Photo: Michael Campanella / BILDBYRÅN
It has only been a month or so since the 2024 NHL Draft in Vegas. However, that hasn’t stopped us from thinking about the 2025 Draft.
Welcome to a series at McKeen’s Hockey that aims to introduce you to some of the top prospects from each region for 2025. The disclaimer is that…it’s early. The names on these lists are not likely to be the exact same as the ones you see next June. However, we thought it was important for you to know some of the top players heading into the season.
Next up is the region of Finland. For this, we have included some non Finnish players who played out of Finland last season (including two Czechs and a Slovak). Overall, this is looking like a major down year for the region. This ‘07 group of Finns finished last at last year’s World Under 17 Hockey Challenge and then second last at the recent Hlinka/Gretzky. If not for the included imports, this list would appear even weaker. But, as mentioned, it is still extremely early.
#1 - Jesper Kotajarvi - Defenseman - Tappara - Liiga (profile by Steven Graves)
Jesper Kotajarvi is as of now, the best prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft out of Finland. Kotajarvi, a left-shot defenseman, played with Tappara's U20 team last season and has several promising facets to his game that could get NHL teams excited come draft day. Kotajarvi has consistently played up age groups - at 15 he played in the Finnish second tier men’s league where he got in 5 games. Although not the biggest in stature, he makes up for it with his offensive game.
Kotajarvi's offensive skills are what really impresses in his game. He demonstrates a modern approach to defense, employing pace, tempo, and deception effectively in the offensive zone. Kotajarvi loves to activate from the blue line - it reflects a proactive mindset rather than a passive one at the blue line. This approach can sometimes result in mistakes, but Kotajarvi’s resilience and ability to quickly recover from errors are of note.
Kotajarvi's skating and puck-handling skills are the two attributes I think best highlight his potential. As of late, we are seeing more defenders focus on these attributes with their games growing up and Kotajarvi is no exception. He effectively leads breakouts, drives the puck up the ice, and uses his edgework to maneuver through opponents. His agility and footwork allow him to maintain speed and handle the puck smoothly under pressure. Kotajarvi’s puck skills at the blue line are modern and fluid. He uses head fakes, deception, and lateral movements to create opportunities, showing a high level of creativity and awareness. His stats reflect consistent production at various levels, which is a good indicator of future success. Although he might not be an immediate top producer in Liiga, his offensive and defensive skills offer a solid foundation
While Kotajarvi’s defensive game still has areas for growth, particularly in box-outs and stickwork, his lateral agility and ability to close gaps using his feet are promising. His ability to sidestep and catch up to opponents with his skating is a significant asset in the defensive zone. As Kotajarvi matures, there is hope for not only physical growth, but the continued improvement of his defensive game.
Overall, Kotajarvi has the potential to become a top-four NHL defender. Although it looks to be a weaker crop from Finland, and their performance at the Hlinka is a testament to that - Kotajarvi is one to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
This shows Kotajarvi’s abilities in transition and how he can single handedly get zone entries even when he is pressured. He makes a few stick moves as he is skating up ice and the US defender bites and it allows him to attack open ice for the clean zone entry.
Here is Kotajarvi making a smart play in the offensive zone. The puck pops out to him at the point after a scramble in front of the net - everyone on the ice including the goalie is expecting a shot because of how the goalie is out of posituion, but Kotajarvi defies expectations and moves the puck over to his winger on the left sidewall for an easy goal.
Here is Kotajarvi doing something he doesn’t do very often - He lays his body on a forward not expecting it and gets the best of him. If he can continue his physical growth and we see more of this in the future, I like Kotajarvi’s potential!
Here shows Kotajarvi’s understanding in the offensive zone, he sees a lane for a shot, and gets a good chance as his teammate is screening the goalie, barely missing wide. He then repositions himself and sees a turnover is taking place - he pivots and lurks his way behind the defence for a quick release after a nice cross ice pass from his teammate.
This play really shows off Kotajarvi’s speed, and transitional ability. The goalie does a terrible job in tracking this puck, but Kotajarvi was smart with how he shoves the puck in the feet of the defender so the goalie would have difficulty tracking it.
#2 - Lasse Boelius - Defenseman - Ässät U20 (profile by Jeremy Rivet)
Lasse Boelius is a 6-foot, two-way puck moving defenseman that has played in the Ässät program since he was 14 years old. He graduated from Ässät’s U18 team to their U20 team last year and he might be able to play some games in Liiga for them this year. His progression through Ässät’s different junior teams has been consistent as he has pushed through the different levels. As of now, his production level has always risen from about 0.5 points per game in the first year to about a point per game season in the second season, which shows that he is able to adapt quickly to the higher level. Recently, he was playing top three defenseman minutes for Finland in the recent Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, and he was probably their most effective defenseman.
Boelius is the type of player that is not exceptional at anything but quite good in a lot of areas. His biggest strengths are his mobility and his ability to escape the pressure from the back of his net to start the breakout or the transition. His first passes are generally good and his vision as a powerplay general could be something to watch this year as the year goes on and his confidence increases. When he has a chance, he likes to support the attack in transition or by pinching at the right time in the offensive zone to keep the attack alive. Lasse Boelius is not the most physical guy, if not physical at all, but he is intelligent with his stick to take pucks away or to cut passing lanes. Even though he is not a punishing defenseman, he is not afraid to use his body to win battles along the boards or to close the blue line.
The main thing that he needs to improve is his positioning in the defensive zone. We can see that he thinks a lot more about offense and sometimes he gets caught out of position or puck watching which causes him to lose his check. He will also need to clean up the precision of his passes and to be less risky in his play. Sometimes he makes sloppy passes or imprecise passes that lead to interceptions and counter attacks from the opponent. So, he will have to be careful with his puck management and be more conscious of the context of the game. Another area of his game that he should improve is his gap control. I mainly think that this is a part of his game that will get better by getting more used to the pace of the game at a higher level.
This season, Lasse’s goal will be to show that he can continue his offensive progression by raising his production, while also improving the different areas of his defensive game. Additionally, it would be great for him to play some games in Liiga to gain valuable experience at pro level.
Here we can see a good example of Boelius’ mobility and capacity to break the pressure to start the transition. He used his speed and his hands to beat three Czech players followed by a pass that led to an odd man rush. Yes, dangling the puck in front of the net against three opponents is not the best thing to do usually, but in that case it worked.
Being the general on the powerplay might be what he likes the most. We can see in this sequence the confidence he has distributing the puck and directing pucks to the net from the point. A great no look pass also which is something he does often.
A couple defensive miscues are highlighted here. First of all, he decided to pinch for no reason, which almost led to a 2 on 1 on the other side. Additionally, in the defensive zone, he looks soft in the battles along the boards, and he is caught watching the puck instead of quickly identifying the player he needs to mark.
#3 - Eetu Orpana - Centre - Tappara U20 (Profile by Josh Bell)
Eetu Orpana is a centreman who has drawn attention with his well-rounded game and impressive hockey IQ. Standing at 6-foot, 194 pounds, Orpana has a solid frame that he uses effectively in all three zones. His skating is fluid and powerful, allowing him to keep up with the pace of the game and make quick transitions from defence to offense.
Offensively, Orpana is a playmaker first and foremost. He has excellent vision and the ability to find open teammates in tight spaces. His passing is crisp and accurate, often threading the needle through defenders to set up high-danger scoring chances. While not primarily a goal-scorer, Orpana is quick on rebounds and does well at getting to the net front to jump on pucks. How this will transition to higher levels may be a question mark though. His ability to read the play and anticipate the movement of both his teammates and opponents makes him a constant threat in the offensive zone.
Defensively, Orpana is reliable and responsible. He understands the importance of positioning and is often seen supporting his defencemen down low. His active stick and ability to disrupt passing lanes make him effective on the penalty kill, and he’s not afraid to engage physically when necessary. Orpana’s two-way game is complemented by his work ethic; he’s a player who consistently puts in the effort on both ends of the ice.
One area for improvement is Orpana’s consistency in using his physicality. While he has the size to be more dominant in puck battles, he sometimes relies too much on his stick rather than using his body to separate opponents from the puck. Developing a more aggressive edge could make him an even more dominant player.
Overall, Orpana is a smart, versatile forward with the potential to develop into a reliable middle-six forward at the professional level. His combination of playmaking, hockey sense, and defensive responsibility makes him a valuable asset in any lineup. Unfortunately, rather mysteriously, he never played at the recent Hlinka/Gretzky, despite making Finland’s roster with the expectation that he would be a go-to player for them. Thus, we haven’t gotten a glimpse of his progression this season like we have others on this list.
Here, you can see Orpana’s playmaking ability as he works below the red line on the Finnish power play. Despite his teammate being between three defenders, he one-touches the pass perfectly to set up the one-time, go-ahead goal.
This clip gives a good example of both Orpana’s strengths and weaknesses in puck protection. Passing the first defender, he cuts in front to take away their access to the puck, using his stick to create separation. After circling the net though, you can see he’s too reliant on his stick and doesn’t position his body between the defender and puck. On this play, it works out though as he dishes the puck to a teammate and then hunts down the rebound for the goal.
Orpana shows off his commitment to defence here, racing back to disrupt the transition, and rubbing the opponent off the puck. Seeing him do this more would go a long way in improving his draft stock. This clip also shows his skating stride, which isn’t perfect as he doesn’t get full extensions.
The Finn’s goals seem to come in very similar ways: rebounds or from standing in front of the net. While the quick adjustment here to find open net is good, it does beg the question of whether he’ll be able to do this at the next level against tougher competition. This season will be very telling.
#4 - Tomas Poletin - Left Winger - Pelicans U20 (profile by Jeremy Rivet)
Tomas Poletin is a 6-foot-1 power forward type of player that plays on the wing, but he was also taking some faceoffs, mainly on the penalty kill and on the power play, during the most recent Hlinka-Gretzky tournament for Czechia. Poletin was the captain of the team during the tournament and was one of the best players of the Czech side that went all the way to the final before losing the gold medal game against Canada. He spent the last season in Finland in the Pelicans’ program, sharing his time between the U18 and the U20 teams. Before going to Finland, the Czech was playing in Czechia for HC Slavia Praha U17 where he dominated the league by averaging more than a point per game (53 pts in 36 games).
The parts of Poletin’s game that really stand out are his ability to protect the puck using his strength and his penchant for finding his way to the net. He really has a presence around the crease and that’s where he has scored most of his goals. He is tenacious in front of the net, and he is always fighting for rebounds. His strength makes him hard to contain for the opponent. Another area of his game that Poletin was able to show during the tournament was his decent playmaking ability. Even if he looked more like a complement on a line than the one driving it, he was good at creating space for his teammates and distributing the puck in the offensive zone. Even then, after dishing off, he finds a way to take the middle lane to the net; he has a clear understanding of his strengths. On the physical side, he competes at a high level along the boards, he is tenacious on the forecheck, and he completes most of his checks. I said “most” because it’s true that he could be more consistent physically given his size.
Something to not underestimate about Tomas Poletin is that he can be versatile and be used in all situations. That is what he showed at the Hlinka-Gretzky by being the man his coach trusted for defensive missions like on the penalty kill and when protecting a lead at the end of a game.
With all the positive stuff being said, there are some areas in Poletin’s game that will need to improve for him to take another step next season. One of them is his agility and explosivity. He possesses quite good speed once he gets going but his first few steps will need to be better for him to be able to translate his game at the pro level. He will also need to improve his capacity to execute plays at a higher pace. It is not bad, but I think all of that is linked with his ability to get quicker and being used to higher game pace at the upper levels.
From what I have seen from him, I do think that Tomas Poletin has all the tools (the size, the skating, the hands and the versatility) to be a good player in the NHL and especially the type of player that will help a team to win in the playoffs. Whether or not he will reach his potential will be decided by how he can translate his offensive game at the pro level this year with hopefully some games in the Liiga.
This sequence highlights the presence he has in front of the net and his intensity to retrieve rebounds.
Excellent forecheck here from Poletin. He makes his run to cut the D-to-D pass behind the net, completes his check to create a turnover, then drives the net to receive the pass and scores in an open net.
We can see here that he has decent playmaking ability, and he is able to read the play and locate his teammates. He receives the puck from the blue line, attacks the net and makes a great backhand pass to his teammates in front of the net for a great scoring chance.
As mentioned, even if he has good straight-line speed, his agility and explosivity need to improve. Here we see Poletin on the forecheck getting beat twice by a quick change of direction that put Poletin completely out of play.
#5 - Dominik Pavlik - Center - Kärpät U20 (profile by Brock Otten)
One of Czechia’s top players at the recent Hlinka/Gretzky Cup (where the Czechs captured silver), Pavlik is composed, two-way power center. While he was technically the team’s third line center, he anchored both special teams’ units and was one of the team’s most utilized forwards overall. Last season, Pavlik made the move to Finland in the Karpat program, playing out most of the year as part of their U18 team, finishing as their leading scorer by a significant margin. This year, Pavlik was drafted by Moose Jaw (of the WHL) in the CHL Import draft, but he is apparently going to return to Finland instead and try to earn a significant role with the Karpat U20 team, or even the main club.
The major allure here is Pavlik’s mature, complete game. He’s a player without any real deficiencies in his game. He plays that power center game to a tee. Pavlik competes hard at both ends and shows an advanced understanding of off puck positioning, which is why he’s so versatile. He is most successful offensively deep in the offensive zone, winning battles below the goal line to earn/maintain possession or getting to the net front to screen or earn second chance opportunities. With possession of the puck, he drives the center lane and looks to get to the net. Pavlik also flashes a high end shot and scoring potential. He has quick hands and is able to finish on a large portion of the chances that his hard work and determination earn him.
As he begins his draft year, the focus for scouts will be on determining his offensive upside as a pro. A good skater who shows power on net drives, Pavlik protects the puck well and is strong along the wall, but in open ice, he can lack the creativity or agility to consistently evade pressure. Additionally, I have questions about his overall playmaking ability as a pivot, as he can skate himself into trouble. That can definitely be improved, but he currently looks more like a quality third line option ala Lars Eller, Brandon Sutter, or Radek Faksa, than a future scoring line player.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Pavlik this season. Can he earn time with Karpat in Liiga or will he play out most of the year in the U20 league? Will he decide to come over to play in the WHL with Moose Jaw? His game would translate really well to the WHL and he would likely get top six ice time with some talented players (even if Moose Jaw doesn’t project to be quite as good as they were last season).
A beautiful goal scored by Pavlik against Germany at the Hlinka/Gretzky. Great power and finish here as he cuts to the net and buries it.
As mentioned, Pavlik is so effective driving the net and for that reason, he has been able to draw a ton of penalties during his international appearances for Czechia over the last year or so.
One of those situations where Pavlik skates himself into trouble, he commits a terrible turnover at the opposing blueline. But the hustle on the backcheck to neutralize the scoring chance was impressive. Pavlik was extremely effective in his own end at the Hlinka/Gretzky.
Another tough offensive zone turnover high in the zone. These seem to be too commonplace in his game currently.
#6 - Patrik Kerkola - Goaltender - KalPa (Profile by Josh Bell)
Patrik Kerkola is a young goaltender who has shown significant promise with his athleticism and composure in the crease, earning one call up to the Liiga already and two games in the Mestis playoffs. Standing at 6-foot-1, 194 pounds, Kerkola has a prototypical goalie frame that allows him to cover a lot of the net, but it’s his quick reflexes and lateral movement that truly set him apart.
Kerkola’s athleticism is one of his standout qualities. He has excellent footwork, which enables him to move quickly across the crease and make difficult saves look routine. His ability to track the puck is impressive, and he rarely seems out of position, even during chaotic sequences in front of the net. Kerkola’s glove hand is particularly strong, often snatching pucks out of the air with ease, and he’s adept at controlling rebounds, directing them to safe areas or covering them up to prevent second-chance opportunities.
In terms of technique, Kerkola plays a hybrid style, effectively combining the butterfly and stand-up approaches depending on the situation. He is calm under pressure and rarely overcommits, which helps him maintain his positioning and make smart decisions, even when facing high-danger scoring chances. His ability to stay square to the shooter and his patience in not biting on dekes or fakes make him tough to beat one-on-one.
However, like many young goaltenders, Kerkola has areas that could benefit from further development. One aspect is his puck-handling skills. While not a significant weakness, becoming more confident and effective with the puck would enhance his overall game and help his team transition quickly from defence to offense. Additionally, knowing when to stand tall and protect the top of the net would be beneficial, as would extra work on the blocker side, just above the pad. These areas are where he seems to let more pucks in so far in his career.
Overall, Patrik Kerkola has the tools to develop into a reliable starting goaltender at the professional level. His combination of size, athleticism, and composure in the net makes him a player with significant upside, and with continued development, he could become a key piece for any team looking for stability between the pipes. It would appear that Kerkola will be joining the Barrie Colts of the OHL this season, where he will have a chance to backstop a potentially solid junior team.
After his defender turns it over at his own blue line, Kerkola does an excellent job of challenging the shooter, cutting down the angle, while sticking with the shooter as he cuts across, making an excellent pad stop.
Here, Kerkola makes this save look easy. But, he needs to find the puck through traffic and then react to the deflection in front of the net. You can notice his quick adjustment to ensure he not only stops the puck but swallows up the rebound.
Kerkola tracks this puck very well, especially considering his team left the attacker wide-open in front of the net. The netminder needs to push to the left and then quickly to the right to stick with the puck carrier and then needs to reach out with that quick glove to bail his defence out. This shows off some precision in his footwork, his positioning, and his glove.
This is an example of a high goal that Kerkola likely should have had. He crouches down too far, not preparing himself for a potentially high backhand shot.
#7 - Jasu Mensonen - Center - Lukko U20 (profile by Jeremy Rivet)
Jasu Mensonen is an average size two-way player that played on the wing last season (at times) in Finland but played center in the last Hlinka-Gretzky tournament. Even though he ended the tournament with only one point in the four games Finland played, he was one of the most heavily utilized forwards. Mensonen is the property of the Lukko team in Finland and he spent the last three seasons in their junior program. He graduated from the U16 to the U18 after he registered an over point per game season in the U16, and at his first season at the U18 level, he was able to once again produce at a point per game pace at 16 years old. Last year, he split his time between the U18 and U20 levels and continued to produce at a high rate.
Mensonen is a player that has a very complete game already at a young age. He competes hard despite his smaller size; he likes to go into traffic, he possesses a good vision to make plays that often leads to scoring chances, and he is very responsible with his play without the puck. One of the things we can notice in Mensonen’s play is that he is always in movement to be an option to his teammates, and he is well aware of his surroundings. His capacity to process what is happening on the ice is excellent and he often knows what play he is going to do before getting the puck. Also, a skill that is important in today’s hockey is skating and Jasu Mensonen possesses that skill. He is fast and he has excellent edge work which helps him to beat opponents when he carries the puck or plays down low in the offensive zone.
The defensive part of the game of Jasu Mensonen was impressive for a 17-year-old during the Hlinka-Gretzky. He was very responsible in all three zones, and he had great positioning all over the ice. He used his speed to backcheck and take away the puck from the opponent a couple of times. He had an active stick to cut passing lanes and intercept the puck in the defensive zone. On the forecheck, he is tenacious and intense, and he is not afraid to finish checks, although he is not a physical guy. During the tournament, he did not play a lot of penalty kill minutes but given the quality of his play without the puck, I could see him as a good penalty killer in the future.
There are not a lot of holes in Mensonen’s game, but it will be interesting to see if he will be able to translate the offensive production he had in the last few years to the U20 level and eventually at the pro level. He looks to still have room to grow to become stronger and even taller by a couple of inches maybe. If all those things go well, I think he can be a useful player that can play up and down the lineup and that can be trusted by his coach on the defensive side.
On this shift, we can see the speed and the agility of Mensonen. He retrieves the puck in the neutral zone, quickly dangles to beat the opponent and attacks the offensive zone. A bit later, he fights for the puck behind the net and protects the puck well as he keeps moving.
This sequence shows his good playmaking ability. He seems to be everywhere on that shift because he keeps his feet moving, controls the puck, and uses his vision to find his teammates in open spaces for scoring chances.
In this video, we see Mensonen completing his check on the forecheck, then backcheck, block the shot, before starting to transition the other way. Later, he makes a good backcheck to deny a potential 2-on-1 situation by using his speed and by properly identifying the player to mark and cutting the passing lane. Those are all small details that make a difference in a game.
One thing that he needs to be careful of is not trying to do too much and having better puck management. Here, he turns the puck over twice because he tries to dangle an opponent in the defensive zone and because he tries to precipitate a pass when he has two players on him.
#8 - Jan Chovan - Center - Tappara U20 (profile by Brock Otten)
Unlike Czechia center Dominik Pavlik, who only came to Finland a year ago as an import, Slovak center Jan Chovan has been playing out of Finland for several years now as part of the Tappara program. The son of former national team netminder Jan Chovan (of the same name), junior has been a fixture of the Slovak U17 and U18 teams the last few seasons, leading Slovakia in scoring at the recent Hlinka/Gretzky Cup. Interestingly enough, Jan was drafted by Sudbury (OHL) in this year’s Import Draft, but it remains to be seen whether he will be staying in Finland, rather than playing in the Ontario Hockey League as his father did back in the day (with Belleville and London).
Chovan commands attention in the offensive zone. He’s difficult to separate from the puck and he has the skill to evade pressure and keep plays alive down low. His line with Andreas Straka and Michal Svrcek dominated the Hlinka/Gretzky at times and were easily Slovakia’s most consistent unit at the event. He shows strong vision and anticipation in the offensive zone; his patience and poise with the puck makes him an effective playmaker. However, he also shows strong instincts away from the puck, using his size to play near the net and impact the game as a forechecker/backchecker. There’s definitely a strong two-way upside here.
For Chovan, it’s all about consistency. Consistency in his two-way play. Consistency in his physical assertiveness and engagement. Being more driven to earn puck touches, rather than float as a passing option. If that improves, he could be a dominant two-way center and someone who could find himself a top two round pick in June. Additionally, there’s room for him to improve his explosiveness and overall skating profile to help him create time and space for himself more consistently.
Tremendous pass by Chovan as he sets up Slovakia’s second goal in the 5th place game at the recent Hlinka/Gretzky.
There are times where Chovan seems to struggle playing with pace. He’s at his best working as a complement, but when tasked with gaining the zone or leading the charge, he can struggle to maintain possession at full speed.
This is a poor defensive play by Chovan as he fails to tie up his man as he cuts to the net front, allowing him to score.
Conversely, here’s a great defensive play by Chovan that leads to a turnover and the eventual game winner in overtime against Switzerland. This is the physical intensity he needs to bring to every shift/game.
#9 - Atte Joki - Center - Lukko U20 (Profile by Steven Graves)
Joki - like the rest of his Finnish teammates was having himself a forgettable tournament at the Hlinka, that was until the game against Switzerland for 7th place where Joki exploded for four points in the game. Joki, a center out of Lukko’s development system is a guy that may lack high end upside, but is someone who can be valuable as a role player for the teams he plays on. He isn’t the most fleet of foot and has trouble creating offense for himself but he loves going to battle for pucks in corners and in front of the net. Players like this, NHL teams love, so although he has some warts to his game, NHL scouts will be paying attention to Joki this year.
Joki’s skating lacks the explosiveness and agility that NHL teams drool over nowadays. His strides are somewhat labored, and his top-end speed is not particularly impressive. This limitation affects his ability to create by himself in transition and he can struggle with zone entries because of it. Joki’s skating issues can be especially apparent when he's pressured by quicker opponents or when he needs to chase down pucks in the defensive zone. His mobility, while it gets the job done, doesn’t allow him to consistently create separation or cover ground as effectively as other players.
Joki loves to use his physical presence to his advantage, particularly in front of the net. Joki’s ability to establish and maintain position in the crease is a key element of his game and one that will bring him the most attention from scouts. His strength and body positioning make him a challenging opponent for defenders and goalies alike. Joki is not shy about using his size to his advantage, and his willingness to battle for space in the high-traffic areas of the ice often results in scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. Joki has a keen sense for where pucks are likely to land after a save - his ability to position himself effectively allows him to capitalize on these second-chance opportunities. Joki’s size and strength play a role here, as he can use his frame to shield the puck and fend off defenders while maintaining control while fighting for pucks.
In this clip, Joki quickly picks the puck up with momentum on an odd man rush, and before the defender has a chance to close off his shooting lane, Joki gets off a quick, well placed snap shot for the goal.
This clip showcases two things - it shows how poor of a skater Joki is and it shows his tenacity and determination. He has all the open ice in the world and has a massive head start on the breakaway after stripping the puck, but the defender on the opposite side of the ice is able to close the gap quick after being multiple strides behind Joki, and catches up to him by the time they’re at the faceoff dots. Joki falls and scores a real nice goal while sliding along the ice, showcasing how he doesn’t give up on plays and how he has a knack of sneaking pucks past the goalie in front of the net.
Here is a nice assist from Joki from the Hlinka - he attacks 4 defenders head on, and is able to leverage his size and balance to get through contact. He makes his way past the defense and makes a nice pass over to his teammate for a nice cross ice pass that leads to a goal. I love his physicality here and his ability to use it to his advantage.
#10 - Jooa Sammalniemi - Goaltender - Lukko U20
Finland’s back-up internationally at the U18 level right now (behind Kerkola), Sammalniemi looks like a decent prospect in his own right. Over the last decade or so, Finland has been averaging 2-3 netminders selected in the NHL draft per class, so it’s likely he ends up receiving draft attention with a strong year in the U20 league (and internationally).
As you might expect given his lack of ideal size (listed at 6’0 currently), Jooa Sammalniemi is a traditional butterfly netminder who relies on quickness and reaction time to make saves. He shows well covering his posts and can be aggressive in challenging shooters to make up for his lack of stature. While he wasn’t really able to show a lot at the recent Hlinka/Gretzky Cup (due to Kerkola starting most games), Sammalniemi has shown a great compete level at previous international tournaments, like the U17’s, battling to make second and third chance saves. In 2023, he was named the best goaltender in the FInnish U16 league and that accolade has been bestowed upon some pretty good goalies in the past, such as Juuse Saros Kaapo Kahkonen.
However, Sammalniemi has a lot to work on. He can struggle to save shots to the upper part of the net, given his lack of size. His glove hand needs to improve, and he needs to get even quicker to get to the top of the blue paint to challenge shooters so that he doesn’t get caught too deep. Additionally, he needs to do a better job of fighting through screens/traffic to find sight lines, again, pointing to a need to be more aggressive in his movement. Sammalniemi can also struggle positionally. He drops down to the butterfly too early and does not always have his angles covered, again giving up too much of the upper portion of the net. At times, it seems like his play tracking ability is a tad slow, leaving him late to react.
How he performs full time at the U20 level in Finland will dictate whether he ends up being a serious draft prospect this season. With Kerkola in Barrie this year (unconfirmed, but…a done deal), Sammalniemi should also get the bulk of playing time at tournaments like the Four and Five Nations, ahead of another likely role at the IIHF U18’s to end the year. Interestingly enough, he was a draft pick of the Fargo Force of the USHL, which leads me to believe that Sammalniemi is leaning towards taking the NCAA route, something several Finnish netminders have been doing recently with success.
We see Sammalniemi’s athleticism on display here in his only Hlinka/Gretzky start. Gets out quick to challenge the Czech shooter and makes a great save.
Great push and body control from Sammalniemi here as he gets across to make the save at last year’s World Under 17’s.
Look at how deep Sammalniemi gets trapped in his net here, when he should be out at the top of the blue paint to get a better sight line and to cut down the angle. Instead, it’s in the back of the net.
A goal against in that Hlinka start. Lots of similar goals against across his highlight package, calling attention to the need for Sammalniemi to improve his glove hand.