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Thread: [Noma's Watch] The Finnish SM-liiga prospects watch

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    Default [Noma's Watch] The Finnish SM-liiga prospects watch

    This list covers SM-liiga players that may have a chance to break in the NHL in couple of years.

    C Mikael Granlund, HIFK, drafted 2010 1st round #9 overall by Minnesota
    regular season 39 GP, 8+28=36 - playoffs 9 GP 3+5=8

    Granlund may be the most hyped Finnish prospect since Mikko Koivu in the first half of the first decade of 21st century. He dominated every junior league in Finland he was playing and had no problems converting his scoring abilities to SM-liiga in 2009-2010. Granlund's biggest disadvantage is probably his size. 5'10"/179 lbs isn't very much in today's ice hockey. Anyway, he compensates his lack of size incredibly well with his skills and hockey sense. He also has a proper shot. He will probably be with the Wild next season and will immediately be competing for the roster spot even on the powerplay. Don't be surprised if this guy finishes 2012 with 50 points.

    RW Teemu Pulkkinen, Jokerit, drafted 2010 4th round #111 overall by Detroit
    regular season 55 GP, 18+36=54 - playoffs 3 GP 0+1=1

    The Red Wings have done it again. They managed to snatch very good player in the later rounds of the draft. Pulkkinen has always been known as very talented player, but being born in the same year as Granlund has helped him to "hide in the shadows". Like Granlund, Pulkkinen isn't very big player. 5'11" and 183 lbs are actually quite close to his age-mate and so are his points in nearly every league they've played at the same time. Although Pulkkinen is a natural goal scorer type, he also has very good passing skills. His slapshot is extraordinary from Finnish point of view and he looks very much like young Teemu Selänne. He could very well be a reliable 30-goal scorer in the NHL in the near future.

    D Sami Vatanen, JYP, drafted 2009 4th round #106 overall by Anaheim
    regular season 52 GP, 11+20=31 - playoffs 3 GP 1+1=2

    Vatanen has been often described as the new Kimmo Timonen. He is small (5'9"/165 lbs), but very good skater and has extremely good understanding of the game. His trademark has been coast-to-coast runs behind the own goal over the blue line and a sharp slapshot under the crossbar. He still lacks the physicality required to be an NHL player, but once he gets it, he will be great weapon for Anaheim to use on the powerplay next to Cam Fowler.

    RW Joel Armia, Ässät, draft eligible 2011
    regular season 48 GP, 18+11=29 - playoffs 5 GP 2+0=2

    This October sensation surprised nearly everyone in the hockey world taking the leap to the professional games very quickly last fall. He is a type of player the Finnish hockey hasn't seen in very long time: skilled power forward with great size. As 6'3"/187 lbs and very quick feet he produces lots of dangerous scoring opportunities for his team in every game. His scoring tempo slowed down a bit when the opposing teams learned his strengths, but still he did score in 0.6 pts per game - being 17 years old! He will probably be a top 20 draft pick next summer - maybe even higher.

    LW Toni Rajala, Ilves, drafted 2009 4th round #101 overall by Edmonton
    regular season 44 GP, 9+13=22 - playoffs 6 GP 4+0=4

    Rajala is probably known mostly by his miraculous performance in the U18 WJC 2009 where he outscored Alex Ovechkin's record scoring 19 points in just 6 games. He joined the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL next season scoring 63 points in 60 games, but returned to SM-liiga this season. He started the season slowly but tightened the tempo towards the end of the season and was very good in the playoffs. Rajala has very good acceleration speed and very Canadian style shot, he can shoot the puck from every position. He is very skilled with the puck, but, as very often, his minus side is small size (5'10"/163 lbs). Rajala has asked the Oilers to play for Ilves the next season and will probably move to the NHL in 2012.

    LW/RW Joonas Donskoi, Kärpät, drafted 2010 4th round #99 overall by Florida
    regular season 52 GP, 16+11=27

    Donskoi is a good allround forward and he has very high working moral. He started the season in Kärpät as a fourth liner but towards the end of the season he rose to the second line and scored a couple of very important goals in the last minutes of games. I don't think Donskoi has star potential in the NHL, but he may well become a good third liner.

    D Jyrki Jokipakka, Ilves, draft eligible 2011
    regular season 48 GP, 1+8=9 - playoffs 5 GP 0+0=0

    Jokipakka rose to Ilves' regular roster out of nowhere in the beginning of this season. He played very mature game since the beginning and ended up with almost 20min of TOI per game in the season. He led the team in plus-minus and showed very solid performance throughout the season. He was also Finland's top stay-at-home defenceman in the WJC and will be drafted in first three rounds next season's draft.

    C Perttu Lindgren, Lukko, drafted 2005 3th round #75 overall by Dallas
    regular season 56 GP, 23+43=66 - playoffs 9 GP 4+5=9

    Lindgren played two seasons in AHL in 2007-2008 and 2009-2010 but decided to return to Finland this season. He led the league in scoring and was dominating the ice in SM-liiga. He has a ton of upside even in the NHL, but he may be heading to the KHL if he won't get a one-way contract from the NHL.

    G Iiro Tarkki, Blues, free agent
    regular season 20-20-14, GAA 2.09, SVS% .924 - playoffs 8-3-0, GAA 2.00, SVS% .930

    Iiro Tarkki could very well be the next Niklas Bäckström in the NHL. He has been among the best goalies in SM-liiga last couple of years and has been outstanding in this year's playoffs. He has very good size for a goalie (6'2"/192 lbs) and he can keep his game very calm even in tight situations. There have been rumours of him getting numerous offers from different NHL teams so he could very well play in the NHL next year. He has the potential to be very good starter goalie in the NHL level - even as early as 2011-2012.

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    Just thought I'd mention goaltending prospect Atte Engren of Nashville.
    He's been assigned to the AHL and has looked good for the two games he has played. Very good young Finnish goalie prospect. Great list though, thanks for all this.

    "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."

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    Great list. Out of curiosity - do you plan on covering other euro leagues?
    Gates Imbeau
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    Great post thanks for the info Noma.

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    Quote Originally Posted by GMGates View Post
    Great list. Out of curiosity - do you plan on covering other euro leagues?
    I don't follow other Euro leagues that much, so I don't think I have the competence to do that. I can however continue to provide information about Finns, so if you have questions about any SM-liiga players (or Finnish junior league players) I'd be glad to answer

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    Good to know and if SM-Liiga is your specialty, you're more than welcomed to continue doing reports on finnish players!

    Hope to see more of your stuff soon!
    Gates Imbeau
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    Mikael Granlund is now a leading scorer in the SM-liiga playoffs, 5+8 in 11 games - and that 11th game (Granlund 2+3) is actually still going on.

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    Noma, there are a few guys asking about prospects Zibanejad (SEL), Jaskin and Joel Armia (FINLAND). Could you shed some more light on any of these europeans? I know your specialty are FINNs so at the very least, where do you see Armia being selected in this years' draft. Any information would be appreciated.

    Thanks

    Other Finnish draft eligibles include: Miikka Salomaki (Karpat), Markus Granlund (HIFK-Jr), Alexander Ruutu (Jokerit Jr.), plus goaltenders Samu Perhonen (JYP-Jr), Lars Volden (Blues Jr) and Frans Tuohimaa (Jokerit Jr).

    Shed any light on them?
    Last edited by Dean Youngblood; April 13, 2011 at 12:09 PM.

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