Topias Hynninen (RW, L, 5’10”, 174, Jukurit, 12/19/2005)
Topias Hynninen is a high-motor, two-way winger who played meaningful minutes in Finland’s top professional league at age 17. He combines elite compete level, defensive IQ, and responsible play in all three zones with flashes of skill and situational awareness. While not a dynamic puck carrier or creator, Hynninen is effective in structure and thrives as a complementary piece on special teams. He has the potential to be a responsible middle-six energy winger, though his limited shot volume, strength limitations, and average puck skill raise questions about his offensive ceiling at the NHL level.
Why Hynninen Should Be an NHL Draft Pick
1) NHL-Level Compete and Motor
Hynninen brings shift-to-shift intensity that NHL organizations covet in bottom-six players. He is constantly in motion, supports the puck well, and does not take shifts off. His ability to finish checks, negate icings, battle hard along the walls, and disrupt with his stick makes him a reliable forechecker and penalty killer.
2) Defensive Awareness and Versatility
Despite being undersized, Hynninen plays a mature defensive game. His defensive zone scanning is active, and he adjusts quickly to developing threats. He’s trusted to play shorthanded minutes and contributes as a secondary face-off option (5.6 draws/game at 41%). His intelligence shows up in his 3.5 takeaways per game and 1.43 puck recoveries after shots, both strong indicators of pro-level processing.
3) Power Play Utility
Hynninen earns 2:46 per game on the power play, largely as a bumper or net-front disruptor. He’s produced a high-end 1.52 Grade A scoring chances per game and scores on 16% of them, an impressive number for a player not generating a high volume of shots. His hand-eye coordination and willingness to get to the interior were rewarded during the World Jr. Summer Showcase, where he scored multiple in-tight goals while out-muscling his opponent.
4) Puck Support and Vision
While he doesn’t dominate possession, Hynninen is a smart distributor who completes 91% of his passes and generates 1.14 pre-shot passes per game — high-end numbers for a winger. His first touch can be inconsistent, but he clearly reads pressure and outlets well, making himself a useful puck-moving option in transition.
Why Hynninen Should Not Be an NHL Draft Pick
1) Low Shot Volume and Offensive Assertiveness
Despite playing over 18 minutes per game and heavy offensive zone time (9:14 PIA), Hynninen averages just 2.4 shot attempts and 1.55 shots on goal per game. He doesn’t consistently attack seams or create chances off the rush. He is more comfortable deferring or working the perimeter, making him a lower-ceiling offensive option.
2) Lacks Physical Strength and Battle Efficiency
Hynninen wins 48% of his 14 puck battles per game — below expectations for a high-compete winger playing in a pro men’s league. He gives 0.47 hits per game and receives 0.72 — not alarming but indicative that he’s not yet playing with enough weight or strength to consistently separate players from pucks. As he continues to fill out physically, these numbers need to climb to ensure translatability.
3) Underwhelming Puck Touch in Motion
Neutral Zone scouts have noted that in both league play and the WJSS he struggles to consistently handle pucks in stride. While he’s capable of flashes of high skill (toe drags, confident entries), he fumbles pucks under pressure and doesn’t yet have the touch to beat defenders 1-on-1 or extend possession in the offensive zone. As a winger, this limits his top-six potential unless he becomes a more dangerous shooter.
4) Predictability and Lack of Separation Speed
Hynninen doesn’t yet separate from defenders in transition with regularity. Without a dynamic first three strides or deception with the puck, defenders are often able to contain him early in the neutral zone. If he’s going to remain a low-shot-volume winger, he must consistently create plays off the forecheck or retrievals — and his current predictability limits upside.
Projection and NHL Outlook
Projection: Competitive bottom-six winger, 4th-line penalty killer with 3rd-line match-up potential
Developmental Focus:
Increase shot volume and quicker decision-making in possession
Add strength (10–15 lbs)
Improve puck battle outcomes
Refine puck reception and handling under pressure
Improve explosiveness off the puck to drive more offense
Draft Grade: 3rd–5th Round
Verdict:
Hynninen is a high-IQ, detail-oriented winger with a clear pro floor. He brings effort, intelligence, and responsibility to every shift and is already competing at a high level in a structured top professional league. While his offensive ceiling is modest, he has the makeup of a player coaches trust. If he fills out and continues to improve his puck play, Hynninen could become a valuable role player on a playoff-caliber NHL team, especially in a checking role with special teams value. Drafting him is betting on a high-character player who will push to outwork his draft position — and that’s often the bet worth making in the middle rounds.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images