Niklas Kokko

U20 SM-sarja: Karpat vs JYP, February 19, 2022: Kokko pitched a shutout in a 5-0 win over JYP Jyvaskyla in his last contest, stopping all 19 shots. Kokko is a big presence in net, covering the top corners well even in his butterfly with his hips up. He was very composed all night, especially when the opposition had their best chances on a couple of 2 on 1’s. He ate up a lot of pucks with solid rebound control and always seemed to be in the right spot at the right time to make a clean save. It was great to see how calm he was when ready for a shot, but also how he demonstrated his explosiveness when beating passes and following rebounds. Overall, he put together a perfect performance in this one and will be exciting to see how he finishes the season down the end stretch. Grade: A

U20: 2022 NHL Draft Eligible Goalie Report, December 8, 2021: Last 5 game snapshot- This Finnish goaltender has been doing a good job in his country’s U20 league so far this season. He earned a chance to play for Team Finland in the recent under 18 international games against the US and Sweden, struggling going 0-2 with an 85% save percentage in both games. He has had a mix of good and bad games for his junior team and will look to find more consistency in the month of December. Niklas has a very calm demeanor in net and shows off his active hands, being able to catch or deflect shots cleanly to control his rebounds when he tracks the puck well. He does a good job holding his feet with patience and does not commit too early on shots or lateral plays. Watching his international games, his confidence seemed to have wavered when he let in a goal, as a string of more goals tended to follow. Through more time and experience, he should be able to find a better way to reset his mental state and bounce back after a goal to make the next save, instead of giving up these goals in bunches. Kokko can definitely be better in his games to come, but he shows he has the tools to be a reliable goaltender who can make elite saves when he is dialed in and confident in himself.