excellent, quick wrist shot with a sneaky release. The shot explodes off his stick. He doesn't waste much time when shooting the puck and can beat goalies even from challenging, sharp angles. Grade: 65

Skills: Oksanen is a highly skilled and creative offensive player. He uses his strong stickhandling ability to maneuver in the offensive zone. He has a soft touch on the puck and can shield the puck efficiently away from defenders before cutting towards the net. He is good at receiving passes, whether on his forehand or his backhand. Grade: 55

Smarts: He is highly intelligent offensively. He has excellent awareness in the offensive zone and makes timely passes. He also makes himself available to defensemen for passes when exiting the zone. On the other hand, his defensive anticipation and positioning are still quite raw and in need of improvement before reaching the next level. Grade: 50

Physicality: His physical game leaves a lot to be desired. He avoids contact too often and does not get involved in board battles regularly enough. He will compete and back-check defensively, but his overall lack of aggressiveness and toughness is concerning. Grade: 40

Summary: Oksanen has improved in each of my viewings since the start of the season. He is a key player on the power play for Espoo United and has started to show signs of a more complete game. He is an impressive goal-scorer. Because of some current shortcomings in his game, such as his physical game and his work in his own zone, I think he's a mid- to late round pick. However, his offensive upside suggests the possibility of being selected much higher.

Markus Nurmi	2016 Draft (163rd - Ottawa Senators)
Position: RW/LW, Shoots R	H/W: 6-4", 185 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	TPS U20, Jr. A SM-liiga (21-10-11-21-16)
	TUTO Hockey, Mestis (8-1-0-1-2)

Skating: Nurmi could improve his acceleration, but once he gets going his top speed is good, especially given his 6'4 frame. He uses strong, powerful strides and moves well in a straight-line. He is pretty sturdy on his skates and possesses good balance. Grade: 50

Shot: Nurmi is a dangerous, aggressive shooter who can beat goalies with his deceptively quick wrist shot. He needs little time to get a shot off of his stick. If there is a downside, it is that his shot accuracy could use some improvement. Grade: 60

Skills: A strong possession player, Nurmi uses both his size and reach to protect the puck away from defenders and buy offensive zone time for his team. He will not make many fancy or creative moves in the offensive zone but has adequate puck control and passing skills. Grade: 55

Smarts: Nurmi is a responsible player with a high work ethic. He brings a consistent compete level and does not take many shifts off. He has good scoring touch and is dangerous around the net. His hockey sense can be somewhat questionable in terms of playing under pressure. He will need to learn to make quicker decisions at times. Grade: 50

Physicality: He is a decent forechecker and also applies back pressure. He battles for loose pucks and is involved in board battles. He could be more effective in hitting. Still somewhat lanky, adding muscle would help him to be a more intimidating player physically. Grade: 50

Summary: Last season, Nurmi played on a very average TPS U20 team and still managed to score 19 goals. His skating has improved this season. He is an interesting player. Although he might lack one true standout quality, on the other hand, he does not have many glaring weaknesses either. With more development he could be a good bottom six forward for the Senators in a few years.

Tarmo Reunanen	2016 Draft (98th - New York Rangers)
Position: D, Shoots L	H/W: 6-0", 180 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	TUTO Hockey, Mestis (41-0-9-9-54)

Skating: Reunanen is a mobile skater with impressive footwork. He is agile on his skates and moves around the ice with ease. His swift skating allows him to jump up to join the attack or carry the puck up the ice himself. His reverse skating is also strong and he is difficult to beat in one-on-ones. Grade: 60

Shot: Reunanen finds lanes to get shots on net through traffic but he must add more strength to his slap shot. His wrist shot does feature good accuracy and velocity. He has yet to score a goal in 41 league games this season. Grade: 50

Skills: Reunanen is really gifted with the puck. He has above-average stickhandling skills, especially in tight spaces and in the corners. He has quick hands and delivers smart, crisp passes. A natural power play quarterback, he does a fine job of setting up his teammates for scoring chances at the point. Grade: 60

Smarts: Reunanen has great vision and playmaking skills. He can find openings for transition plays thanks to his excellent anticipation. He does not get rattled when being forechecked. However, defensively there is some room for improvement. While he is active without the puck and has a quick stick, he can chase opponents too much in the defensive zone instead of reading the developing play accordingly. Grade: 55

Physicality: He will definitely need to add more strength and aggressiveness to his game, especially in corner battles. At the moment he lacks a physical presence. He is not particularly tough to play against and he will not separate opponents from the puck with heavy hits. Grade: 40

Summary: Reunanen is undoubtedly gifted with the puck and with his vision and quick thinking he creates a lot of offense from the backend. Whether he can become more assertive and stronger defensively in the future will be important to his future prospects. Do not be fooled by his low point totals. The Rangers have a fourth round steal on their hands, a scouting find who was limited to 11 games in his draft year due to injury.

Niko Mikkola	2015 Draft (127th - St. Louis Blues)
Position: D, Shoots L	H/W: 6-4", 185 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	KalPa, Liiga (46-4-10-14-85)

Skating: Mikkola moves respectably well for a big defenseman and showcases strong top speed. His skating is smooth in all directions. He has very good agility and pivots. He does not struggle with his coordination at all. Overall, his skating is definitely better than average. Grade: 60

Shot: Mikkola has a good shot selection, possessing a heavy slap shot. He tends to rely more on accuracy when using his wrist shot, sacrificing some velocity. He could shoot more often. Grade: 50

Skills: Mikkola has improved his puck skills in the two years since he was drafted. He looks calmer and more in control when under pressure. He makes a crisp first pass out of the defensive zone and retrieves pucks well. Holding back his grade is that he does not rush the puck up the ice very frequently. Grade: 50

Smarts: Mikkola shows good awareness on the ice. He uses his stick to add pressure to the puck carrier and does so efficiently. He likes to pinch in offensively from the blueline and generally picks his spots well. Grade: 50

Physicality: Mikkola is a fairly aggressive defenseman who plays with an edge and can get under the skin of opponents. He plays the body effectively and has the strength to win puck battles in the corners. He is strong in front of his own net, helpful in keeping the crease clear for his netminders. Grade: 60

Summary: Mikkola has gone from a fairly raw prospect into one of the top Liiga defensemen this season. A very reliable defender who can be used in all situations, he has been averaging over 20 minutes per game for KalPa. He also made his debut with the Finnish national team in December. With his strong skating, dependable defensive game and emerging offensive side, there's a good chance he will be a emerge as a solid NHL defenseman after some additional development time in the AHL.

NHL Draft Review and Grades: Ottawa Senators

Grant McCagg — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 18:30:20 +0000

It was no surprise who the Senators selected at 11th overall when they swung a deal to move up one spot in the draft , choosing the “hometown” boy in 6-6 center Logan Brown...a player many thought had made his way into the top ten after his impressive showing at the U-18. Brown quelled some of the whispers about his competitiveness and willingness to get his nose dirty over the second half of the season…significantly increasing his goal total and getting into the high traffic areas (especially the goal area) with more frequency.

RND	PICK	RNK	PLAYER	POS	CTY	HT/WT	TEAM
1	11	9	Logan Brown	C	CAN	6-6/220	Windsor (OHL)
2	42	54	Jonathan Dahlen	C	SWE	5-11/175	Timra (Swe)
4	103	NR	Todd Burgess	RW	USA	6-2/180	Fairbanks (NAHL)
5	133	111	Max Lajoie	D	CAN	6-1/185	Swift Current (WHL)
6	163	NR	Markus Nurmi	RW	FIN	6-4/185	TPS Turku (Fin)

Max Lajoie

Scouts were seemingly split on Jonathan Dahlen’s potential…some questioning his grit and size/skating combo, while others were intrigued by his offensive upside and strong showing at U-19 events and the Allsvenskan playoffs. Todd Burgess was praised by a couple of NHL scouts after the draft…not having seen him as a staff, however, perhaps if this information was known before the draft he would have been scouted, and on McKeen’s draft list. Max Lajoie was a highly-regarded player as a 16-year-old…a disappointing season resulted in him dropping to the fifth round. Ottawa will hope he can bounce back to earlier form. Markus Nurmi is a lanky winger that was a spare part on Finland’s U-18 team.

June 24, 2016: Former Senators player, Daniel Alfredsson, looks on after the Senators selected Logan Brown as the 11th pick in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft at First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire.)

Grade - B: The Sens had a strong start to the draft by picking up a top ten prospect with impressive offensive potential in Brown and a skilled sniper in Dahlen. Having no other picks in the top 100 hurt the overall depth.