| Ruben Rafkin | TPS | Liiga | R | D | 6’0″ | 190 | Drafted by Windsor Spitfires in 2019 | Turko, FIN | 2002 | 2021-2022: B 2020-2021: B- 2019-2020: B+ |
Ian Moran’s thoughts: Rafkin is a player who we’ve tracked for a long time and I’ve always felt has the qualities to be an NHL defender. Yes, I understand that he’s under contract with TPS. I also understand there will be complicated things that need to be figured out financially, but for me he might be worth the hassle. He is an 02 right shot defenseman who has played in the OHL and has averaged 16:23 of ice time in the Liiga over the past 2 season. He is strong on his feet and has smooth easy footwork that allows him to retrieve pucks with pace as well as continually control his gap in a high end European league that values puck possession and creating mismatches in speed on a line rush. In offensive transition Rafkin’s passes are on time and he has shown the ability to pass from a variety of stick locations without the need to stickhandle. He is not a player who will run your number 1 power play, but he can contribute on a 2nd power play. We feel Rafkin has also shown the details to kill penalties as he plays in straight lines and has an active stick. Again, I understand that there are contractual complications, but in an NHL that is built on transition Rafkin could be worth the time and effort.
OHL: Windsor Spitfires at Kitchener Rangers, October 17, 2019: A right shot offensive minded defenseman with a solid skating stride and an above average first step. A Finnish import, Ruben was Windsor’s first round pick in the 2019 OHL Import Draft. He plays a calm puck management game in transition, he reads fore-checks well and is always ready to use his acceleration as a secondary options on the rush. Ruben was held off the score sheet in this viewing, but has been effective early in the season with over a point per entering the game vs Kitchener. He is a first unit power play defenseman with offensive creativity and a heads up approach to finding open teammates. He walks the blue line very well and uses his feet to create shooting lanes or passing options. As a young defender he manages his gap well and used his body effectively on opposition rushes. As he improves his defending off the cycle and strength down low he should evolve into a top 4 defender quickly. Game Grade: B
U16: HPHL Plymouth Michigan Showcase, February 13, 2018: Played limited minutes as he sustained an injury early in one of his games. It doesn’t take him many minutes though to impress you with his tools. A young defender who can take the body and defend well. He also possesses offensive tools with his shot and vison. He is a constant threat on the power play while keeping the penalty kill on its toes with his shot and mobility on the blue line. College: Denver University
U16: Selects Academy at North Jersey Avalanche, December 13, 2017: Rubin can skate and moves the puck well. He has his head up at all times and has a good shot. But what we noticed more this time was more that he made the other team keep its heads up. He threw some nasty hits. His game has become more ”North American.”
U16: USPHL South Division Playoffs, February 25, 2017: Ruben did nothing outstanding but when you look at his age, he was pretty impressive. What catches our eye is he is very solid in his own end for his age. He is strong for his size. Ruben is good one on one and in coverage. He does not stray out of position. He moved the puck well but was not a big offensive force. Overall he plays a mature game.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images