Tuomas Suoniemi – McKeen's Hockey

2025 NHL DRAFT: SECOND CHANCES – Overage Draft Eligible Prospects – Part Three – Europe

Felix Robbins, Jérémy Rivet, Henry Lawrence, Matej Deraj, Chapin Landvogt — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 15:52:59 +0000

In a normal year, scouting hockey is marred by imperfection. Every year high end players get skipped over at the NHL draft for various reasons. Maybe they suffered through injuries. Maybe their team struggled, and it prevented scouts from getting a good read on them. Maybe their team was too good, forcing them down the depth chart with limited minutes and exposure opportunities. Or...maybe they just were not good enough. But thankfully human development is nonlinear and therefore unpredictable. Teenage hockey players are far from a finished product on the ice as their games mature just as the rest of their body and mind does. That is why it is critical to track players as they move through their second and third years of draft eligibility (or fourth years of eligibility for some European players).

For those unfamiliar, North American players with birth dates from January 1st to September 15th, will be eligible for three NHL drafts. Players with birth dates from September 16th to December 31st, will be eligible for two NHL drafts. And for European players (in European leagues), extend that eligibility by one year in both cases. In the last decade, NHL scouts have increased the rate with which they are selecting “re-entry” candidates, or players previously passed over. Contract limits have made it critical for teams to spread out where they select players from, in addition to their age. This has made second- and third-year eligible U.S. and European based players especially attractive. However, these players have had a lot of success in recent years too. Look around the league and you see these players everywhere. For example, Calgary Flames standout defender Mackenzie Weegar was one. Ottawa Senators standout forward Drake Batherson was one. So too was Winnipeg Jets starter Connor Hellebuyck. Pyotr Kochetkov, one of the top young netminders in the NHL was also one.

Last year, eight “re-entry” candidates went in the top four rounds; Ilya Nabokov, Jesse Pulkkinen, Ondrej Becher, Pavel Moysevich, Trevor Hoskin, Chase Pietila, Dmitri Gamzin, and Blake Montgomery. Nabokov and Pulkkinen were taken in the second round. In our “second chances” article last year (Part 1): (Part 2): (Part 3): We wrote about six of those eight. In total there were 42 taken, right around the trend of other recent drafts (roughly about 20% of all players selected). Additionally, of those 42, we identified and wrote about 25 (well over half of them) in our aforementioned second chances series. Just like in previous editions of this annual report, we aim to identify more.

In 2025, we have some very interesting candidates. Tanner Adams, a player we have ranked and written about previously, continues to improve at the NCAA level with Providence and has emerged as one of the better players in Hockey East. Jamiro Reber and David Granberg look like great picks out of Sweden. Reber has been fantastic in the SHL this year, while Granberg was one of Sweden’s top players at the WJC’s. Magomed Sharakanov has emerged as one of the top young defenders in the KHL. Kristian Epperson has paired with Michael Misa in Saginaw to become one of the OHL’s elite play drivers. This article intends to highlight them and many other candidates who could be part of that 20% this year.

This is part three of the series, putting the spotlight on those re-entries available from leagues across Europe.

Sweden

250311 Linköpings Adam Hofbauer och HV71s Jamiro Reber under ishockeymatchen i SHL mellan HV71 och Linköping den 11 mars 2025 i Jönköping.
Foto: Carl Sandin / BILDBYRÅN / kod CS / CS0691

Jamiro Reber – Center/Wing - HV71 (SHL)

Reber was an analytical darling and a favourite among public scouts in 2024, but NHL teams did not see things the same way. The undersized Swiss forward put up solid numbers in the J20 with HV71, but the bar for players like Reber is insanely high. That, plus not having such a great U18 WJC, put Reber back into the draft pool for 2025. That may have been a blessing in disguise. Reber has taken a massive leap this season, seizing an every day spot in HV71’s SHL team and is currently leading all DY+1 SHL players in points (ahead of drafted prospects like Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Melvin Fernström and Lucas Pettersson). Reber could be an interesting case study for scouts, as very little about the way he plays the game has changed. He’s still aggressive on the forecheck and backcheck, using his quick feet and good motor to harangue puck carriers and force turnovers. He can zip through the neutral zone and move the puck, either on his own stick or through smart passing. Once play arrives in the offensive zone, things get a bit murky – not unlike last year. For all the moments of skillful stickhandling and clever cuts into soft ice, there are still moments where Reber simply chips the puck from low to high and defers playmaking responsibility.

While he’s clearly trying to improve, Reber still has a tough time grabbing the bull by the horns and creating offence himself. However, the fact that Reber is getting consistent reps in the SHL (as well as special teams minutes), working hard to improve his game, and putting up points all the while bodes very well for his NHL potential. On top of it all, he’s a 2006 September birthday – one week removed from 2025 eligibility. A late round swing on Reber could yield fantastic results, so long as he stays on his current developmental trajectory. He may not have a future in a teams top 6, but he could project nicely as a 3rd line energy forward who can give you secondary scoring and responsible two-way play. (Felix Robbins)

David Granberg – Center - Luleå (SHL)

Granberg went unnoticed during his draft year, splitting time between Luleå’s J18 and J20 teams with limited production. Last year, he found his man-strength and took a mighty step in the right direction, scoring over a point per game in the J20 and earning some games in SHL as well. However, he didn’t show enough projectable offence to move the needle for scouts. This year, after establishing himself as an everyday SHLer and surprising the hockey world with an outstanding WJC U20 performance, Granberg can be ignored no further. Granberg plays a physical, hard-nosed brand of hockey. He’s a hard forechecker with good size and a steady work rate, not unlike his uncle Mikael Renberg was in his heyday with the Flyers. He’s always found points at the junior level by going to the gritty areas of the ice and battling or by insulating the puck for his more skilled teammates. However, the boost to his draft stock has to do with the flashes of high-end puck skills and refinement to his shot, which showed up in a big way on the world stage. While he still needs a ton of work to his straight-line speed and quickness, there may finally be enough upside to take a swing on for the double-overager from Piteå. He’ll most likely top out as a gritty bottom six role-player who’s good for the locker room. Not the flashiest pick by any means, but you cannot win without players like Granberg in your organization. (Felix Robbins)

Isac Hedqvist – Wing - Luleå (SHL)

Despite his J20 production skyrocketing and locking down an SHL role, Hedqvist was once again passed over at the draft and once again finds himself on our list. All signs pointed to him having a breakout year in 2024-2025, but that hasn’t really materialized yet. Sure, the production has taken a natural step forward, but Hedqvist still looks like the same player as last year – for better or for worse. Hedqvist is a speedy, undersized forward who excels at hunting down pucks on offensive retrievals, grinding out possession for his team along the walls, and making plays from dirty areas to the slot. He can withstand physical pressure from bigger and stronger opponents in battles for position and open up space for his teammates with his off-puck movement on the rush. He flashed a lot of skill and pace-pushing puck carrying ability in the junior leagues, but the on-puck game still isn’t where it needs to be at the pro level. If that doesn’t change soon, his ultimate upside may not be all that appealing to NHL teams and his path to the show will be in serious jeopardy. That being said, there may still be a glimmer of hope. He played well at the U20 WJC down the lineup for Sweden, where he showcased his tenacious forechecking and efficient transition play. Getting picked to represent your country at the biggest junior tournament of the year is always a draft stock booster. If Hedqvist can build upon that heading into the new year, hopefully flashing some more offence along the way, there’s a good chance he could earn himself draft consideration. (Felix Robbins)

Wilhelm Hallquisth – Defense - HV71 (SHL)

Through his first two years of draft eligibility, Hallquisth didn’t stand out among the swaths of Swedish talent in the pool. Looking at his pre-2024-2025 resume, it’s easy to see why. Splitting time between the J18 and the J20 in his draft season, not putting up world beating numbers in the J20 as a DY+1, and a humble U19 appearance doesn’t exactly jump off the page. This year is a different story. Hallquisth has got off to a nice start to his 2025 campaign, seeing consistent minutes in the SHL on a bottom pair role with SHL and finding the score sheet every now and then. In addition, he was one of the four surprise undrafted players to be selected for Sweden’s 2025 U20 WJC team, which is like a shot in the arm for any players draft stock. Hallquist is a mobile right shot defenceman who can quickly move the puck in a straight line from the defensive zone and through the neutral zone. Despite being a touch undersized, he’s a strong defender, using his feet and his stick to maintain gaps and taking away the middle of the ice from puck carriers. While he certainly has the skating ability for it, Hallquist isn’t as active along or below the offensive blue line as one might hope from a player with his toolset. He doesn’t seem to have the processing speed, stickhandling ability or playmaking creativity that, say, an Axel Sandin-Pellikka has. As a result, a good deal of his offence comes from D-to-D passes and shots from the point. While the skate tool is clearly above average and there may very well be more development potential here, it is difficult to project Hallquisth to the NHL. If the offensive side of things never comes along, he might be too small for a defensive puck-moving role on the bottom pair. In that case, what does he do for you? If a team has a clear idea of what he could be and how to best utilize his skating, Hallquisth could be a very savvy pick up in the later rounds of the draft. (Felix Robbins)

Hugo Pettersson – Wing - HV71 (SHL)

Over the course of his draft eligibility, Pettersson has been somewhat of a late bloomer. He split time between the J18 and the J20 in his first year of eligibility, bounced between the SHL and the J20 as a DY+1, and has finally found himself getting reps in the pros full time in this season. He’s struggled to make much of an impact in sheltered minutes with HV71, in part due to his inability to keep up with play at the SHL level (both physically and mentally), but his loan to Kalmar HC in the HockeyAllsvenskan has been a real boon for his development. More TOI (including powerplay minutes) has led to more point production, which in turn has led to Pettersson looking more and more confident with every game he’s played. Pettersson’s primary offensive tool is his wicked wrist shot. He’s a volume shooter who can get the puck on and off his stick quickly and accurately. He’s great at finding little pockets of ice in dangerous areas but doesn’t have much by way of space creation tools. His small area skill has taken a step but isn’t a reliable asset for him at the moment. He’s a bit passive on the forecheck and doesn’t chip in all that much on the other side of the puck. He doesn’t play a tenacious, physical brand of hockey, and attempts to do so at the SHL level made him look like the 19-year-old kid that he is. Still some filling out to do, clearly. On the plus side, he’s looked more involved in play off-puck while on loan with Kalmar, so there may be hope yet. While some may view Pettersson as a one-trick pony, that trick is putting the puck in the net – something you can never have enough of. With continued improvement to his quickness and the details of his off-puck game, Pettersson may be able to forge a path to the NHL in a depth scoring role in a team’s bottom 6. (Felix Robbins)

Felix Öhrqvist – Defense - Linköping HC (SHL)

It is never easy for 5-foot-8 defencemen to get drafted, much less so if you don’t put up otherworldly production in your draft year. Even then, most NHL teams won’t give you the light of day. Bias or no bias, Öhrqvist did not show enough upside to hear his name called in 2024. He played a competitive, defensive puck moving style, but it was impossible to project him to the NHL in that role. This year has been a completely different story. Öhrqvist seems to have reinvented himself. He’s added a touch of quickness and evasiveness to his skating. He’s started being more aggressive in the offensive zone. He’s trusting his skill and creativity to make plays in high danger areas of the ice. Naturally, the points have started piling up– from the J20 to the pros. What’s equally as impressive is how he isn’t sacrificing results on the defensive side of the puck to do what he’s doing – at least, any more than he was before. He does need to learn to pick his spots to walk the blue line and try to dangle around forwards closing him out, but that’s a lesson he’ll learn with enough reps at the pro level. While Öhrqvist has finally shown the offensive upside scouts look for in undersized defencemen, he still comes with all the risks attached to, well, being a 5-foot-8 defenceman. That means extreme boom-bust, and even a “boom” in this case means probable bottom four potential. He also pales in comparison to the player in the next sentence but bear with me. With Lane Hutson breathing new life into the Montreal Canadiens, and his brother Cole Hutson (WSH) performing so well at the WJC, perhaps this is the year we see NHL teams take more swings on really undersized defencemen? And if so, why not Öhrqvist? (Felix Robbins)

Wilson Björck – Wing/Center - Djurgården (HockeyAllsvenskan)

Björck is another player who totally flew under the radar during his draft year. He didn’t look totally at ease at the J20 level until just before the international break, and even then, he wasn’t much of a needle mover. To say he’s taken a step in the right direction would be an understatement. The 19-year-old has absolutely exploded offensively and is tied with brother Viggo (who, coincidentally, plays on the same line as him) for the J20 league lead in points. He also had an 18-game point streak that spanned across all J20 games from October 4th to December 15th, scoring 42 (!!) points during that time. A part of that is Djurgården being an absolute wagon this season. However, most of that credit goes squarely to Björck for the work he has, and continues to, put in to improving his game. Most notably, his shot has become a lethal weapon for him. He’s a clinical finisher who can find soft ice in the slot with ease. His small area skill and decision making with the puck has gotten quicker, allowing him to safely escape pressure along the wall in the offensive zone and make a good passing play. He’s always been competitive, but he’s added some tenacity to his off puck play. Björck’s come a long way, but there are still things to work on. Gaining muscle should be at the top of the list. A touch more quickness to his skating should be 2nd. Lastly, his processing speed is quite good when problem solving in tight or setting up tic-tac passing plays, but his ability to read and anticipate play leaves a lot to be desired. Recognizing changes in possession, knowing where to be and how to get there quickly are elements of a players hockey sense that take them from being a good player to a great one. Björck is young enough that enough reps and coaching may teach him, but it could be something that holds him back from hitting his ceiling. With that said, Björck has looked much more engaged and conscious of his off-puck positioning during his limited minutes in the HockeyAllsvenskan. It looks like the right place for him to develop at his current level – especially since it seems that the J20 has become too trivial for him. There is a lot to love with Björck’s versatility and offensive upside. If all goes according to plan, he projects to be a 3rd line winger who can be a triggerman on a team’s 2nd powerplay unit. (Felix Robbins)

Alex Nyman – Goaltender - Rögle BK J20

It isn’t uncommon for European goaltenders to go undrafted their first go around, especially when you’re as young as Nyman was for the draft class. Despite being and over-ager, Nyman is still young. He won’t turn 19 until the 2025 draft is over due to his august birthday. Not to mention, he didn’t even crack 20 starts at the J20 level last year. This year, Nyman has been getting the lion’s share of starts and typically faces 30+ shots per game. Despite the heavy workload and a GAA of over 3.05, he’s put up a .901 SV% across 23 games so far. Standing at 6-foot-5 tall, Nyman can fill the net pretty well. He is athletic and moves fairly well for his size but could use a touch more lateral quickness. Nyman doesn’t let any daylight through his stick side, both low and high, but is pretty leaky on his glove side. He gives up a ton of goals just above the pad and under the glove, especially when moving that way laterally. There are certainly kinks in his technique that need ironing out. While there is work to be done, at the end of the day, you really can’t teach size. Old and tired of a statement as it may be, it is especially true for goalies. It is easy to talk yourself into spending a late round draft pick on a 6-foot-5 goalie project because of the immense upside if it works out. Nyman is a fine gamble to take in the later rounds of the draft. Stash him away in Sweden and see what you’ve got in a few years. (Felix Robbins)

Gian Meier – Defense - Frölunda J20

Meier made a late push for consideration at the 2024 NHL Draft with a fantastic U18 WJC but ultimately went overlooked in his first year of eligibility. In an effort to take his development into his own hands, Meier left his hometown of Zurich to join the Frölunda HC program in Sweden. While his impact at the pro level has been extremely minimal, Meier has been a standout performer in the J20 in every facet of the game. The toolsy right-hander has stayed true to his game. He displays confidence and poise on puck retrievals, never deferring responsibility to his partner. He makes terrific defensive reads, using his reach and footwork to take away the middle and angling opponents to the outside. Meier makes a great first pass but has the vision and passing ability to look up ice for the long bomb outlet. His straight-line and backwards skating is impressive, though he could surely use some refinement to his lateral agility. There is upside as a puck rusher with Meier, if he can extend the same confidence he has in his defensive game to his puck-carrying game. His offensive contribution is mostly flinging shots from the point, but he has the ability to get them on net through traffic. There were questions about his strength and his coordination last year. Meier seems to not only have put on some weight and grown an inch over the summer, but he looks to be in total command of his body – no more awkwardness. If Rasmus Bergqvist (MTL 2024) is any sort of barometer for overaged defencemen in the J20, Meier has already proven he’s worth a swing in the later rounds of the draft. If he can fill out his body a bit more and put some work into his skating, Meier could become a very solid bottom 4 defensive puck-mover in the NHL one day. (Felix Robbins)

Finland

Benjamin Rautiainen - Wing - Tappara (Liiga)

Benjamin Rautiainen went undrafted in his first two eligible drafts (2023 and 2024). He attended Toronto Maple Leafs’ development camp in summer 2023 as an invited player. He went back to his U20 club in Finland to have a really strong year with a production of 62 points in 36 games. This year will likely be the year that Rautiainen will be drafted in the NHL. He is now playing against men in the Liiga and he is able to put his fair share of points on the board (27 pts in 42 games at the time this was written). He is a strong skater who drives the net as soon as he has the chance. He excels in offensive zone pressure and creates chances for his teammates. He is intelligent with the puck and can play at high pace. Plays with intensity and he is engaged in all three zones. He played for Finland at this year’s World Juniors, and he made his line the most effective of his team. Even though he finished the tournament with only four points in seven games, he highly contributed to Finland's success, including a game-winning goal in overtime in the semifinal against Sweden. I would say he was the most visible and the most dangerous player for Finland during the tournament. In the mid-season NHL Central Scouting ranking, he was ranked as the 41st best European skater and I could see him be picked between the 4th and 6th round. The team that will draft him can hope that Rautiainen could become a middle six versatile forward that can play in different roles up and down the lineup when needed. (Jérémy Rivet)

Niklas Nykyri - Defense - HIFK (Liiga)

Nykyri is entering his second year of draft eligibility. He spent the whole season last year in the U20 in Finland in addition to a good amount of experience at the international level in the U18. This year, he started in the Liiga before getting sent down for one game where he played 21 minutes. After being sent down to U20, he was recalled in the Liiga and his ice time gradually went up and he has stayed at the pro level so far this season. He is a 6-foot-2 left-handed defenseman that has good mobility. He likes to support the attack and to make plays offensively, but it can lead to risky plays. Nykyri has some poise with the puck when under pressure to escape it and start the rush with a good first pass. Defensively, he has a good stick, and he is quite good with his gap control. Not a punishing type of defenseman but he is not afraid to use his body to kill plays and win pucks along the board. He is ranked as the 45th best European skater in the mid-season NHL Central Scouting ranking and I would think that he possesses the qualities to be an effective two-way defenseman in the bottom pairs and more likely as a 5 or 6th defenseman at best with some offensive upside. (Jérémy Rivet)

Daniel Nieminen - Defense - Pelicans (Liiga)

Daniel Nieminen played in the U20 in Finland last season and played 21 games in different international competitions with Finland U18. He was able to produce offensively (29 pts in 37 games), impressive for a defenseman that is not really known for his offensive game. His small size, under 6-foot at the time, was probably the main reason why he went undrafted last draft in his first eligibility year. This year, his game reached a new level. He has now reached what I would call an ‘’average size’’ at 6-foot and he played the whole season so far in the Liiga against men. The best way to describe Nieminen’s game is that he is a two-way left-handed defenseman that has very good mobility and agility in all directions and that competes at a high level on a consistent basis. Despite his smaller size, he can play a physical and aggressive game which makes him hard to beat in one-on-one battles. He also plays with intensity and grit in his own zone and in front of his net to box out players. His mobility and quick change of direction serves him well when he needs to escape pressure behind his net to start the transition. Offensively, he can support the rush and activate from the blue line to keep attacks alive. One aspect that he will need to work on is his decision-making with the puck. Also, he played at the World Juniors in Ottawa for Finland, and he was seeing top four minutes and was used in multiple situations. He played on the penalty kill and sometimes on the powerplay. Nieminen was a trusted defenseman by his coach during the tournament and his game was improving as the tournament went on. He is ranked #62 for European skaters in the mid-season NHL Scouting Central ranking and I could see him being drafted in the later rounds with a depth defenseman potential. (Jérémy Rivet)

Petteri Rimpinen - Goaltender - Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga)

Petteri Rimpinen went undrafted last year, despite a solid second half of the season at pro level in Mestis league, probably because of his size which is borderline small these days for the NHL at 6-foot. He responded this season by putting excellent numbers in the Liiga with a .910 save percentage average (at the time this was written) as the clear number one goalie of his team at only 18 years old. In addition to that, Rimpinen was named best goalie of this year’s World Juniors and he was the big reason Finland went to the final. He played all games for Finland and some people were even talking about him as the possible MVP of the tournament. Rimpinen is excellent with rebound control and puck tracking through traffic. He is the type of goalie that fights for every puck in his crease. He made several crucial saves, including breakaways and key overtime stops, to maintain the lead and allow Finland to win in the semi-final and repeated the same performance during the overtime of the Gold Medal game. His game management was good and gave confidence to his team. His performance at the World Juniors allowed him to be ranked the 4th European goaltender in the NHL Central Scouting’s ranking. His small size can be a disadvantage for him but he counters that argument with good athleticism and a high compete level. (Jérémy Rivet)

Mitja Jokinen - Defense - TPS (Liiga)

Mitja Jokinen is another average-size left-handed two-way defenseman that went undrafted in his first year last season and that made a great impression at the World Juniors this year. For me, Jokinen is a similar type of defenseman as Daniel Nieminen, however less physical but just as competitive and intense. He spent the majority of his last two seasons in the U20 with the TPS program before playing full time in the Liiga this year. He is a player that the Finnish national team had on their roster in every level since the U16 and did pretty well. In today’s NHL, small defensemen that are not incredible offensively or not very physical have a hard time establishing themselves in the league, but every NHL team needs reliable defensemen that can move the puck and that can be trusted when they are on the ice and that is what Jokinen has shown so far. The 5-foot-11 defenseman was a big part of Finland's success at the last World Juniors in Ottawa with him having an average ice-time of about 18 minutes as well as playing more than 20 minutes in the gold medal game against the United States. Jokinen can be described as a smart and shifty puck-moving defenceman who thinks the game at a high level. Jokinen is shifty on his edges, avoids pressure with fakes and cutbacks and also throws a fair bit of deception behind his breakout passes. On retrievals, he’s both poised and fast-paced depending on what the situation calls for. He can be used on the penalty kill and against the best players on the other side. Like I said, he is not the type of guy that will throw big hits and punish the opponents, but he is not afraid to use his body and engage in puck battles in the corner. If I had to make a projection for him right now, I would say that he could be a depth defenseman that can come in and out of the lineup and depending on how his offensive game will develop at the pro level, he could be in a top 6 on a consistent basis. (Jérémy Rivet)

Roope Vesterinen - Wing - HPK (Liiga)

After a disappointing season last year production-wise with 11 points in 27 in the U20 in Finland, Roope Vesterinen started this season strong in the U20 with nine points in the first seven games of the season. This hot start allowed him to be called up in the Liiga and he hasn’t looked back since then. Vesterinen just turned 19 years old in January and he is averaging above 0.50 point per game so far in Finland’s top pro league. His average ice-time really went up since November with him playing around 15 minutes on average which is very good for a rookie. Also, he is contributing in various roles during games as he sees ice both on the powerplay and on the penalty kill. The best way to describe his game is that Vesterinen is a speedy winger who uses his quickness to create chances for himself and his teammates. At 5-foot-10, he is obviously not the biggest, but he is not afraid to jump in the traffic as one of his strengths is his play around the net and how good he is at taking rebounds and scoring close to the blue paint. Almost all of his goals this season were scored from the slot. Vesterinen played for Finland at the World Juniors in Ottawa but was only in the lineup for the two first games and had limited ice time. Despite that, he was able to showcase his versatility, his engagement defensively and how he is able to play a more responsible and defensive/checking role. Roope Vesterinen could be a candidate to be drafted in the last rounds of the draft and the question will be if he can improve his puck handling and the pace at which he makes plays to allow him to pass to the next level. I would not be surprised if he goes undrafted again but receives an invitation to an NHL development camp during the summer. (Jérémy Rivet)

Topias Hynninen - Center - Jukurit (Liiga)

Topias Hynninen has just turned 19 years old, and he has seen action in the Liiga for the third straight season this year. His offensive production was disappointing last season, but he has really found another gear this season with 31 points in 46 games so far playing for the team that is at the bottom of the standings. He is the third point producer of Jukurit and he has played close to 20 minutes every night since November. At the World Juniors, he was a healthy scratch for the first game against Canada but was inserted on the first line with Helenius and Rautiainen and their line was probably the most dangerous consistently during the tournament for Finland. Hynninen is primarily an excellent playmaker and, despite his smaller size at 5-foot-10, he plays with a lot of energy. He possesses excellent vision and great skating ability. With his energy and tenacity, he is effective on the forecheck and causes many turnovers because of that. Hynninen is dangerous on the power play, and he can beat defense with a saucer pass, backhand saucer feeds and long-range slip passes. He is also engaged defensively and made smart plays to help his team in transition. He can advance the play with one-touch feeds in transition and prefers to play a give-and-go style most of the time. He’s got a really advanced sense of positioning away from the puck and is always involved in the play. Topias Hynninen has decent offensive upside that makes him an interesting option at the draft. He also has the hockey IQ to be able to adapt in a more utility role on a bottom 6 which makes his versatility even more attractive for a team that is looking for that kind of player later in the draft. (Jérémy Rivet)

Arttu Alasiurua - Center - Kärpä (Liiga)

Arttu Alasiurua has entered his third year of eligibility for the NHL draft. He will turn 20 years old early in February and time is starting to run out for him to make a good impression. He had a strong year last season in the U20 with 62 points in 41 games and he played some games in the pro level in the Liiga and in the Mestis. This season, he is playing full-time in the Liiga but he is still trying to find his offensive game. Despite his difficulty to produce, he shows great ability to adapt to a more defensive role. That is an aspect of his game that I really like from him at the World Juniors this year. He was an important element for Finland for defensive missions and a great penalty killer. He scored a goal on the PK in the preliminary round against the United States and ended the tournament with 4 points (3 goals and 1 assist) in 7 games. Alasiurua has impressive speed and puck handling, and he uses these two abilities to create scoring chances. Arttu Alasiurua also possesses high-end playmaking skills; he can create high-quality looks for his linemates often from out of nowhere. He is particularly effective at turning loose puck retrievals and forechecking steals into offence. The 6-foot center could be a good candidate for a team that is looking for a versatile role player with great skating and playmaking skills in the later rounds. (Jérémy Rivet)

Tuomas Suoniemi - Center - Kiekko-Espoo (SM-Sarja U20)

After scoring 120 points in 38 games in the U16 in the 2021-2022 season, Suoniemi’s production slowed down as he moved up the levels of Finnish hockey. This combined with his small stature was probably two factors that scared the scouts in his draft year last season. Suoniemi played most of his games last year in the U20, but also spent some time in the U18 and in Mestis. He also played 13 international games with Finland U18 where he ended up with 11 points in 13 games. This year is his third season in the U20 where he is averaging more than a point per game. The 5-foot-10 center played 6 international games with Finland before the World Juniors but he was not able to make his way to the roster that played in Ottawa. There is no denying Suoniemi’s soft skill. When he has time and space to operate, the passing and vision shine as he uses subtle fakes to open up space on the inside. He also possesses quick hands that he can use to win pucks, beat opponents one-on-one or set up teammates with precise passes. He is the kind of player that is offensive-minded and that likes to control the puck in the offensive zone. When he is on the powerplay, he is the one who controls most of the play and he is a constant threat as he can beat the opposition with a pass or with a shot. However, on the defensive side, he will need to be careful to not cheat in the defensive zone and be more responsible even if the defensive game will not be his role. His compete level will have to be more consistent as well, because sometimes he can showcase tenacity on the forecheck and in puck battles but sometimes he is easy to play against. (Jérémy Rivet)

Russia

Roman Luttsev - Center - Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)

Roman Luttsev had a solid season in the MHL last year putting up 27 points in 36 games but was largely overshadowed on a stacked Loko team. This year many of those stars have moved up to the pros, leaving an open spot for a new leader and Roman has stepped up to become Loko’s new game breaker. At the time of this article he is second in MHL in points with 57 in 45 games played. He has looked like an offensive dynamo in juniors and during his 3 games in the KHL he has shown that he can play a bottom 6 grinding role as well.

Luttsev is a skilled and speedy forward with great problem solving abilities. He performs very well under pressure, faking out opponents and working his way to space with ease when challenged with the puck. He makes great decisions, quickly finding the best possible option and moving the puck on time before the opportunity is lost. He has a heavy wrist shot which he is able to get off his stick quickly using a deceptive release that fools goalies with how quickly he can elevate the puck.

In the MHL, defensive effort and physicality were question marks at times. I felt that he did not give his best effort and mostly floated around the zone rather than engage in battles. In his most recent KHL game, many of these doubts were put to rest for me. He received 11 minutes of ice time and was very involved on the defensive side of the puck. He was constantly first to 50/50 battles and positioned himself well to make an impact in his own end.

Luttsev has developed into a highly skilled, smart, hardworking, lightning-fast player who has shown the ability to contribute on both sides of the puck. He is still a work in progress but he will soon be a consistent KHLer worth a selection in a late round of this draft.

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Kucherov-esque one touch pass sets up the easiest goal imaginable for his teammate.

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Not the prettiest goal but look at the wheels as he flies into the zone and cuts hard to the net.

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On his stick, off his stick. (Henry Lawrence)

Magomed Sharakanov - Defense - Lada Togliatti (KHL)

Sharakanov is an interesting case. I was a big fan of him in his first year eligible, but after he was passed up on in the draft he kind of fell into the background playing well in the VHL but not good enough to be worth a pick in his 19-year-old season either. Now, in his final year of eligibility, Magomed has exploded in the KHL as one of the top young defenders after being loaned to Lada for the season. He has scored highlight reel goals, set up high danger chances, and played lock up defense. He finally seems to have developed into the player we saw glimpses of a few seasons ago.

Magomed is a big, strong, two-way defenseman with smooth footwork, good puck handling, and an impressive ability to win battles. He moves very well, flying up and down the ice and pulling off some agile dance moves around defenders when the puck is on his stick. He is incredibly smooth and able to walk the line with ease, around opponents and into space. He is very creative with the puck, pulling off skilled dangles around opponents and deep into the offensive zone to set up chances.

He can pull his weight offensively, but the defensive end is where I have been most impressed with Magomed’s game. He is always in great position to help shut down chances and is fantastic at stripping pucks in battles. He takes fantastic angles to challenge opponents, using his body to separate them from the puck and quickly move pucks up ice. He gaps up well in transition and has great timing with his step ups. He has a big, sturdy frame which he uses well to shut down plays along the boards with big hits, quickly getting a stick on the puck to win back possession for his team.

Magomed has shown exceptional play on both sides of the puck and should be heavily considered as a pick in the 2025 draft.

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Great step up in transition. Gets the initial poke off and then follows up with a second attack of pokes and shoves his man to the ice for good measure.

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I like this effort. Magomed pinches aggressively and battles for possession. He continues to fight despite falling to the ice and makes stays composed from his knees to complete the pass to his teammate which sets up a dangerous look.

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Fake shot drops the defender, then a quick cut around and a bullet into the back of the net. (Henry Lawrence)

Timofei Zhulin - Wing - Bars Kazan (VHL)

Zhulin was one of my favorite players from last season and I was honestly very surprised that no teams took a swing at him in a later round. The lack of consistent production last year was definitely a major factor in this but every time I watched one of his games, I saw high energy play on both sides of the puck, a high paced style of play, the skill and the brains to escape difficult situations, and countless chances set up with his passing (often left unfinished by his teammates even with an open net)

This season Zhulin has spent most of his time in the VHL and has even been given some opportunities at the KHL level. In the first half of this season, he was on fire. He was racking up points night after night and bringing the same level of intensity and desire to win possession from his opponent through hard work and physical battles along the boards.

He is talented offensively, able to pull off moves around opponents and finish his chances in tight to the net. I think he would be more of a bottom 6 forward in the NHL but has the talent to put pucks in the back of the net and create through his passing. His speed has allowed him to create countless breakaway and odd man rush opportunities in transition. He is active in the defensive zone, positioning himself to take away lanes and explodes after loose pucks to secure possession for his team.

The biggest concern that still lingers for me is consistency. In the second half of this season, his production has slowed a bit and his motor is not at the same level in each game, but I still see the same upside as before. He is an incredibly hard-working player who pushes pace when the puck is on his stick and forces opponents onto their heels when he gets moving up ice. His development has progressed very well and he looks like he will be a consistent KHLer next season. I see Zhulin as a potential bottom six game changer well worth a swing in the late rounds of the 2025 draft.

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Wheels on the breakaway and nice finish inside.

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Insanely skilled toe drag reception around man and slips the puck back door to set up his teammate for a tap in.

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Skilled drag move and takes off around boards, attempts to move puck to teammate in slot, maneuvers around 2 opponents behind the net and is able to get the puck to his teammate despite tight pressure. (Henry Lawrence)

Czechia

Tomáš Galvas - Defence - Bílí Tygři Liberec (Czechia)

Galvas was one of the most surprising omissions in the last draft. He entered the season as a safe mid-round pick, even attended the NHL Scouting Combine, yet still went undrafted. Now he has a second chance to earn a shot with an NHL team. The main concerns with Galvas are the lack of size and the overall translatability of his game to an NHL level. He's an elite skater, smooth, quick and agile, likes carrying the puck, joining the rush and creating chances. His vision and hockey sense are great and he is not a defensive liability, but as a 5-foot-10 defenceman, his path to the NHL is quite difficult. Galvas needs to put on a lot of muscle to be able to withstand physical battles with stronger and meaner forwards. He's a dynamic offensive creator, but the lack of physicality and a weaker frame definitely won't help him. However, Galvas does have a lot of potential and it's worth spending a late round pick on him. He's able to hold his own in one of the best professional leagues in Europe, had a strong World Juniors, the upside makes him an intriguing pick even with the obstacles. (Matej Deraj)

Jaromír Pérez - Left Wing - Bílí Tygři Liberec (Czechia)

Pérez made a huge leap forward this year and has played some great hockey with Liberec recently. He's a double overager, but it seems like he has elevated his game to another level. He put on some muscle, plays a stronger game despite his average size (6-foot-0, 179 pounds) and possesses some decent offensive instincts. He's skilled and smart, able to create chances and carry the puck. He's scored some impressive solo goals in his career. Pérez is an interesting player, he doesn't have a super high ceiling but may be worth a flyer - he's been playing on a first line in Czech top tier league with decent production and made some significant steps compared to the previous years. He has an interesting background - his father is Spanish, Jaromír was born in Barcelona and actually started his hockey career there. (Matej Deraj)

Austria

Adrian Gesson - Center/Wing - Red Bull Juniors (AlpsHL)

A September 13th birthday, Gesson was one of the youngest players available for last year’s draft and there was little reason to know who he was after a strong, but unspectacular Austrian U20 season and 16 pointless games with the AlpsHL Red Bull Junior affiliate as a 17-year-old. As such, in what has essentially been his first full season as a draft-eligible, his captaincy of the Red Bull Junior team combined with 13 usually fabulous goals in 40 games should be drawing the attention of the scouting community considering Gesson’s mature game and regular ability to be at the right place at the right time, showing an X factor around goal and in the slot. His play has been impressive enough to see him get a call-up to powerhouse Salzburg of the ICEHL. Should be the type of import player CHL or USHL clubs are looking at for next season. (Chapin Landvogt)

Germany

Elias Pul - Center/Wing - Blue Devils Weiden (DEL2)

Pul started off the year as the hottest U19 player in Germany’s pro ranks. His eight goals and 11 points in his first 26 DEL2 contests for a league newbie had him atop the chart for U21 players in the country. However, he has slowed down considerably since. We had him pegged as Germany’s top prospect for the 2024 draft, but a season full of learning and facing adversity plagued his draft year. Now he’s bringing skill, anticipation, and a jumpy joie de vivre to the table, becoming a hot topic for DEL teams. Admittedly, we expected more from his WJC than we got, often being the team’s 13th forward, but the coaching staff didn’t hesitate to make use of him throughout the line-up, as a jack of all trades up front. Clearly though, he’s going to need to have a huge second half to his season in order garner continued draft interest, turning 19 in mid-May. (Chapin Landvogt)

Nick Maul - Wing - Kaufbeuren Jokers (DEL2)

We noticed Maul a few summers back at a U17 summer challenge in Czechia. Although small, he was sturdy and incredibly smart with the puck, showing the keen ability to out wait opponents in some cases, or dart right past them in others. He then had a very quiet draft year, never becoming a topic of interest while being solid at the Austrian U20 level and for the U18 team that gained promotion at the D1A level. Now he’s playing serious pro hockey and raising some eyebrows. Kicking things off with the Red Bull Juniors (4 assists in 7 games), he was quickly called up into the DEL line-up for Munich and now plays with the organization’s DEL2 squad Kaufbeuren, collecting eight points in 19 games. His inclusion on the U20 team was pleasant, if not downright surprising, seeing him assume a regular shift on the 3rd and then 2nd lines, being a key in the relegation game with an assist and whilst then screening the Kazakh goalie on the game winner. There’s a Michael Amadio style player here for the later rounds - thick, compact build to boot. (Chapin Landvogt)

Edwin Tropmann - Defense - Bad Nauheim (DEL2)

Tropmann is an average-sized righty shot defenseman who we’ve had on the map since he was 16 and found himself in the Ovechkin spot of his team’s first power play unit at the U18 Worlds. He then had a very quiet draft year and followed that up with a nice DY+1 season that lacked international showings. This has changed this winter as he captained Team Germany at the WJC and put up 4 points in the tournament while being on the ice for all the major assignments. He’s also spent this season taking a regular shift in the DEL2 and has seen seven games of stat-free action in the DEL. Word is that a few USHL teams are doing their darndest to get him overseas by February, meaning he could strut his stuff at the proper level just in time for draft consideration. (Chapin Landvogt)

Switzerland

Alain Graf - Center - SC Bern (NL)

Graf’s rise this season has been a plus for the Swiss scene. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound righty shot forward put up 7 points in two U20 league games before getting called up to the NL for a long stretch. A good block of 15 or so games saw him get in some solid 4th line minutes and since then, he’s been trekking it between the NL (3 points in 32 games) and SL, where he’s been logging 14+ minutes a night and has six points in nine games. More importantly, Graf has shown a combination of some acute offensive acumen and the embracement of the defensive side of his position. He also kicked off the WJC as the Swiss’ number one center and even if his one assist and -4 rating were underwhelming, he was there to face the other nation’s top lines, in a 3rd line capacity once the playoffs rolled around. He’ll need to conclude the season on a strong note, but he’s been a notable U20 player in a top European league. (Chapin Landvogt)

Rafael Meier - Wing - EHC Kloten (NL)

We’ve made a point of discussing Meier this season as the 6-foot 19-year-old has forced his way into the conversation after slipping through the grid a bit the past two seasons, where injuries were involved. All season long, he’s been one of the NL’s top U21 players having gone 5-9-13 and +8 in 44 games for Kloten. That has him tied for thirrd overall among U21 scorers in the league although he’s played at least 5 fewer games than the scorers above him due to his WJC participation, which was admittedly very quiet with zero points and a -3 rating, going from a 2nd to a 3rd line role in the course of the event. In pro play, we’ve seen a lot of jump and smarts in Meier’s game, often ready to play it rough ‘n tumble when necessary. Generally strong down low on the power play, he has shown a deceptive wrist shot throughout the season. We - and his team - expect a strong finish to the season if he intends on being a draft candidate. (Chapin Landvogt)

Ludvig Johnson - Defense - EV Zug (NL)

The Swiss U20 league’s top offensive defenseman to begin the season, the half-Swedish Johnson has gone from junior blueline all-rounder to being a man on the rise for EV Zug. Called up in late October, he’s now gotten into 30 NL games, going 4-6-10 with a +5 along the way. Perhaps more telling has been how he’s regularly gotten 10+ minutes of ice time, even topping 18 minutes of play several times this season. At the WJC, he advanced to Switzerland’s top pairing, going from just under 14 minutes of ice time in Game 1 to 22:22 in the quarterfinal against the USA. Just 6-foot and 180 pounds, Johnson is sneaky good with the stick, has an ever-improving shot, and has the skating to be a plus factor, even against senior level players. Also important is that Johnson is still just 18 and will be until after next summer’s draft, although this is his DY+1. We’re convinced that he’s a hot overage topic for NHL teams. (Chapin Landvogt)

Eric Schneller - Defense - Geneva (NL)

Another mid-sized defenseman armed with a righty-shot, 19-year-old Schneller brings a decent amount of mobility to the table and spent this past season seeing his role grow incrementally throughout the year, depending on what personnel was available. Telling was a stretch of five games at the end of January when he saw anywhere from 15:03 to 21:33 minutes of play, albeit while his team dropped five straight contests. With the playoffs out of the picture despite winning seven of the final nine contests, Schneller ultimately saw a rough average of 10 minutes of TOI when all was said and done. Ultimately, after three full seasons in Rögle’s junior program and a fairly strong showing at the 2023 U18 Worlds, Schneller has taken the next step in his development with 5 points and a -6 rating (middle of the road on his non-playoff team). He promptly joined Geneva's U20 squad for the playoffs, putting up four points in five games in a disappointing first round ouster. His thee points in five WJC contests was good for fiftth on the team as he saw between 13-19 minutes of TOI as a clear top 4 defenseman. Half Swedish, Schneller is expected to take on a bigger role next season while bringing yeoman work in all three zones. (Chapin Landvogt)

2024 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Biggest Risers for the 2024 NHL Draft

Brock Otten — Sun, 05 May 2024 22:15:31 +0000

ESPOO, FINLAND - MAY 5: Canada's Carter George #30 and USAÕs Kamil Bednarik #11 look on during Gold Medal Game action at the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Metro Arena on May 5, 2024 in Espoo, Finland. (Photo by Andr Ringuette/IIHF)

The 2024 IIHF World Under 18 Championships have concluded. What a wild ride it was! Canada/USA did not disappoint as a gold medal final, with Canada using a five-minute major to Trevor Connelly to springboard them to victory. Meanwhile, the Swedes recovered from a slow start to the tournament to capture Bronze, their sixth straight medal at the U18’s. Perhaps the biggest story of this event was how future NHL draft prospects and underage players took over the event. James Hagens broke the tournament scoring record. Porter Martone and Gavin McKenna starred for Canada. The pesky, young Slovaks surprised by making the bronze medal game. This was supposed to be a springboard for 2024 draft eligibles but ended up being one for 2025 and 2026 eligibles.

While it is important to not be hyper reactive to a single tournament as a scouting team, there were certainly some individual players whose performances helped to increase their draft stock as we commence the discussion of our final rankings and as the 2024 Draft in Vegas draws near. This is only one small piece of the puzzle; what players have done previous to this tournament is still important, however you cannot overlook the positive performances of some players against many of the best players in the age group. This article aims to highlight several players who elevated their draft stock with strong performances. It excludes players who entered the tournament already extremely highly regarded (such as Tij Iginla or Konsta Helenius), instead focusing on those who had room to “move up.”

Teddy Stiga - USA

Stiga’s rise this year has been fairly steady. He’s been improving month after month, and as such, so has his draft ranking. One of the U.S.’ most integral complementary scorers around James Hagens and Cole Eiserman, Stiga has been a model of consistency at the last few major tournaments. A lot of his success this year has come from improvements made to his skating ability. A high-end processor and playmaker, Stiga looks the part of a future NHL player. Even without some of those high-end physical tools, he has likely put himself in first round consideration after yet another strong performance.

Cole Hutson - USA

Evaluating Hutson in the second half of the year has been tough due to injury, so he really needed to come into this tournament and have a strong performance. He did just that, capturing the tournament’s top defender award. He oozed confidence with the puck in the offensive, consistently keeping plays alive with his feet and ability to escape pressure. Best of all, Hutson was more than adequate defensively too. I’m not sure that he’s a first-round pick given the strength of this defensive crop, but Hutson’s rebound from injury has to have cemented his status as a top 50 selection.

Brodie Ziemer - USA

We’ve been pretty lukewarm on Ziemer this year as a scouting agency. The captain of the US’s U18 team, Ziemer is unquestionably a solid player, but we struggled to see significant upside as an NHL player. However, Ziemer was absolutely fantastic at the U18’s, showing even more offensively than he had previously, playing with Hagens and Stiga. The attention to detail away from the puck and effort remained consistent, but he was much more of a factor on the puck, creating through the cycle and with speed through the neutral zone. This is a player NHL scouts are going to like earlier than the amateur scouting community.

Max Plante - USA

Max has been another team USA member that we’ve been a bit hesitant with so far this year. Similar to his brother Zam, we’ve struggled with the kind of role that he’d play at the NHL level. However, much like Ziemer, Plante impressed playing a scoring line role alongside Cole Eiserman at this event. He showed well because of an attacking mentality; consistently around the puck, working hard to earn touches. At this point, Max has to be a lock to be drafted ahead of his brother Zam (150th in 2022).

EJ Emery - USA

Emery has been a borderline first round prospect for us all year, but his play at this event may have cemented that status. I really liked Emery’s play with the puck at the U18’s; it was unquestionably the most confident that he has looked this season as an offensive player. Point production will never be his bread and butter; he’s a future defensive stalwart. However, it was great to see progress in areas of his game that were previously very inconsistent. Emerging as a two-way stud, and given his impressive athleticism, Emery should be a first-round selection in Vegas.

Heikki Ruohonen - Finland

Committed to Harvard for next year, Ruohonen is an athletic, power center who had a very impressive tournament for the hosts. With good size and skating ability, in combination with physicality and strong three zone awareness, Ruohonen has a solid projection as an NHL player in some capacity. As he showed in this tournament, his offensive skill set has improved a lot over the course of the year. He could be flying under the radar right now because he hasn’t played above the U20 level in order to keep his NCAA commitment.

Tuomas Suoniemi - Finland

After failing to appear on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking for 2024, Suoniemi had a very strong tournament for Finland, oftentimes outperforming star Konsta Helenius as a play driver. Suoniemi’s league play this year has left a lot to be desired, but you cannot argue with his performances internationally. At the very least, he’s likely put himself on a similar level to a guy like Alex Zetterberg. They have parallels as undersized players without high end physical tools, however, they also have great offensive upside as they mature.

Mitja Jokinen - Finland

This was supposed to be the breakout tournament for Aron Kiviharju, after he returned from a lengthy injury. However, it was Jokinen who ended up being Finland’s most impressive defender. He showed a ton of poise with the puck and was confident jumping up in the rush to help create offense for the hosts. He’s not huge, but he was essentially what Kiviharju was supposed to be here.

Mathias Dehli - Norway

Dehli was outstanding for Norway in helping them remain competitive in the round robin, in addition to staving off relegation. He showed a really mature, complete game and drove pace from the middle of the ice. Coming into the U18’s, he was probably a long shot to be selected. After? He’s improved his odds considerably.

Jett Luchanko - Canada

How could you not be impressed by the Guelph Storm center? We’ve been telling you how good Luchanko is all season long, and his performance at this event should have cemented his status as a first-round pick. There’s so much to like about his game, but Luchanko’s vision and defensive play really stuck out at the U18’s. Lately, the media have been using Nick Suzuki as a comparable and I believe that Suzuki is a good representation of Luchanko’s high end upside.

Harrison Brunicke - Canada

The U18’s started off pretty rough for Brunicke. He struggled in the opening games with his puck management. However, it was important to remember that he was coming off of an injury and hadn’t played in a while. By the end of the tournament, Brunicke was one of Canada’s best defenders. His work on the penalty kill was phenomenal and integral to Canada’s success. Similar to a player like EJ Emery, Brunicke’s size and athleticism give him a ton of runway to improve.

Frankie Marrelli - Canada

Coming into the tournament, I wasn’t confident Marrelli would be drafted. I’ve always liked his play, but I’ve also struggled with his future role at the NHL level. While I do still see some projection issues, you’d be hard pressed to argue that Marrelli wasn’t impressive at the U18’s. He was a rock defensively, bringing physicality and strong rush defense to the table. Scouts will wish he were bigger given that he projects as more of a defensive type, but he has improved his draft odds considerably.

Cole Beaudoin - Canada

Don’t look at the stat sheet. Beaudoin’s value to Canada was enormous, even if he wasn’t among the team’s leading scorers. In the medal round he was among Canada’s ice time leaders and his attention to detail in the defensive end needs to be highlighted. It seemed like Beaudoin was always around the puck, generating or preventing chances. Yeah, his skating isn’t the prettiest. But, he’s a physical freak with a chance at a long NHL career.

Carter George - Canada

What else can you say about George, the tournament’s top netminder…other than he was outstanding. He was a model of consistency all tournament long and then he stood on his head to keep Canada in the gold medal game at a time when all hope looked lost. George may not have the ideal size of today’s NHL netminder, but he’s got everything else. He’s been our top ranked netminder all season long and nothing is going to change that now.

Gian Meier - Switzerland

This tournament was supposed to highlight the play of Leon Muggli and Daniil Ustinkov, two highly regarded Swiss defenders. Muggli ended up getting hurt and Ustinkov was only average, opening up the door for Meier to be a defensive leader for the Swiss. His size and mobility combination is impressive from the right side. He had some beautiful rushes in the tournament and really improved his chances of being selected in Vegas.

Linus Eriksson - Sweden

The captain for Sweden, Eriksson was the team’s most consistent forward, stepping up in key situations for them. He excelled on both sides of the puck and really drove play below the goal line. His vision and playmaking stood out positively and he has definitely helped his odds of becoming an NHL first round selection in June.

Alfons Freij - Sweden

I thought that it was a disastrous start for Freij at the event. Quite frankly, he was quite bad the first few games. However, he seemed to get better every game and he saved his best performances for the medal round. We’ve had Freij locked into our first round all season long and that’s not quite to change. However, after this tournament, I would guess many NHL scouting teams have moved Freij up their lists thanks to his ability to create chances in the offensive end.

Lucas Pettersson - Sweden

Sweden’s best player in the Bronze Medal game, Pettersson got better as the tournament went on. Once Alex Zetterberg went down to injury, I felt Pettersson really stepped up his game. His speed made him a very dangerous player in transition and he showed a great knack for finding soft spots in the offensive zone in order to use his big shot. Could be a coin flip as to whether Eriksson or Pettersson gets drafted first.

Leo Sahlin Wallenius - Sweden

One of the tournament leaders in ice time, Sahlin Wallenius was a rock for Sweden. He wasn’t as flashy or productive as Freij, but he was way more consistent at both ends. Previously, I’ve found Sahlin Wallenius’ off puck play and on puck decision making to be very inconsistent, but that wasn’t the case at this event. He was as steady as can be. I still prefer Freij’s upside, but I’m coming around on Sahlin Wallenius as a potential two-way NHL defender.

2024 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: GROUP A – Team Previews – Players to Watch

Steven Graves — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 14:14:23 +0000

Cole Eiserman. Photo courtesy of the USNTDP. Rena Laverty.

The annual U18 World Championship begins this year on April 25th, and it is to be hosted in Espoo and Vantaa, Finland. Group A is on the weaker side, with last year's gold medalist’s the United States and the host Finland as the favourite’s to top the group this time around.
The Americans and their NTDP roster as the odds-on favourites to take home gold. Unfortunately, the other three teams in the group don’t really have rosters to compete with the Americans and the Finns. Slovakia has the best chance at being a sleeper to maybe pull off an upset, but without a strong ‘06 class of players it’s going to be a tough ask. Norway and Latvia will fight for which team will play in relegation, but they will boast some young up-and-coming talents that will be great to see play in a tournament like this.

United States

The United States are coming into the U18’s with the expectations of a gold medal or bust. Last year's gold medalists in Basel, Switzerland are looking to repeat as winners for the first time since 2015. Ever since the implementation of the NTDP, the US have come into the U18’s as heavy favourites, this year is no different. With two years of chemistry under their belts, and a roster that is comprised of many promising talents, it’s easy to see why it’s expected year in and out that the nation brings home the gold medal at this event. This roster isn’t as potent offensively as last years but there are still many players to look out for when the puck drops against Slovakia.

Top Players to Watch

James Hagens - F

One of the few returning players for the American roster this year. After potting a goal and five points last year, Hagens is poised to build on that this year as “the guy” for this American squad. Hagens was undoubtedly the best player on the USNTDP this season, putting up an impressive 79 points in 50 games at the program. Hagens is a play driver through and through and if America wants to win gold, they’ll need Hagens at the top of his game. Hagens isn’t even NHL draft eligible until 2025, where he is the early favorite to go #1 overall. Doing well at this tournament will only solidify that notion.

Cole Eiserman - F

Although Eiserman had a very good year statistically, he has seen himself fall down draft boards throughout the year. Fair or not, Eiserman is undoubtedly the US squad’s best goal scorer, and the Americans will need the sharpshooter Eiserman to be firing on all cylinders throughout the entire tournament if the team plans to go far. His 118 goals in the past two seasons as a member of the NTDP is a testament to his goal scoring prowess. Eiserman ranks second all-time in the program's history, next to only Cole Caufield’s 126.

Logan Hensler - D

Hensler is the rock on this USA blueline, he is a defender that can log heavy minutes and impose himself offensively, defensively and physically. He is one of the more notable defensive prospects eligible for next year's NHL draft and a big tournament here in Finland can really go a long way in establishing that narrative in the eyes of scouts. The University of Wisconsin commit is currently seen as one of, if not the best defender in the 2025 NHL draft class. Expect a great tournament out of the big defender.

Trevor Connelly - F

Connelly just enjoyed a fantastic sophomore season in the USHL for Tri City as a draft eligible, where he put up 31 goals and 78 points in only 52 games. Connelly is going to provide that offense for this American team in this tournament on top of bringing a physical element in the top-6 that they desperately need. Expect him to slot in on the teams second line next to underage talent LJ Mooney and Teddy Stiga. Expect Connelly to come out swinging because he has the talent to be a top-10 selection in this draft, so playing and producing with and against the best of his peers at this tournament will be a big step to achieve that.

Cole Hutson - D

Cole Hutson, younger brother of Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson came into the year with a ton of hype behind him after a fantastic season with the U18 USNTDP as an underager, unfortunately it has been a year of ups and downs for Cole who has failed to replicate a fantastic U17 season. Hutson is one of three returning players from last year’s U18 team that won gold, in which he led the whole tournament in scoring from the blueline with 12 points in seven games. Hutson will be manning the first power play this year as well so expect similar offensive totals as last year for the blueliner.

Teddy Stiga - F

Stiga is undoubtedly the most improved player on this US roster from this time last year. Stiga, a Boston College commit, went from a bottom-6 energy role with the NTDP last year, putting up only 21 points in 49 games, to a guy that is relied upon to be a scorer in the top-6 this season. He has seen a 44-point increase from this season to last and has really rocketed up draft boards as a result. This tournament will be a big test for Stiga to really cement his place as a potential first round selection in the upcoming NHL draft.

LJ Mooney - F

The underage Mooney was a late addition to this U18 NTDP class. The undersized forward didn’t have a great offensive season with the U17 national team but after a late season call up to the U18 team, he really started to show off his offensive game after getting fed top-6 minutes. He is the only underager on the US roster. Although we have seen some impressive performances from underagers in the past for the US, don’t expect that to be the case this year, with only Mooney providing hope in that regard.

Finland

Finland come into this tournament as hosts of the event, and because of it, expectations are sky-high for this team. Up front, the roster will be led by top 2024 NHL draft prospect Konsta Helenius. He will be the heartbeat for this team. Helenius will be doing a lot of the heavy lifting on offense with help from potential first round pick Emil Hemming joining in on the fun as well. On defence, the long-awaited return of Aron Kiviharju will be the big talking point here - we finally get to see him in game speed after missing almost the entire year to injury. Veeti Väisänen should provide some solid two-way play on the blueline as well. A weak division means their only real challenger should be the United States, so anything less than second in the group will be seen as a disappointment.

Top Players to Watch

Konsta Helenius - F

After a monster season in Finland’s highest men's league with Jukurit, posting 36 points in 51 games in the regular season and another six in as many games in the playoffs - Helenius is looking to lead the Finns to a gold medal here on home ice. Although Helenius has seen his stock drop a bit since the middle part of the season, he is absolutely a player that can, and will carry his team to victory. He is Finlands best offensive weapon and will be deployed as such throughout the tournament. Helenius is a name many NHL clubs will have interest in, especially teams picking in the lottery, so eyes will be on him to perform on home ice.

Aron Kiviharju - D

After missing almost his entire draft season to injury, Kiviharju comes into the U18’s with one goal. Play as well as possible to salvage his draft stock. Scouts will be flocking to the games Kiviharju plays to get a good look at where he is at after his injury. This tournament is a massive test for Kiviharju who at one point in time was seen as one of the top talents for the 2024 draft. Although Kiviharju is small, he is one of the most electrifying offensive blueliners eligible for the 2024 draft. He will man the first power play for the Finns and will be a big reason as to why Finland will see success at this tournament.

Emil Hemming - F

Hemming is a power forward that is seen as a potential first round selection in the 2024 NHL draft. He played the entire year in the Liiga with TPS against men and is a guy Finland is really going to rely upon for offensive contribution throughout the tournament. Expect Finland to put him in a position to succeed, as Hemming has a fantastic release so expect the Finns to have him shooting as much as possible during the event.

Veeti Väisänen - D

Väisänen has a lot to prove at the U18’s this year, he is a guy who came into the year as a guy who could potentially see himself get first round consideration, but as the year progressed Väisänen saw himself slide down rankings as one question started to come up. “What can Väisänen be in the NHL?” Even though Väisänen spent the entire year playing in the Liiga, he still has major question marks to his talent level and potential. If he sees himself have a big tournament at both ends of the rink, he is a player that can absolutely shoot up draft rankings as a result.

Jonna Saarelainen - F

The 5’9” Saarelainen may not be a player many NHL teams will be interested in come draft time but he has been one of the best, and highest scoring players in this Finnish age group. Saarelainen is an excellent puck mover and can get the puck to teammates in the most difficult circumstances. He can help propel his linemates and set up shoot first players for excellent scoring opportunities. He should be a fun player to watch at this tournament.

Tuomas Suoniemi - F

Finland’s highest scoring player at the Hlinka Gretzky hopes to rebound here at the U18’s after a disappointing draft season. Suoniemi, who played the season in Espoo, for the teams U20 team only had 26 points in 29 games. Although Suoniemi has been seen as one of the top talents in his age group for Finland, it seems he may have stagnated in his growth. This tournament will provide an excellent opportunity to prove this narrative wrong.

Slovakia

Slovakia comes into the event with one of the weirdest rosters. While most teams are poised to be led by the 2006 age group - the Slovaks, after a weak 2006 born crop of players, are expected to see their best players come from their 2007 born age group. Up front, expect the offense to be led by Michal Svrcek, Tobias Tomik Jan Chovan and Tomas Popezal - all of which have impressed on the U18 national team at different points this season. Simon Nemec’s younger brother, Adam also made the roster this time around, too. On defense, expect Luka Radivojevic to lead the charge with fellow 2007 born Patryk Zubek and Samuel Kupec as names to keep an eye on as well. Overall, this is a really young roster - one that may not see a medal but one that is more developing and preparing for next season.

Top Players to Watch

Luka Radivojevic - D

Radivojevic comes into the tournament as one of the most promising Slovakian defenders in recent memory. He is a rare talent that played at the U20 WJC before the U18 World Championship. The 2007 born Radivojevic played the year in Sweden in Orebro’s program where he put up an impressive 33 points in 43 games in Sweden’s U20 league. He played so well in fact; he was able to get into six games in the SHL. One of only three U17 players to get that honor this season. Expect Radivojevic to be a big part of Slovakia's success at this tournament.

Michal Svrcek - F

Svrcek, another 2007 born has been one of Slovakia’s best players at the U18 level this season - putting up 19 points in 14 games throughout various tournaments for the age group. Svrcek plays his hockey in Sweden in Brynas’ program and has seen success in both the U18, and U20 leagues for the team this season. A promising talent for the 2025 NHL draft, expect Svrcek to be a focal point to this Slovakian offense.

Andreas Straka - F

Straka has seen quite the improvement over the course of the season and has put himself on the radars of NHL teams next season. The 6’1” centreman comes into this roster as an underage 2007 born talent, and one that has played incredibly well for the Slovakian U18 team in tournaments this year. He has even played a few games in both the first and second division Slovakian mens leagues. Straka is just another talented 2007 born player Slovakia has to offer.

Jan Chovan - F

The 6’2” Chovan came into the year with a good amount of hype and expectations around him - and although he didn’t reach those expectations, he is still a talent to look forward to watching at this event. The 2007 born Chovan has spent the past three seasons in Finland playing in Tappara’s development system, posting mixed results in the process. Chovan will provide scoring prowess for the Slovakian roster and will help contribute on the score sheet.

Tobias Tomik - F

Tomik is yet another 2007 born player that projects to be one of the roster’s best scorers. Tomik, unlike the rest of the roster has a December birthday, so he isn’t draft eligible until 2026. Tomik enjoyed a great season in Slovakia’s junior leagues but also got into a fair share of games against men this season, 23 in total. Tomik has a good history of producing as an underager for Slovakia and there are hopes he keeps up that trend here at the U18’s.

Tomas Pobezal - F

The 5’10” Pobezal is the lone 2006 born player on this list, and naturally he is a late birthday, so he isn’t draft eligible until next year in 2025, missing the cutoff date by three days. Pobezal has been a highly regarded prospect for quite some time, and while he hasn’t lived up to some early hype - he will still be a critical part to Slovakia’s offense at this tournament. Pobezal spent the entire season playing in Slovakia’s top mens league and although the results aren’t great, the experience against men should only help him in this tournament.

Latvia

Latvia is in a situation at the tournament where they have potential to provide an upset, but at the same time, a realistic expectation is that they’re going to be battling with Norway in which team gets to get pummeled in the semi-finals, while the other gets to play in relegation. Lucky for Latvia, on paper their roster has better depth than the Norwegians so the odds bode well for them. The big thing to look forward to from this Latvain roster is the trio of 2026 NHL draft prospects who look promising three years out from their draft, Karlis Flugins, Martins Klaucans and especially Olivers Murineks who is a kid that looks mature beyond his years even though he’s only 15 years old. On defense, you have Darels Uljanskis who looks to improve his draft stock at this event and a goalie who is looking to make his mark in Nils Roberts Maurins. Latvia may surprise some teams here in Finland.

Top Players to Watch

Olivers Murineks - F

Murineks projects to be one of the most promising Latvian talents to ever come out of the country. To make and project as a top-6 forward at this event for Latvia is a testament to that. As a 15-year-old he went nearly a point per game in Latvia’s top mens league, while also producing at a two point-per-game pace in Latvia’s second tier mens league - an incredible year for the very young centre. Murineks is a 2008 born that has the ability to take over games with his intelligence on the ice. He has a lot of work to do before his NHL draft date in 2026, but he is a kid I am personally exited to see play at the U18’s.

Darels Uljanskis - D

Uljanskis is the lone player on this Latvian roster ranked by NHL central scouting for the upcoming NHL draft, and rightfully so. The defender had a great year in Sweden’s U20 Junior league for AIK, putting up 29 points in 45 games. The 6’2” Uljanskis is going to log heavy minutes for this roster and will be a focal point on the team's offence and defence. He will run the first power play unit and be a very important puck mover for the nation. There will be a lot of pressure on Uljanskis at this event, as NHL teams will be watching him closely.

Nils Roberts Maurins - G

If Latvia wants to play upset at this tournament, they’re going to need a massive tournament out of their starting goaltender. That’s where Maurins comes into play. Maurins like Uljanskis, played the year in Sweden in their U20 junior league where he saw mixed results. The 6’4” goaltender has an outside chance at hearing his name called in the upcoming draft, NHL teams like big goaltenders after all. Although Maurins is rather raw, his measurables, paired with a massive showing for Latvia at this event could get one team to bite at some point in the upcoming draft.

Bruno Osmanis - F

Osmanis is probably the most promising player amount Latvia’s 2006 born crop of forwards if we’re talking about potential NHL draft selections. A December birthday, so not eligible until the 2025 NHL draft, Osmanis had a fantastic year in Sweden where he put up impressive totals in the U20 junior league and earned himself call ups to play for IF Björklöven’s mens team in the Allsvenskan for 15 games. Although only garnering one assist in those games, Osmanis definitely put himself on the radars of NHL teams with his performance this season.

Karlis Flugins - F

Flugins is a late 2007 birthday, and as such isn’t NHL draft eligible until 2026. Flugins like many of Latvia’s top talents decided to play his hockey in Sweden this past year for Oskarshamn. He was one of only a few imports to play in Sweden’s J20 league this season as a 2007 born player. Flugins is an extremely skilled forward that loves to challenge defenders one on one. He should be an extremely fun player to watch in this tournament for this Latvian squad.

Krists Retenais - D

One of only three returning players on this Latvian team from last year's U18 team, Retenais comes back this year as captain of this rendition of the Latvian squad. The 5’11” defender played for Riga’s hockey school this past year in Latvia’s top men's league, a team composed of some of the best young talent the country has to offer. Retenais was the highest scoring defender for this team and also served as the captain.

Norway

Norway is definitely the favourite to play for relegation in this group this year. They played in the relegation game last year but were able to fend off a weak German group to stay in the top division. The big game this year will be against the Latvians on April 29th, this will decide their fate in group A as whoever loses this game, likely plays for relegation. Up front, the team consists of returning players Elias Strame Vatne and Jorgen Nyhus Myhre who were two of Norway’s leading scorers at last year's event. Expect Mathias Dehli to also offer his contributions on offence, the centreman has Norway's best chance at getting drafted this yea,r so he hopes to improve his stock at this tournament. Niklas Aaram Olsen also looks to solidify his name as one to watch in 2026 also. The defensive core will live and die by how Ludvig Lafton plays also. There are pieces here to keep an eye on, but overall, this team will need a lot of luck to avoid the relegation game.

Top Players to Watch

Elias Straume Vatne - F

Unfortunately for Straume Vatne, he stands at only 5’8”. If he didn’t, he would undoubtedly be on NHL teams radars because he is one of the fastest and most skilled players Norway has ever produced. Norway’s highest scoring player from last year's tournament returns with similar expectations, to lead this squad offensively. Straume Vatne played in Farjestad, Sweden this past year in the teams U20 program and put up an impressive 32 points in 45 games. He is going to be Norway’s best player in this tournament and should generate most of Norway’s offense.

Mathias Dehli - F

The 6’2” Dehli has a big tournament ahead of him, he will undoubtedly be a focal point of Norway’s offense and he’s the most likely name to be called at the upcoming NHL draft out of anyone on this roster. Dehli spend his entire season playing alongside teammate Stian Solberg in Vålerenga, in Norway. The 18-year-old centerman enjoyed an impressive season, scoring eight points in 22 games in Norway’s top mens league. Dehli wants to have a great tournament here in Finland to continue his upward trajectory this season.

Ludvig Lafton - D

Norway’s lone returnee on the blueline is going to have to play insane minutes for this Norwegion team. Lafton is unequivocally the team's best defender as the blueline on this squad is unfortunately rather weak. Lafton is 6’2” and is best known for playing in his own zone, he can provide some offence and will likely run the first power play unit for this Norwegian team but that’s not the game he’s known for. Lafton has an outside chance at being drafted this year, and a strong showing at this event will bode well for that goal.

Niklas Aaram Olsen - F

Aaram Olsen is one of only four 2008 born players participating in this year’s U18 World Championship and Norway's line participant. Olsen is one of the most promising talents the nation has ever exported and after a very impressive season in Sweden for Orebro’s U18 team - Olsen has put himself on the map for NHL teams for 2026. The 6’0” Olsen doesn’t have to do much at this tournament for it to be a success for him, but if Norway wants to avoid relegation - Olsen will have to step up and show just why he is one to watch in 2026.

Mikkel Eriksen - F

After spending the first few months of the season in Sweden, posting impressive totals for Orebro’s U20 team - Eriksen went back to Norway to play in Vålerenga’s system, a program that is churning out the best of the nation's talent as of late. Eriksen should provide some very good secondary scoring for this Norwegian squad, and as a 2007 born center, isn’t eligible to be drafted until next season. He is definitely on the radar, of not only NHL, but also CHL teams and will be one of the more interesting underagers to watch at this tournament.

Jorgen Nyhus Myhre - F

Myhre is one of only four returning players on the Norwegian roster this season. Myhre, a late September 2006 birthday misses the 2024 NHL draft cutoff date by only seven days. Myhre is another kid that plays for Norway’s talent factor in Vålerenga and put up an eye popping 48 points in 31 games for the U20 team. Myhre projects to be an integral part to this team's top-6 this year.

Lukas Nikolaj Petterssen-Finckenhagen - F

One of the best names in the tournament, Pettersson-Finckenhagen provides size, and a net front presence for this Norwegian team. The 6’4” forward played the season in Sweden for Mora IK’s program and split the season between the U18, and U20 teams. At the U18 level, he enjoyed a goal-per-game statline after putting up 21 goals in 20 games. Because of his size and the power forward elements to his game, Petterssen-Finckenhagen could be a real interesting player to look forward to watching at this tournament and a kid that could put himself in NHL teams sightlines.

MCKEEN’S HOCKEY 2024 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS – December 2023 – Top 32 – Macklin Celebrini leads the pack early by a wide margin

Brock Otten — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 21:40:04 +0000

NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 1: NCAA men's hockey at Lawler Rink on December 1, 2023 in North Andover, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rich Gagnon)

It’s time for a ranking update at McKeen’s Hockey as we approach the end of the calendar year. Hopefully you’ve all been following along with our early regional favourites series, where our regional scouts have been providing detailed breakdowns of some of their favourites for the 2024 Draft.

This article shows our top 32 and is available to everyone. For subscribers, we are providing our Top 64 with a few honorable mentions. Then in the new year, we will expand to a Top 100.

The top player on our list is Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini. One of the highest scoring players in the NCAA this year as a freshman, Celebrini has met the ultra-high expectations placed on him heading into the year. He is, in our opinion, a slam dunk to be the first player selected this year. Recently named to the Canadian World Junior camp roster, hopefully Celebrini can earn a roster spot and have a strong performance for Canada as a focal point of the team’s offensive attack.

Sam Dickinson of the London Knights. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images

After Celebrini is where things get…murky. We see a group of seven players in competition for that second spot; Sam Dickinson, Cayden Lindstrom, Konsta Helenius, Cole Eiserman, Anton Silayev, Ivan Demidov, and Artyom Levshunov. How those seven players are ranked was heavily debated amongst our scouts. There truly wasn’t much of a consensus among our staff and we know that NHL scouts are having a similar debate at this current time. An argument could be made for any of these seven to be ranked second. Conversely an argument could be made for any of these seven to be ranked eighth. Hopefully a few of these players can truly separate themselves from the pack in the second half. In particular, we’re looking to see if the three defenders, Dickinson, Silayev, and Levshunov, can clean up some of their poor decisions with the puck.

Rounding out the top ten are forwards Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs) and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (Mora). Catton is a dynamic play creator who has a chance to jump into that second tier grouping if he can find a way to become a more consistent off puck player. While Brandsegg-Nygard is a winger who plays a game that should translate easily to the pro level in North America. He competes hard. He skates well. It’s just a matter of whether you feel that he has the offensive upside and skill to be a top six player. At this point, considering our high ranking of him, we do believe he possesses that upside.

Of the remaining 22 players currently in our first round, 11 are defenders. While we aren’t enamored with this draft crop (overall), we do really like the upside of this blueline crop. The question is, can the likes of Adam Jiricek and Aron Kiviharju hang on to a spot in our first round because there is no question that they have underperformed compared to their expectations thus far.

But what about the goalies? This is everyone’s favourite question. At this point, we don’t see any netminders worthy of first round consideration. But we did rank OHL goalies Carter George and Ryerson Leenders at the back of our Top 64. George has been the more consistent performer thanks to his excellent play reading ability and mature approach. This was on display at last summer’s Hlinka/Gretzky too, when he stole the starter’s job from Gabriel D’Aigle. Meanwhile, Leenders is unquestionably the better athlete and a netminder with a penchant for making the highlight reel save thanks to his quickness. He just doesn’t have as refined of a technical approach.

The List:

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Macklin Celebrini	C	Boston University (HE)	6-0/190	13-Jun-06	15-10-15-25
2	Sam Dickinson	D	London (OHL)	6-3/205	7-Jun-06	27-6-14-20
3	Cayden Lindstrom	C	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-3/210	3-Feb-06	27-22-16-38
4	Konsta Helenius	C	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	5-11/180	11-May-06	26-8-11-19
5	Cole Eiserman	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/195	29-Aug-06	21-25-16-41
6	Anton Silayev	D	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	6-7/210	11-Apr-06	38-3-7-10
7	Ivan Demidov	RW	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	5-11/180	10-Dec-05	7-2-5-7
8	Artyom Levshunov	D	Michigan State (B1G)	6-2/205	28-Oct-05	16-4-11-15
9	Berkly Catton	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/170	14-Jan-06	25-16-20-36
10	Michael Brandsegg-Nygard	RW	Mora (Allsvenskan)	6-1/195	5-Oct-05	21-2-4-6
11	Ryder Ritchie	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-0/175	3-Aug-06	30-12-16-28
12	Carter Yakemchuk	D	Calgary (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Sep-05	26-12-16-28
13	Liam Greentree	RW	Windsor (OHL)	6-2/210	1-Jan-06	23-17-18-35
14	Trevor Connelly	LW	Tri-City (USHL)	6-1/160	28-Feb-06	20-8-18-26
15	Tij Iginla	C	Kelowna (WHL)	6-0/185	1-Aug-06	27-20-11-31
16	Zeev Buium	D	Denver (NCHC)	6-0/185	7-Dec-05	16-5-16-21
17	Zayne Parekh	D	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/175	15-Feb-06	25-10-26-36
18	Matvei Shuravin	D	CSKA Moskva (KHL)	6-3/195	22-Mar-06	8-0-2-2
19	Adam Jiricek	D	HC Plzen (Czechia)	6-2/175	28-Jun-06	19-0-1-1
20	Aron Kiviharju	D	HIFK (Fin-Liiga)	5-9/170	25-Jan-06	7-1-1-2
21	Emil Hemming	RW	TPS (Fin-Liiga)	6-1/200	27-Jun-06	24-5-2-7
22	Igor Chernyshov	LW	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-2/190	30-Nov-05	15-6-6-12
23	Leo Sahlin Wallenius	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	5-11/175	10-Apr-06	27-5-20-25
24	Beckett Sennecke	RW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/180	28-Jan-06	21-7-13-20
25	Michael Hage	C	Chicago (USHL)	6-0/190	14-Apr-06	20-7-13-20
26	Henry Mews	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/185	9-Mar-06	22-3-19-22
27	Cole Hutson	D	USN U18 (USDP)	5-10/160	28-Jun-06	22-6-15-21
28	Maxim Masse	RW	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-2/190	7-Apr-06	30-13-16-29
29	Adam Jecho	C	Edmonton (WHL)	6-5/200	24-Mar-06	19-8-10-18
30	Sacha Boisvert	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-2/180	17-Mar-06	22-13-8-21
31	Veeti Vaisanen	D	KooKoo (Fin-Liiga)	6-0/175	15-Feb-06	23-1-4-5
32	Alfons Freij	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	6-0/185	12-Feb-06	27-8-12-20

MCKEEN’S HOCKEY 2024 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS – December 2023 – Top 64 plus Honourable Mentions – Macklin Celebrini leads the pack early by a wide margin

Brock Otten — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 21:30:02 +0000

NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 1: NCAA men's hockey at Lawler Rink on December 1, 2023 in North Andover, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rich Gagnon)

For this update, we are providing our Top 64 with a few honorable mentions. Then in the new year, we will expand to a Top 100.

Sam Dickinson of the London Knights. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images

The List:

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Macklin Celebrini	C	Boston University (HE)	6-0/190	13-Jun-06	15-10-15-25
2	Sam Dickinson	D	London (OHL)	6-3/205	7-Jun-06	27-6-14-20
3	Cayden Lindstrom	C	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-3/210	3-Feb-06	27-22-16-38
4	Konsta Helenius	C	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	5-11/180	11-May-06	26-8-11-19
5	Cole Eiserman	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/195	29-Aug-06	21-25-16-41
6	Anton Silayev	D	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	6-7/210	11-Apr-06	38-3-7-10
7	Ivan Demidov	RW	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	5-11/180	10-Dec-05	7-2-5-7
8	Artyom Levshunov	D	Michigan State (B1G)	6-2/205	28-Oct-05	16-4-11-15
9	Berkly Catton	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/170	14-Jan-06	25-16-20-36
10	Michael Brandsegg-Nygard	RW	Mora (Allsvenskan)	6-1/195	5-Oct-05	21-2-4-6
11	Ryder Ritchie	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-0/175	3-Aug-06	30-12-16-28
12	Carter Yakemchuk	D	Calgary (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Sep-05	26-12-16-28
13	Liam Greentree	RW	Windsor (OHL)	6-2/210	1-Jan-06	23-17-18-35
14	Trevor Connelly	LW	Tri-City (USHL)	6-1/160	28-Feb-06	20-8-18-26
15	Tij Iginla	C	Kelowna (WHL)	6-0/185	1-Aug-06	27-20-11-31
16	Zeev Buium	D	Denver (NCHC)	6-0/185	7-Dec-05	16-5-16-21
17	Zayne Parekh	D	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/175	15-Feb-06	25-10-26-36
18	Matvei Shuravin	D	CSKA Moskva (KHL)	6-3/195	22-Mar-06	8-0-2-2
19	Adam Jiricek	D	HC Plzen (Czechia)	6-2/175	28-Jun-06	19-0-1-1
20	Aron Kiviharju	D	HIFK (Fin-Liiga)	5-9/170	25-Jan-06	7-1-1-2
21	Emil Hemming	RW	TPS (Fin-Liiga)	6-1/200	27-Jun-06	24-5-2-7
22	Igor Chernyshov	LW	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-2/190	30-Nov-05	15-6-6-12
23	Leo Sahlin Wallenius	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	5-11/175	10-Apr-06	27-5-20-25
24	Beckett Sennecke	RW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/180	28-Jan-06	21-7-13-20
25	Michael Hage	C	Chicago (USHL)	6-0/190	14-Apr-06	20-7-13-20
26	Henry Mews	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/185	9-Mar-06	22-3-19-22
27	Cole Hutson	D	USN U18 (USDP)	5-10/160	28-Jun-06	22-6-15-21
28	Maxim Masse	RW	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-2/190	7-Apr-06	30-13-16-29
29	Adam Jecho	C	Edmonton (WHL)	6-5/200	24-Mar-06	19-8-10-18
30	Sacha Boisvert	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-2/180	17-Mar-06	22-13-8-21
31	Veeti Vaisanen	D	KooKoo (Fin-Liiga)	6-0/175	15-Feb-06	23-1-4-5
32	Alfons Freij	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	6-0/185	12-Feb-06	27-8-12-20
33	EJ Emery	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/185	30-Mar-06	22-0-5-5
34	Tanner Howe	LW	Regina (WHL)	5-10/180	28-Nov-05	28-16-17-33
35	Nikita Artamonov	LW	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	5-11/185	17-Nov-05	29-4-10-14
36	Lukas Fischer	D	Sarnia (OHL)	6-2/180	6-Sep-06	27-2-9-11
37	Luke Misa	C	Mississauga (OHL)	5-10/175	25-Nov-05	25-11-26-37
38	Matvei Gridin	RW	Muskegon (USHL)	6-1/185	1-Mar-06	22-13-12-25
39	Will Skahan	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-4/210	14-May-06	22-1-4-5
40	Jett Luchanko	C	Guelph (OHL)	5-11/185	21-Aug-06	27-10-16-26
41	Simon Zether	C	Rogle (Swe J20)	6-3/185	18-Oct-05	17-11-16-27
42	Dean Letourneau	C	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)	6-6/210	21-Feb-06	28-32-31-63
43	Andrew Basha	LW	Medicine Hat (WHL)	5-11/185	8-Nov-05	27-13-22-35
44	Christian Humphreys	C	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/170	4-Feb-06	22-10-20-30
45	Daniil Ustinkov	D	ZSC (Sui-NL)	6-0/195	26-Aug-06	15-0-1-1
46	Yegor Surin	C	Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)	5-10/175	1-Aug-06	21-11-14-25
47	Leon Muggli	D	Zug (Sui-NL)	6-0/165	9-Jul-06	24-2-4-6
48	Sebastian Soini	D	KOOVEE (Fin-Mestis)	6-2/180	10-Jun-06	15-0-4-4
49	Lucas Pettersson	C	MoDo Hockey(Swe J20)	5-11/170	17-Apr-06	26-13-13-26
50	Cole Beaudoin	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-2/200	24-Apr-06	24-10-8-18
51	Jakub Fibigr	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-0/170	22-Jul-06	25-4-12-16
52	Justin Poirier	RW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	5-7/185	4-Sep-06	30-23-10-33
53	Kamil Bednarik	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/185	26-May-06	22-13-14-27
54	Niilopekka Muhonen	D	KalPa (Fin-U20)	6-4/195	28-Feb-06	19-1-5-6
55	Hagen Burrows	RW	Minnetonka (USHS-MN)	6-1/175	13-Oct-05	4-3-8-11
56	Teddy Stiga	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-9/155	5-Apr-06	22-16-12-28
57	Melvin Fernstrom	RW	Orebro (Swe J20)	6-0/185	28-Feb-06	29-18-16-34
58	Dominik Badinka	D	Malmo (Swe J20)	6-3/185	27-Nov-05	15-2-10-12
59	Charlie Elick	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-3/200	17-Jan-06	29-3-10-13
60	Terik Parascak	RW	Prince George (WHL)	5-11/175	28-May-06	28-22-21-43
61	Tuomas Suoniemi	C	Kiekko-Espoo (Fin-U20)	5-10/160	16-Apr-06	20-3-11-14
62	Raoul Boilard	C	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-1/185	7-Jan-06	30-12-17-29
63	Carter George	G	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-1/190	20-May-06	9-8-2, 3.03, .902
64	Ryerson Leenders	G	Mississauga (OHL)	6-1/175	1-Jun-06	11-7-0, 3.03, .913
HM	Anthony Cristoforo	D	Windsor (OHL)	5-11/190	23-Feb-06	25-1-13-14
HM	Colton Roberts	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-4/195	8-Jun-06	28-5-11-16
HM	Carson Wetsch	RW	Calgary (WHL)	6-0/185	4-May-06	26-9-9-18
HM	William Zellers	LW	Shattuck-St. Mary's (USHS-MN)	5-10/165	4-Apr-06	25-24-24-48
HM	Aidan Park	C	Shattuck-St. Mary's (USHS-MN)	6-1/185	6-Jan-06	25-15-27-42
HM	Noel Fransen	D	Farjestads (Swe J20)	6-0/180	7-Dec-05	30-15-15-30
HM	Oskar Vuollet	C	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	5-10/170	3-Dec-05	22-12-16-28
HM	Max Plante	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-10/170	20-Feb-06	12-4-13-17
HM	Tomas Galvas	D	Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia)	5-10/150	11-Feb-06	17-1-2-3

HLINKA GRETZKY CUP – Tournament All Star Team – Honourable Mentions – 25 outstanding player performances

Jared Brown — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 19:16:19 +0000

Tournament All-Star Team

F - Berkly Catton (Canada)

Catton was I think, clearly this tournament’s MVP. He did it all for Canada, playing in all situations, driving the offense and creating chances for himself or his linemates, and setting the tone for his team early in their games by throwing his weight around on the forecheck. You could also give him the nickname “captain clutch” for how often he scored timely goals in this tournament for Canada. Catton isn’t a big player playing down the middle of the ice. But he’s a high-end skater with plus-level vision, who brings competitiveness, and intelligent hockey to the forefront which complements his offensive tools. He finished with the tournament lead in goals with eight, showcasing his quick release and accuracy on midrange shots. With his plus-level vision comes the soft hands which allow him to make plays under/over sticks with confidence. There didn’t seem to be a pass he couldn’t make in this tournament.

F - Trevor Connelly (USA)

Early 2024 draft rankings are going to have Trevor Connelly skyrocketing up the boards after the tournament performance he put on for scouts. I’d rank him as the best skater in this tournament. He showcased terrific speed, mechanics, and edgework in his skating ability. He’s incredibly shifty and evasive through his edgework and finds open spaces to skate into while separating himself from his defender. Connelly was a dynamic offensive threat on the powerplay and at even strength. On the man advantage, he utilized his footwork to shift penalty killers around to open up shooting/passing lanes. I like how he’s rarely ever stationary with the puck and is always on the move, searching for defensive holes in coverage. His puck control is above average, allowing him to handle pucks and finish in tight. Connelly also brought the pace and motor on the other side of the puck, showcasing his two-way play.

F - Adam Benak (Czechia)

Although Adam Benak was a year younger than everyone else on his team, he drove the bus offensively for Czechia through his speed and high-end playmaking ability. His skating is terrific and a major strength in his ability to create offense off the rush. He showcased strong stride mechanics and two-step acceleration in straight lines. He’s a talented playmaker. Patience is a virtue and Benak has it for days. He likes to delay and hold onto pucks to draw defenders to him which allows passing lanes to open up for him. His off-puck positioning as a centre is superb. He assists his defencemen through the middle on breakouts and regularly in close support during battles. He is on the smaller side which will cause some reserves of his future potential. But he’s not eligible for the NHL Draft until 2025 and showed me through his play in this tournament that he’s got some dynamic offensive upside.

D - Sam Dickinson (Canada)

Sam Dickinson is going to challenge for a top five selection and for the top defenceman in the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft. He’s big, strong, moves the puck efficiently in the defensive zone, and is mobile in the attacking end. He’s composed under pressure in the defensive zone and uses his powerful edges and solid agility to escape from attackers before moving the puck up ice. He can efficiently break the puck out with an accurate first pass or by carrying it out himself with confidence. In the offensive zone, he likes to stay in motion and make plays while on the move. Dickinson defends the rush with terrific mobility, gap control, and an active stick. He’s effective at getting his body in between the man and the puck. Defensively he was a wall in every game while also bringing a bit of an intimidating presence. This young man has the coveted tools already to be a top-pairing NHL defenceman.

D - Adam Jiricek (Czechia)

Adam Jiricek, like Sam Dickinson, didn’t put up gaudy numbers, but his well-roundedness, maturity, and skating all show signs of a potential top pairing defenceman at the pro level already. His game is already incredibly polished. He makes very few mistakes for you to critique. You can rely on him to log heavy minutes and play in all situations. He’s smart at processing what’s in front of him and the passing lanes that will open up. Then he will lay a flat, pinpoint accurate pass to his forwards for clean zone exits. Jiricek possesses elite edgework to work himself away from forecheckers or into more opportune passing/shooting lanes. Defensively he was a stalwart for Czechia, sacrificing his body to block shots on the penalty kill, and closing gaps quickly with his great mobility and defensive stick. He’s very efficient at stopping the cycle by using that big body of his to pin his opponents.

G - Carter George (Canada)

Carter George narrowly beat out Czechia goaltender, Jakub Milota, for my top goalie of the tournament. George took advantage of securing the crease for Canada after their disastrous opening game against Finland. He exhibits great poise and steady confidence through his technical play and positioning which gives his teammates and coaches confidence when he’s in between the pipes. He always looks in control of his movements and rarely loses his net or overplays his angles. He’s a good skater and moves smoothly side-to-side. George displays strong puck tracking ability, especially when the puck is in close around his crease. He’s got a solid glove hand where he consistently catches and traps pucks inside them with ease. His puck playing skills for his age was good and he showed comfort in coming out and moving the puck from behind his net. George doesn’t have that “ideal” size for a goaltender, but his composure, positioning, and technical play really impressed me.

Honourable Mentions

Canada

Malcolm Spence - Spence I thought got better through each game of the tournament. He was an effective penalty killer for Canada where he could use his speed to pressure and create offence. His stick checking impressed me as he was terrific at taking pucks off his opposition’s stick or poking pucks into an open space for him or a teammate to skate into. That puck-stealing skill was on display with his overtime winner.

Cole Beaudoin - Beaudoin emerged as a fantastic role player for Canada with his versatile toolbox. He played centre, wing, took important faceoffs on the penalty kill, and provided a heavy game to cause havoc while forechecking. He has a strong motor, busting his butt at both ends of the rink. He also displayed a finishing touch from in and around the home plate area.

Ryder Ritchie - Ritchie was Canada’s second most dangerous forwards after Berkly Catton. Ritchie showcased a ton of confidence with the puck in this tournament and an above average individual skillset to drive the offence. He likes to attack defenders and play through traffic. Solid puck skills and offensive instincts. His skating is quick and he possesses the acceleration to separate himself from defenders.

Michael Misa - Misa dominated in their game against Slovakia where he put up six points and, in that game, showed why he deserved exceptional status in the OHL. His awareness in the offensive zone is top-notch as he looks to set his teammates up in high-danger areas. His skating is explosive and his hands work in unison with his feet to make him a dynamic puck carrying threat in transition.

Henry Mews - I thought Mews was Canada’s best defenceman in the Gold Medal Game playing a solid two-way game. His skating and footwork are high-end and make him an elusive puck carrier in transition and inside the offensive zone. He displays excellent offensive instincts and loves to activate into the attack. Moves the puck very well on breakouts, showcasing terrific vision.

Charlie Elick - Elick was a defensive specialist for Canada and a massive contributor to their penalty kill. He’s got the tools to be a strong shutdown defenceman. He uses his size to play a physical game and separate his man from the puck. Does a good job of utilizing his range to minimize gaps and get his stick into shooting lanes at the last second. He showcased solid straight-line acceleration on his carries.

Czechia

Adam Titlbach - Titlbach surely made his mark on scouts through his offensive skills and production. He’s quick in his boots and takes advantage of open ice through the neutral zone to establish controlled entries. He protects the puck very well in his hip pocket while at full speed. He shoots the puck with a quick, snappy release and showed the soft skill to make plays underneath sticks.

Ondrej Kos - Kos was a perfect complement to Titlbach and Benak on Czechia’s top line. He’s a terrific north-south skater with great speed down the wing to turn defenders around. He plays with pace off the puck and forechecks using his speed and size. He’s a threat in transition and strong along the boards with his big frame, which still has a lot of room to fill out.

Tomas Galvas - Galvas showed great maturity and pro habits in his game. He was Czechia’s second-best defenceman for me, factoring in at both ends of the rink. He utilizes his quick feet and skating to activate into the rush and stay with his man defensively while he forces them out wide. He closes out his man well along the boards and showcases good patience while starting the breakout.

Jakub Milota - Milota didn’t have a bad game and was tremendous in the Gold Medal Game. He makes up for his lack of size with his quickness and athleticism. He comes out to the top of his paint to challenge shooters and cut down his angles. Routinely squares up to shooters. He showcased good rebound control on low shots and quick reflexes in his legs.

USA

Will Zellers - After Trevor Connelly, it was Zellers who looked to create the most chances for Team USA. He created most of his chances himself by working himself into the middle of the ice for a better scoring opportunity. He’s got the quick edges needed for a smaller forward to escape pressure in small spaces. I also liked his defensive hustle and awareness in his own end.

Will Felicio - Felicio finished tied-2nd for defenceman scoring but first in goals with three. He was most effective in the tournament on the powerplay and moving the puck on breakouts. He skates with an airy stride and is light on his feet to cut, twist, and turn away from pressure. Uses his offensive instincts to get himself into scoring positions and is accurate in sniping the puck above the goalies' shoulders.

Caleb Heil - Heil’s tournament numbers don’t stand out, but when you watch him play, you see an athletic goalie who recovers quickly and is exceptional at playing the puck for his age. He managed to put up two assists in the tournament. His lateral movement is swift and he’s quick to square himself after coming across. I like his reaction speed in corralling loose pucks after he doesn’t smother the first shot he faced.

Finland

Emil Hemming - Hemming was a scoring threat on the powerplay and showcased that he possesses a very powerful and quick release. One of the best shooters in this tournament. He’s got quick hands and creativity when attacking defenders 1-on-1 off the rush. His awareness in the offensive zone while surveying along the perimeter is strong. He’s got good size already and was willing to play physical on occasion.

Tuomas Suoniemi - Suoniemi had an impressive first game of the tournament against Canada where he scored a hat trick which included a highlight reel finish. He possesses skilled hands and great puck control while moving his feet. He recognizes open pockets he can attack through due to his constant heads-up awareness. Offensively has the skill to drive his line.

Sweden

Leo Sahlin Wallenius - Wallenius played a strong two-way style and showed a knack for making offensive plays off the blueline. He’s a strong skater with good puck carrying mobility. He loves to activate into the rush. Showcased a shoot-first mentality for the most part. Defensively uses his mobility to close off players along the boards. Keeps his feet moving and uses his strength to eliminate his opponents off the puck.

Linus Eriksson - Captain for Sweden and he showcased his leadership by playing a competitive game at both ends of the rink. He’s a shifty skater in transition who displayed the ability to sidestep opponents through the neutral zone without breaking stride. He frequently scans the ice when possessing the puck and identifies quick passing options. Showed a willingness to involve himself in battles and outwork his opposition for the puck.

Switzerland

Daniil Ustinkov - The Swiss top defender did not disappoint. He’s got an all-around toolkit that allows him to play in all situations for his team. He loves to utilize his feet to carry pucks out and can do this due to his powerful skating. He’s excellent at using his edgework to escape pressure. Defensively he makes good defensive reads to intercept cross-ice passes. He’s strong defending along the boards and in defensive zone battles.

Leon Muggli - Muggli plays a bit of an old-fashioned style of defence. He’s rugged, tough, and likes to eliminate his man from the play through body contact. He’s strong on his man and was effective at breaking up cycles below his goal line. Muggli was a steady defender for the Swiss and Mr. Reliable on the backend for them.

HLINKA GRETZKY CUP REVIEW- Team Finland – Key missing pieces left Finns wanting – Some bright spots

Joely Stockl — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 22:00:38 +0000

Team Summary:

Finland’s odds were diminished prior to the tournament’s start, with top 2024 draft eligibles Konsta Helenius and Aron Kiviharju opting to compete in the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Michigan. If that wasn’t enough, top defenseman Veeti Vaisanen got injured just before the round robin began. The Finns began the tournament with a massive statement win over Canada, jumping on every chance they could, and making Canada’s defenders panic with the puck. That win booked them a ticket to the semifinals, with a loss to the Swiss and a tight win vs Slovakia to round out the round robin. Finland would lose big to Czechia, sending them to the bronze medal game versus the U.S.

Fourth wasn’t the result that the Finns expected out of this tournament, especially with the strong draft crop they have heading into the 2024 draft. The skillsets of Helenius, Kiviharju, and Vaisanen were severely missed, and would have potentially made a difference in the final result. The win versus Canada is certainly a bright spot to take away from this tournament for Finland, as well as some strong performances from players who had the opportunity to step up and play a bigger role.

Top Five

Mitja Jokinen, LD

Mitja Jokinen was certainly Finland’s weapon from the back end through four games. Jokinen is an evasive skater with the puck on his stick, he has the ability to rely on his edges to escape oncoming pressure. Opponents have a difficult time getting the puck off of him when he is in control. Jokinen carries himself with such confidence and he isn’t afraid to take risks and create offensively. Offensively, Jokinen does tend to shoot the puck a lot and activate more often than not. He does struggle when defending the rush and gets beat a little too easily on the outside. Though his lateral movement and smooth edges are advanced, a little more straight-line speed would benefit his transition game. With his offensive performance, I think this tournament has put Jokinen’s name on the map in Finland.

Daniel Nieminen, LD

Daniel Nieminen is another Finnish, offensive minded, confident, puck handling defender in this draft class. One large difference from the rest is how Nieminen takes a large number of risks. He challenges opponents head on in the neutral zone, even when knowing that he is the last line of defense. He has straight line speed and hands that make him elusive in the neutral zone and makes his transition game the most dangerous. He is a much more active defender, in comparison to Jokinen. He jumps out high to block shots and get his stick in lanes, which leaves him out of position at times. Nieminen is certainly going to be another fun defender to watch this season, especially with his eye-catching deceptions in transition.

Emil Hemming, RW

One of their top forwards, Emil Hemming was a large part of Finland’s success on the scoresheet. Hemming prides his game on attacking with speed and tenacity. He is certainly difficult for opposing defenders to handle, especially when he is attacking from the outside, or seemingly skating circles around the offensive zone. Hemming likes time and space, and his explosiveness allows him to get to those spots before defenders can reach him. His shot is another weapon in his game, Hemming has a strong release from the perimeter of the “house”. Anywhere around the top of the circle is where you will see Hemming get a lot of his high-quality chances. Hemming doesn’t really have that “high end” skill that would make him a lottery pick, but his extremely high paced game would make him an effective bottom nine winger at the pro level.

Tuomas Suoniemi, C

Hemming’s offensive “partner in crime” was his centreman, Tuomas Suoniemi. Most of Suomniemi’s work is done on the inside, in and around the net. He possesses some high-end puck skill and is able to make manoeuvres in tight to beat opponents around the net. He isn’t an explosive speedster like Hemming, but Suoniemi is able to use changes in pace in contrast with his hands to attack offensively. Suoniemi isn’t afraid to get into those high danger areas around the net with and without the puck, to cause havoc. Suoniemi’s best game was against Canada, where he potted a hattrick by doing exactly that, getting inside and using his deceptive hands. There is some off-puck disengagement in Suoniemi’s game. He struggles to put tight pressure on opponents with the puck, which result in “fly-byes'' and draw him out of position.

Joona Saarelainen

As Finland’s captain in this tournament, there may have been higher expectations for Saarelainen offensively, heading in. Nonetheless, Saarelainen displayed his puck skills and ability to manipulate defenders to get inside. He scored a big goal versus Canada that put his team ahead 6-5. Despite his smaller size, Saarelainen is able to maneuver the puck in the corners and around the slot without getting knocked off of it. His speed allows him to get inside when he does find that space, and his deceptiveness allows him to finish a lot of those chances. I don’t think this was Saarelainen’s best showing, but his high-end skill makes him a player to watch this season.

Two Disappointments

Roope Vesterinen, W

Vesterinen had a strong performance at last year’s U17 World Hockey Challenge, which created high expectations for him in this tournament, with him playing a larger role. He plays a high pace game, and his game prides itself on his skating ability. Across the board, Vesterinen possesses high acceleration, agility, and straight-line speed, which he did display in this tournament. Not only did Vesterinen not produce offensively in this tournament, but he also didn’t really create many chances at all. In the U17’s for Finland, Vesterinen was using his hockey senses to create chances left and right, and this is not what we saw from him this time around. He can use his speed to beat defenders on the outside and be dangerous on the rush, but he was not using his speed to create in this tournament.

Petteri Rimpinen, G

Rimpinen’s Hlinka tournament began in Finland’s second game, as he took over his partner Saarinen after he allowed six goals versus Canada. Rimpinen had a strong game against Slovakia, allowing only one goal on 18 shots. In his games against Switzerland and Czechia, he allowed multiple weak goals. Most of his goals against in this tournament either went through him or were shot from a weak angle. Rimpinen’s positioning is effective, but he was not able to tighten up his body to save shots from going through him. His partner once again took over for him in the bronze medal game, and Rimpinen’s tournament came to a disappointing end.