Finnish import defenseman with a good frame and excellent offensive instincts. Displays significant upside as prospect who can eventually be a two way defender. Maintain good gaps and has an active stick. An excellent stickhandler who can be very poised with the puck. Is athletic and mobile and reads the ice well. Is a crisp long distance passer in transition and can also carry the mail out of the zone. Not adverse to going the rush, is an excellent PP QB, and has a strong hard point shot along with a long range writs shot. Very fluid and has a great feel for the offensive end. Has some physicality and will tie opponents on the wall.It is difficult to estimate exactly where he gets selected in the first round. There are plenty of reasons teams would value his vision and instinct in the attacking part of the game, but if you ask scouts which parts of junior defense’s games are most important, backward skating and handling the defensive part of the game rank rank high. He has trouble handling quicker forwards in his end, and also gets out-muscled in the dirty areas, along the wall and when in possession. He needs to get harder on the stick. These are parts of the game that can be improved upon and he does have a some bite to his game, so he is a pretty nice defensive prospect even with the parts he needs to develop.
—Bill Placzek—
