Focusing on Team Finland
Kalle Kangas (D, L, 6’4″, 205, Jokerit U20, 02/01/2005) Kangas is a 7th round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023. He is a big, heavy defenseman known for his physical game and toughness. While he does not possess the best pair of hands, he is mean and is hard to play against. Kalle often acts as a sheriff by standing up for teammates in post-whistle scrums. His skating needs refinement, particularly in bringing his feet together during strides and working on moving his feet faster. Kalle had 4 assists this week at the tournament by getting pucks on net and keeping it simple. Although, sometimes he did a little too much. He made a long cross-ice pass from his own zone that he telegraphed that was easily picked off. Sometimes he has moments where he tries to make a harder play than he has too or he holds onto the puck to long before making a decision. Simplifying his play and improving his skating are crucial for his continued development at the next level. Taking the step from Mestis to Liiga where he will play with HPK will force him to do adapt, move quicker and make the easy play. Kangas will be more effective when he cleary understands these things. Grade: B-
Emil Pieniniemi (D, L, 6’2″, 175, Karpat U20, 03/02/2005) Emil was a 2023 3rd round pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He is a long, smooth-skating left defenseman, who was on the top defensive pair all week. He had the night off against USA White. He always effectively shrinks the offensive zone by staying on top of his winger in the offensive zone. On rushes he has a tight defensive gap with his stick out in front of him. He presents himself and has a quick release on his one-timer. He likes to be an option up top on the power play to distribute and shoot. He was always carrying the puck up on the power play breakout and usually dropped it to the two late man as he would try to set a screen. Offensively, he showed his potential with 2 goals and 2 assists in four games. He likes to jump up in rushes and down the wall in the offensive zone. His best game was against Canada where he scored twice and had an assist off of his shot which originally looked like his goal. He collected the puck once on the power play from Hemming and faked inside to outside on the shotblocker and got the puck through to score. He loves to fake inside and outside pulling the puck from his backhand to forehand before shooting. He is most effective on the power play and moves well left to right up top. Emil sometimes holds the puck too long, when the easy play is available. He also can get more pucks through if he gets the puck off his stick quicker. Once he was caught puck-watching, leading to a goal against when he played USA Blue; better patience could have prevented this. He was on top of a pile behind his own net and went in and on the wrong side of the pile for the puck to later come out front and lead to a lucky tossed puck out front, for a goal. With time and space in the neutral zone he picks his head up, draws players in, and zips passes to his forwards or to his defensive partner. Overall, he should focus on making plays a bit earlier or quicker. Although, he does shrink the zone when he has the puck on the offensive zone he can use the full zone more by staying higher with his feet outside of the zone. He tended to fall in a little bit to much when he didn’t have to. Grade: B
Aatos Koivu (C, R, 6’1″, 170, TPS, 06/22/2006) Aatos is a Montreal Canadiens draft pick who demonstrated versatility by playing both center and wing. He was aware positionally. He was often available low and slow in the middle. Koivu picks his head up when controlling the puck out of his own zone, consistently picking his eyes up to make smart decisions with the puck. He was utilized on the power play. Also could be effective on the penalty kill since he is usually in the right spot defensively. He likes to drag the puck into his feet before he shoots to change the angle of his shot. Aatos can provide a sense of calmness as you know what you get with him. Koivu should look to try and contribute more offensively and will only get better as his body fills out. Grade: B-
Sebastian Soini (D, R, 6’3″, 187, Ilves, 06/10/2006) Sebastian is a 6′ 2′ right-shot defenseman who was drafted by the Minnesota Wild. He showcased a mix of promising offensive instincts and areas needing improvement at the World Junior Summer Showcase. He’s an efficient straight-line skater who is willing to join the offensive rush and frequently jumps down into the offensive zone from the blue line. Notably, he scored off a D-to-D pass from the blue line, receiving a pass from Kangas against USA Blue. However, he sometimes over complicates the game by trying to carry the puck out of the zone. This leads to turnovers due to holding onto the puck too long. While his offensive upside is evident, he needs to reduce these turnovers and pick and choose when to jump in the offense and also when to get the puck off his stick. He will continue his development with Ilves next season in Liiga, where he has already gained some experience. Grade: C+
Topias Hynninen (RW, L, 5’10”, 164, Jukurit, 12/19/2005) Topias finished the tournament with 3 goals and 1 assist, demonstrating that he can contribute offensively. He played on the power play and penalty kill. He consistently took face-offs despite primarily being a winger. He showcased a strong work ethic getting back defensively and forechecking hard. He had several effective moments along the perimeter in the offensive zone. However, he could generate more shots if he released the puck quicker. He got rewarded once on the power play with a moving screen as the net front guy where the puck hit him and went in. His presence was notably more impactful in the games against USA and Canada. Hynninen also scored a backdoor tap in on his strong side but showed strong hands with the ability to get the puck over the goalies pad in tight while receiving a hard pass. Grade: B-
Heikki Ruohonen (LW, L, 6’1″, 204, Kiekko-Espoo U20, 06/19/2006, Harvard) The Philadelphia Flyers’ 4th round pick showcased solid two-way play at center throughout the week. Defensively responsible, he demonstrated a strong work ethic in all three zones. Offensively he worked to create turnovers through effective forechecking. His style of play aligns well with ECAC hockey. He was utilized on the penalty kill, emphasizing his defensive reliability. One notable assist came from blocking a shot and executing a 2-on-1 break, delivering a pass off the pads for an easy tap-in goal for Saarelainen. Another key play involved creating an offensive zone turnover with a smart stick check, leading to a pass to Saarelainen in the slot. Could have been used net front or in the bumper spot on the power play. His upcoming season with Dubuque will be crucial for his development and preparation for college hockey. Grade: B
Joona Saarelainen (C, L, 5’9″, 183, KalPa, 04/04/2006) Joona is a Tampa Bay Lightning 5th round pick. He is a hard worker and finishes his checks. He scored twice in the first game while on the 4th line. Notably, his second goal he anticipated a turnover, moved into the slot, received a pass, and scored by shooting back across his body as he came across the hash marks. He consistently excelled as a net-front presence on the power play, frequently getting to the dirty areas and capitalizing on opportunities. His performance throughout the tournament was rewarded by his willingness to battle and get to the front of the net. Grade: B-
Rasmus Kumpulainen (C, L, 6’3″, 194, Oshawa Generals, 08/08/2005) Rasmus spent last season in the OHL with Oshawa. He shows potential as a big, strong forward with a soft pair of hands. Rasmus demonstrated the ability to use his size to protect the puck and sustain offensive plays, although this was not consistent. He will return to Finland next season on loan to the Pelicans, focusing on developing consistency and leveraging his physicality to dominate each and shift. Grade: C+
Jesse Kiiskinen (RW, R, 6’0″, 191, Pelicans U20, 08/23/2005) Jesse is a right winger who can play up and down the lineup. He is a worker who also demonstrates responsibility and reliability in his decision-making. At the end of his shift he was tired but he made a mature decision where he slowed down the play, picked his eyes up and hit the late defenseman before changing. Jesse does little things like this that don’t show up on the scoresheet but prove he can be put in any situation during a game. The right winger occasionally takes faceoffs on his backhand side. He is detail oriented and as a winger he boxes out and slows down his man on faceoffs to give himself and teammates more time and space. Again, a little thing that shows he plays the right way. Despite a night off against USA White, he showcased his offensive skills by scoring a power play goal. He pulled off a shot between his legs to beat the goalie on the far side as the net front player on the power play. Kiiskinen is property of the Detroit Red Wings although being drafted by Nashville and he will look to continue his detailed approach to the game with HPK next season. Grade: B
Jesse Nurmi (LW, L, 5’11”, 165, KooKoo, 03/07/2005) Nurmi displayed speed up the ice once he gained momentum. He led his team in scoring at the World Junior Summer Showcase, tallying 2 goals and 4 assists. Although both goals were empty-netters.Notably, he earned an assist through relentless effort in the corner, winning a battle and moving the puck from low to high. Additionally, he created a crucial turnover and fed Hynninen for a backdoor tap-in goal. His work ethic on the forecheck stood out consistently. He is signed by the Islanders and will continue his development with the London Knights in the OHL, where his game is expected to progress further. Grade: C+
Emil Kuusla (LW, L, 5’9″, 170, Jokerit U20, 01/11/2005) Kuusla is a smaller player that uses a longer stick, he skates low to the ice reminiscent of Rocco Grimaldi and demonstrates high compete levels. He is relied upon in all situations and is extremely effective on the penalty kill. Despite his size, he likes to stir up opposing players with little slashes, hits, or pushes after the whistle and never backs down. He creates turnovers through relentless work and anticipation, often reading and intercepting passes. Offensively, he consistently gets to the net front and scores goals there. He scored another off his foot by driving to the net. One of Finland’s standout players in the tournament. Once he showcased his playmaking ability by collecting the puck behind the USA White net on his backhand, spinning around to his forehand, and delivering a perfect backdoor pass for an assist to Hynninen. He made sure he took a look over his shoulder knowing Hynninen would be available back door. Kuusla will be with Jokerit next season playing in the Mestis and is still draft eligible. Grade” B+
Emil Hemming (RW, R, 6’1″, 205, TPS, 06/27/2006) Emil demonstrates excellent agility and efficiency on his skates and is light on his feet. Hemming likes to shoot the puck and has a quick release. He possesses soft hands and is creative in one-on-one situations. During the tournament once he showed the ability to drive the puck to the net, effectively using his body to protect the puck after dicing him up one on one. This is a skill he should have utilized more in the tournament. His game got better as the tournament went on. Finland got into some penalty trouble in a few games so he may have been knocked out his rhythm. On the power play, he was versatile, taking one-timers and playing on his strong side. He generated a few quality shots. He showed to work away from the puck more at the end of the tournament where he got rewarded with a couple goals. Overall, he has a clear skill set with impressive skating and technical tools. Hemming can make plays offensively with his shot and play making ability. He did not get rewarded on the scoresheet with some of his passes. However, he needs to be more active away from the puck to increase his touches and overall impact on the game. His performance improved as the tournament progressed, scoring in both game 4 and game 5, and he demonstrated an increased effort and work rate as the event continued. Emil can and should look to take over and dominate in the OHL next season. Grade: B-
Scout: Cameron Brown
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images