2020 NHL playoffs: How Miro Heiskanen, Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes are dominating the postseason ... the Finnish defenseman was the No. But scoring at over a point-per-game rate against men is no easy task, with Järventie playing a key role for KOOVEE. Late go-ahead goal for @OulunKarpatFi! Below is a brief list of the more notable first-year draft eligibles who have played for Finland at international events and are considered the top players from a junior-age standpoint. Some highlights from last week. With Yaroslav Askarov getting all the praise, it’s easy to see why a poised and technically-advanced netminder like Blomqvist will get overlooked in the first half of his draft season. Cloud St. One of the most prolific scorers in all of Finnish junior hockey since the beginning of last season, the diminutive Miettinen may also be considered one of the purest of skill forwards in this draft. #NuortenSMLiiga: RW Veeti Miettinen (Ranked No. Devils lost 12 of 14 He averaged 5.6 shots on goal per game, with no one else in the entire league even reaching four. Joni Jurmo 38) turns a lost draw on the PK into a SHG. If he ever finds himself on a top-heavy squad, the potential for primary assists off the shot or pass will increase. A pure sniper with one of the best shot-release combinations in the draft, Jarventie is a well-balanced winger who has spent the majority of his draft year as a top-line winger for one of the leading teams in Finland’s adult-age Mestis. I seem to be a bit more bullish on Jurmo than most but I’ve been pretty transparent and descriptive when assessing his game. Not only is he aggressive with his pinches and forays deep into the opposing zone, but he also isn’t shy about using his hard shot from just about anywhere. Maenpaa and serve as a pass-first playmaker or a shooter from anywhere between the circles. Toronto Maple Leafs. He spends a lot of time hovering near his own line in search of passes to pick off and turn into instant odd-man rushes. 1. Today’s group of profiles focuses very heavily on short players, and while Roby Järventie is the only player we’re discussing over 5-foot-9, buckle up because he’s probably the most chaotic of the bunch. Joe Thornton is the fifth-richest hockey player in the world, with a $71 million fortune. The 10th ranked European prospect by NHL Central Scouting, Ässät’s Roni Hirvonen is one of just four draft-eligible skaters to have played in Finland’s top men’s league in their draft year, along with Lundell, and rearguards Topi Niemela and Eemil Viro. When it comes to the breakout, Jurmo utilizes quick thinking and a series of deceptive moves to either peel away from a forechecker or trap him with a bank pass. 9. Full Carolina Hurricanes roster for the 2020-21 season including position, height, weight, birthdate, years of experience, and college. While he’s shown great improvements off the puck this year, he can sometimes get drawn to the puck while chasing along the right-wing boards instead of understanding his coverage, and is prone to being a bit too confident with the puck by passing over some higher percentage plays for the home-run seam pass. Although he’s known more for his offense, Suni is dependable on or off the puck and rarely puts himself or his teammates in a position to fail. He’s expected to play in the Liiga next season for Ilves with Lassi Thomson, where I’ll be curious to watch how his skills come together. 1-8, plus a look at Nos. Right Wing | Oshawa, OHL | 6’1, 188 | 2/13/02 | Shoots Right | 34gp-9g-19a-28pts. Overall, I still like Järventie a lot in this draft class solely because the potential is feasibly there to one day be a dangerous top-six goal-scoring winger. The fact that Miettinen is willing to challenge himself in a physical North American league that mirrors the rigors of the NHL from a physicality standpoint speaks volumes about how seriously he’s taking his development. In 2010, a subcategory was established for female players. They'll have to make a trade soon, but don't think it has to be a big name. Among other things, the puckers interviewed by ESPN said players used cannabis-containing candies to relax and fall asleep faster. All players eligible to be drafted in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Jurmo has everything you would want in a potential top-pairing defenseman. He’s electric in transition, seems to be all over the place in the offensive zone, and as a natural centre did a consistent job involving himself in his team’s backcheck. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to include women's hockey as an Olympic event in July 1992.. Finland has won three Olympic bronze medals in women's hockey, including the first bronze medal in women’s ice hockey at the Winter Olympic games. He’s a smart, versatile player with great anticipation and is dependable in all three zones. 2020 NHL Draft. Finland is now a well-known source of elite talent, with a Finnish player going in the top-three in the last three draft classes. hREDS returned to competitive NHL in early 2020 with a well-balanced roster formerly known as Team Delusion. Having a low center of gravity might make one think his stride is short or choppy, but Simontaival’s stride is long and clean, and he can outpace pressure even from an equal starting point. Mikko is almost certainly going to go down as the best […] Sort alphabetically by last name or organize by conference and division with ESPN.com's NHL Player Rosters. Jarventie plays as mistake free a game as a teenager can play and most of his decisions and movements on or off the puck seem calculated. He stands firm at his line and will deliver a hard check or shove to opponents who try to bypass him. Another record-breaking season. FWIW, Isles have picks in every round in 2021 & 2022, with an extra 2nd (COL) next year. The NHL features players from 18 different nations. The 2020 CHL Import Draft featured two players previously selected in the NHL Draft including Finnish forward Henri Nikkanen, picked at number 42 by the Winnipeg ICE, who is also a Winnipeg Jets prospect having been chosen in the fourth round in 2019. Additionally, Miettinen is an inside player with excellent lateral quickness and edgework, and when he cuts inside he still gets a lot of mustard on his wrister, especially when going against the grain. It was a strategy that worked well in a league that’s a shade below the QMJHL in comparable difficulty, but he’ll have to continue diversifying his offence if he wants to build on his success. The result is a 14.5% shooting percentage, a sustainable level that you can easily expect to carry over given the quality of his shot. New ... 2020, 8:00am EST ... We are going to be creating our own World Cup of Hockey type of tournament with players … In the Liiga this year, Hirvonen primarily played second-line minutes (~14:39/game) on the wing, but got some games in at centre in February and March. Data Provided By the official stats partner of the NHL. Jackets lose 11th in last 15, Normally I'd say give a kid like Wahlstrom a bump, but Lee is their second-leading scorer and captain. Anton Lundell’s commitment to defensive excellence makes him a fascinating prospect in the 2020 NHL Draft. Watch: https://bit.ly/3rJplA5 Right Wing | Tappara U20, Nuorten SM-Liiga | 5’9, 177 | 1/11/02 | 41gp-20g-25a-45pts. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that some teams may have Lundell as high as third or fourth on their internal draft boards. There’s a lot to love about Järventie’s game, and while I’ve said that about a lot of prospects this year, there really are some special elements to his toolkit. Roni Hirvonen I’m also a fan of Järventie’s skating stride, which is really smooth and can quickly build up speed through the neutral zone. He’s intelligent, mature, and one of the more polished prospects available. We just believe there isn’t as much value to be had this year. That’s actually an uptick relative to around this time last season. Pittsburgh Penguins netminder Blomqvist projects to be a workhorse starter for Finland in the tournament. Going to college still remains his plan for next season, as he’ll continue his education while playing for a team with a history of welcoming Finnish talent. Suni combines size, strength on the puck, and skills that have made his transition to North American hockey appear seamless. A women's ice hockey tournament has been played at every Winter Olympics since its introduction at the 1998 Nagano Olympics. 2021 NHL Draft: 5 Finnish Players to Watch. Finnish NHL Players in season 2019-2020? Team Finland: 3 Players to Watch at 2021 World Juniors December 19, 2020 With plenty of young stars like Sasha Barkov, Mikko Rantanen, and Miro Heiskanen climbing through the ranks of the NHL in recent years, it’s clear that Finland is doing something right in terms of hockey development. Listen: https://bit.ly/30FmGeK Check out Miettinen’s video-filled scouting report on Future Scope Hockey, as well as Jokke Nevalainen’s Twitter feed of clips from the past two seasons. Rate 5 stars Rate 4 stars Rate 3 stars Rate 2 stars Rate 1 star . Arizona drops 6th in last 9 He’s an intriguing high-upside option with one of the team’s four second round picks. A big winger who can skate may already be enough for a team to latch onto him at the draft, but combined with his natural goalscoring instincts, there’s a high ceiling on Järventie’s future as a potentially lethal threat at even strength. He will leave his net to fetch pucks without hesitation and has shown good puck-handling skills to head-man or reverse to his defensemen. On top of this, Miettinen committed to play at St. A smooth-skating defenseman with an incredibly high compete level and the desire to make his presence felt in the defensive end, Viro has been a go-to defender for TPS and Finland’s junior teams at multiple tournaments. Miettinen is also a very good skater who gets high marks in both speed and quickness.”. He might be a bit undersized (5-foot-9), but Rossi complements his great hockey sense by being relentless on the puck. Suni turns quickly and keeps his head in the play at all times. Niemela looks to cover slot while using hard shoves or an active stick to ensure the opponent he’s battling. From a long-term standpoint, Viro has the potential to anchor his own top pairing with a focus on shutting down opponents rather than piling up points. Hirvonen is an aggressive two-way center with quickness and tireless approach towards every shift while keeping his feet moving at all times. But there's pressure. Drafted by the Ottawa 67’s in the CHL Import Draft, Simontaival also has to work on his defensive play. He handles the puck with ease and is agile in all directions, which helps him run the possession of a power play from the right half wall. He can wire the puck with authority but also serve as a playmaker behind the net, a one-time option from the circle, or an immovable slot present in front. From a top-six role in the Mestis to a first-line winger at the junior and international level, Simontaival has been able to use his quickness and attack-first mentality to generate multiple chances for himself or his linemates. This is in line with last year’s ratio. Kärpät AKA the “ Ermines ”, are one of the most successful Finnish ice hockey teams of the 2010s, taking home half of the last six championships (2014, 2015 and 2018). However,Canada’s lead is slowly but surely dwindling. Although he sees time on the top power play unit, Viro is more of a shoot-first point man than a playmaker or fourth forward. By keeping possession of the puck for long periods of time, Suni can maneuver at multiple speeds, each designed to keep the opponent guessing. 2020 NHL Draft Lottery Primer and Draft Order, Ross Martin: Top-30 MHL Prospects (Russia), Updated 2020 NHL Draft Rankings: Top 125 for March, 2020 Draft: Preliminary Rankings and Watch List, 2020 Draft Profile: LHD William Wallinder, 2020 Draft Profile: LHD Anton Johannesson, 2020 Draft Profile: C/W Dmitry Ovchinnikov, Prospect Notes: TPS Turku U21-Jukurit U21 (Mar. Steve Kournianos  |  2/8/2020 |  Nashville  |. A super shifty and elusive buzzsaw in any zone, Maenpaa is one of the driving forces behind Jokerit U20’s potent attack. I’ll be up front about this: I believe Veeti Miettinen is a first round talent, even for a draft class as deep as 2020. He holds the record for the most goals scored in a rookie season, with a massive 76 to his name. Active Finnish NHL Players ‑ All-Time Stats. Hirvonen is in the right place, at the right time, all the time. UPDATE TO @NHL RULE 83.1 (OFF-SIDE): Beginning in the 2020-21 regular season, a player's skate will not have to be in contact with the blue line … 20 of the NHL's all-time dirtiest players Hockey is a hard-hitting game, but not everyone abides by the unwritten rules when it comes to the physical side of the sport . The hype surrounding this fast riser appears to be real, and a recent promotion to the elite SM-Liiga has yielded positive results. When he’s shooting, he’s capable of beating goalies in tight and from long distance, and he’s adept at changing the angle of his release to keep opponents wondering until the last moment. Over the years, U.S. ice hockey has welcomed players from all over the world, and Finland is no exception. 9. 10. With many teams employing few European scouts relative to those based in North America, it’s important to be mindful of this as we head beyond the Sens’ clear European comfort zone of Sweden and into Finland. 5. pic.twitter.com/D0qlP3eEcX, — Steve Kournianos (@TheDraftAnalyst) November 8, 2019, 4. Viro also seems partial to the high flip, which is timed perfectly to either buy his mates time for a line change or bypass traffic in the neutral zone and landing on a forward’s stick. His draft-year production ranks 15th over the last decade, and is comparable to first-rounders like Rasmus Kupari and Kasperi Kapanen. Like most gifted teenage blueliners, Jurmo tries to do everything on his own, specifically in the defensive end. He is now 50 years old and has been retired for six years. FinnProspects is an independent website that provides scouting information on Finnish NHL prospects. In fact, you can say he’s more noticeable and active in the penalty kill than he is on the power play. He scored at the men’s level by getting many of his 134 shots on goal in high-danger areas, and he could’ve likely had a few more goals like this one had the puck bounced his way. As one might expect, Canada still reigns supreme in terms ofwhich country’s players are the most well-represented in the NHL. A dual-threat by all accounts, Simontaival has a wicked shot that opponents respect, and has the vision to spot open teammates if his shot isn’t the most dangerous option. So here is a list of top 15 tallest NHL players today. His decision making with the puck is more clean than it is creative, but he has excellent vision and will delay in the offensive zone to open up a line for either a hard shot or an on-the-tape seam pass. Distributed by … He now has 3 goals and 5 assists in 16 games with the Moose. Maenpaa is a calculated center, one who knows his limits and will reassess situations on the fly. Finland Complete hockey facts, including top leagues, players, teams, ... 2020 WC Tournament Cancelled ... Players From Finland In North America # Player Team League GP G A TP PIM; 1. Since its inception in 1917–18, 348 players have played at least 1,000 regular season games, varying in amounts between Gordie Howe's 1,767 to Bernie Federko's 1,000. As good a skater as Niemela is, he sometimes gets too involved in a given possession and is unable to retreat in time to even out the numbers. He is also great on the draw for his age, and has put up good possession stats this year with 51.2% Corsi.”. Overall, he is consistent in how active he stays in the offensive zone, and if he isn’t looking to fire a puck on net, he’ll activate well below the faceoff dots to battle or keep plays alive. Finland has named its preliminary roster for the WJC. He takes a lot of risks and can be overconfident. Cloud St. Goalie | Karpat U20, Nuorten SM-Liiga | 6’1, 182 | 1/10/02 | 32gp, 711 saves, 0.929 sv %, Right-handed Defenseman | Karpat, SM-Liiga | 5’10, 156 | 3/25/02 | 36gp-1g-5a-6pts, Left-handed Defenseman | TPS Turku, SM-Liiga | 6’0, 165 | 4/3/02 | 20gp-0g-3a-3pts, Right Wing | Oshawa, OHL | 6’1, 188 | 2/13/02 | Shoots Right | 34gp-9g-19a-28pts, Center | Jokerit U20, Nuorten SM-Liiga | 5’5, 141 | 4/29/02 | Shoots Left | 45gp-11g-34a-45pts, Left Wing | KooVee, Mestis | 6’2, 184 | 9/8/02 | Shoots Left | 28gp-18g-11a-29pts. Ultimately, a team drafting Kasper could potentially get a high-end, top-six talent in the second- or third-round — a home-run — or get a player who doesn’t make it. Quiz by pulchowk 2020 NHL Draft Profiles: Finnish Forwards Roni Hirvonen (C) Veeti Miettinen (RW) Kasper Simontaival (RW) Roby Järventie (LW) 3 overall pick in the NHL draft -- … 11. The Finnish league pause sent NHL players seeking to be in ... winger — and fellow Vancouver Canucks prospect — Nils Hoglander during the Finland-Sweden bronze medal game at the 2020 … Current season NHL stats provided … As you can imagine, goalscoring is Miettinen’s bread and butter, with a snappy wrist shot that can find the back of the net from seemingly anywhere. Suni’s agility for his size is more than acceptable and he is willing to stickhandle inside the opposing line in order to draw attention away from the middle of the ice. Eemil Viro Even though he is a good playmaker, he’s more of a goal-scorer at heart. But at what point is he shooting too much, and just getting the puck on net from low-danger areas out of habit? From a point-production standpoint, Jurmo is not a run-of-the-mill shoot-first defender, but Jokerit’s slew of talented forwards on their high-powered roster limits his opportunities to be creative. He was more than ready to handle playing against older competition, but not enough to jump right into the Liiga like Lundell and Hirvonen. While he certainly has benefitted from playing consistently with a leading scorer like center Janne Seppanen, Jarventie brings a diverse skill set to his line beyond setting up for rifle shots at the net. NASHVILLE (The Draft Analyst) — Finland always produces premier talent for the NHL draft, and this year should be no different. Finnish hockey fans will also be able to see NHL talent showcase their skills in Liiga in 2020-21. But it’s a proven variable to account for when discussing draft prospects, and in a draft year with plenty of top prospects on the older side (Lafrenière, Rossi, Lundell, Quinn, etc. You can watch Simontaival’s video report on Scouching here. His zone entries can be a work of art regardless of strength on the ice, and he will attack the smallest of gaps and still come away unscathed. His development route going to the NCAA is an unconventional one, but he’s stepping into a team where he’ll almost certainly be their best player the second he takes to North American ice. It’s this offensive ceiling that have many noting that he’s got some of the highest potential in this draft class if he can put it all together. Here’s a look at his stride in speed, during a zone entry on the powerplay, and you can see how limited it is. Veeti Miettinen Shooting lots is fantastic, and is usually a great indicator for players progressing to higher levels. The Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets will each have two core players as well. One thing to consider is that Jokerit’s top line is made up entirely of 19 and 20 year olds, yet he’s equally as dangerous on the second unit and has produced just as frequently despite playing less. Over halfway through the season, do we like the North Division? His hands are incredibly soft, and having proper stick positioning in conjunction with those mitts and sharp instincts allows him to pick off seam passes and dart up ice all in one motion. From a skating standpoint, Simontaival maintains a slightly hunched posture but can drop a quick first step. He can also change the angle of the shot to make it even more difficult for the goalie. Current season NHL stats provided by XML Team Solutions: Content Copyright 2021, The Sports Forecaster. #U20: Nice look and feed by C Roni Hirvonen to find a cutting Mikko Kokkonen (TOR) and beat Askarov high blocker. A big part of that has to do with the lack of exposure by getting zero games in the Liiga to preserve his commitment, as well as controversially being cut from Finland’s World Junior roster. Sports Quiz / Finnish NHL Players in season 2020-2021 Random Sports or NHL Quiz Can you name the Finnish NHL Players in season 2020-2021. by pulchowk Plays Quiz not verified by Sporcle . Rate 5 stars Rate 4 stars Rate 3 stars Rate 2 stars Rate 1 star . And with 42 goals, he broke the single-season record as only the second player to hit 40+ goals in a season. Kasper Simontaival In terms of assessing the handful of SM-Liiga draft eligibles, one can make a strong argument that Hirvonen in comparison with Anton Lundell is more creative, has better vision, and his shot may be equally as deadly. An incredible 24.4% of his team’s goals came off Miettinen’s stick, something that you can only really fathom in this specific kind of scenario. Slumping teams kept on slumping on the midseason Sunday: THW is one of the largest and most respected Go-To hockey sites. This bias often comes across as us only seeing the positive traits of European-born players and not seeing some obvious flaws, and vice-versa for our friends in Europe who might not watch a lot of North American hockey, for example. The one tournament where he did receive a prime opportunity was this year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he captained the Finns and led them in scoring with four goals and five points in three games while featuring a balanced, do-it-all kind of game. Over the years, U.S. ice hockey has welcomed players from all over the world, and Finland is no exception. He couldn’t just be a sit-back-and-snipe type player with his surrounding talent, though, as he can also be a patient playmaker, something that lends especially well to his role as a power play quarterback. It’s easy to point towards Miettinen’s aforementioned shot or his playmaking abilities — what scoring leader doesn’t possess at least one or both of those qualities? Defensively, Suni positions himself properly and uses an active stick. Vancouver Canucks. Creating time and space is rarely a problem for someone with quick feet and advanced puck control like Simontaival, and his anticipation off the hop is quite high. Featuring over 120 writers covering the NHL and beyond. There are games where he will keep his foot on the gas from start to finish and maintain the intensity from start to finish. We cover all of the major hockey leagues in Finland including the Liiga & the Regular Season of the Liiga to bring you all of the current hockey league table standings for the whole of the 2020/21 2020/21!. He may not be the biggest kid on the ice, but Simontaival plays with intensity and is always looking to ram his offensive prowess right down his opponents’ throats. He isn’t very physical and could stand to use his upper-body strength to his advantage, and you rarely see him on the penalty kill. Left Wing | KooVee, Mestis | 6’2, 184 | 9/8/02 | Shoots Left | 28gp-18g-11a-29pts. Numerous Finnish players have played for NHL teams, including the Colorado Avalanche.