Jiko Laitinen (C, L, 6’0″, 164, Ilves U20, 04/16/2008) Jiko Laitinen is a 6’0′, 164-pound left-shot center who produced in the U20 SM-sarja (41 GP, 19G, 22A, 41PTS, +35) and showed encouraging flashes in both international play (14 GP, 10PTS for Finland U18) and limited Liiga exposure (1 goal in 2 games), projecting as a skilled, intelligent middle-six forward whose long-term upside will depend on physical development and pace translation. He plays a composed, detail-oriented game with strong offensive awareness, consistently generating quality looks (2.0 Grade ‘A’ chances per game, 18% conversion) while playing a possession game driven through clean puck movement (86% pass completion, 0.8 pre-shot passes per game). He averages 17:23 TOI with both power play (2:54) and penalty kill (1:35) time as he is clearly trusted for defensive zone starts, and his +35 reflects strong details which lead to on-ice impact. He processes the game well offensively, showing timing and understanding spacing through the middle of the ice, and his ability to step into Liiga and contribute immediately, albeit in a small sample, is a positive indicator of confidence and processing. However, there are clear concerns that align with his profile and prior Neutral Zone viewings; at 164 pounds he is well below NHL physical standards, and it shows in limited physical engagement (0.26 hits per game) but his 50/50 puck battle results (49%) show that he understands leverage, particularly for a center who will need to win interior ice at higher levels. His faceoff percentage (47%) is an area for focused development, and his puck management under pressure can be hurried (4.2 giveaways vs. 3.6 takeaways). In his limited Liiga time and games with the U18 National team he does not yet control play or drive possession when competing against bigger faster players. While he is productive, he is not a high-volume shooter (4 attempts, 2.7 on goal per game), and his offense is more opportunistic and support-driven than dynamic or creative. Overall, Laitinen has high-level hockey sense, versatility, and offensive touch that give him a pathway, but without significant strength gains, improved pace and competitiveness through contact, he projects more as a European pro or depth AHL center, but with proper physical development and continued progression, he has a chance to become a middle-six NHL forward in a 3-5 year window, making him a late third-round draft consideration with moderate upside but clear risk that is tied to his physical development.