Highly thought of, but projects as a long developmental center when still needs time to strengthen his overall game. Is a gifted guy with smart instincts, with good energy and stick skills, but that might be a premature assessment. Likes to play with physicality and likes to use his body. His lack of high end speed doesn't hold him back, as long as he gets off and doesn't extend his ice time and start getting tired legs. An active forechecker with good hands, and gives his linemates nice looks with his astuter passes. At the Five Nations Under-18 his zone entries were thwarted on zone entires with puck losses. Was given first line responsibilities, but neglected his defensive end responsibilities after he was stifled on the attack. Consistency is what he has to work on to be an every shift player as he develops. Took a needless kneeing penalty against Russia a got a one game suspension. All this doesn’t close the book on him, just points to a need for more maturity in his on ice demeanor and in his game and skill development. He can play all three forward positions. Has been effective on the PP and PK in international competition. If you want to try and put a barometer on his value to his team, during the Gretsky-Hlinka Tourney first game for Team Finland, he took a nasty open ice hit to the head, and was done for precautionary reasons and Team Finland simply didn't recover.
—Bill Placzek—
