2004 NHL Draft: Finland well represented
Finland rebounded soundly after an off year at the draft in 2003. Although the number of Finnish selections in Raleigh was not overwhelming, all three of the top-line standouts from the U-18 World Championships (Lauri Korpikoski, Petteri Nokelainen and Lauri Tukonen) were taken in the first round. All in all, no glaring surprises were evident.
Budding star Lauri Tukonen took a bit of a tumble than many expected, falling to 11th overall right into the lap of the Los Angeles Kings, who had to have been ecstatic with his availability. Tukonen is a big, strong forward who shows no major weaknesses to his game and promises to be a solid top-six forward with the ability to put up good numbers. His draft decline is a bit of a mystery, but one assumption is that the near-equal play of his linemates at the U-18's did not make him stand out as much as many expected.
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Petteri Nokelainen, who, to some surprise, played centre at the tournament, is a terrific energy forward who should eventually form a nice duo with the Islanders' somewhat similar Sean Bergenheim. The two played together this year at the World Juniors in Finland. Nokelainen solidified his reputation internationally, gradually selling himself not only as a sparkplug, but a capable offensive contributor as well. His draft position was hardly a surprise, as Nokelainen improved his footspeed over the course of the season which greatly aided his high-end and forechecking game.
Lauri Korpikoski, who was chosen 19th by the Rangers, is more of an enigma and one has to wonder whether Sather and Co. bounced on the bandwagon a bit after all the pre-draft hype about the speedy forward. A hard-working player, Korpikoski only really showcased impressive offensive potential at the international level, but was surprisingly bland everywhere else, averaging just over half a point per game with the Finnish juniors. While no one is questioning his desire and work ethic, finding a spot on the top two lines at the junior level requires solid offensive skills. It remains to be seen just how substantial his spring scoring exploits were with a key year ahead.
Sami Lepisto was the fourth Finn drafted on day one. The late->84 born Jokerit rearguard starred at the U-20 World Championships and was selected as the best defenseman at the event. The undersized blueliner improved vastly over the course of the season and is a deserving pick in the third round. One concern is that although Lepisto is over a year older than most of the drafted prospects, he is not yet NHL-ready. He hasn=t bulked up enough to prove that he can successfully handle the rigours of the North American pro game. One season playing on the thrid pairing in the Finnish league is not enough for NHL duty in the near future, either.
Prince Albert's Aki Seitsonen had to wait until day two to don an NHL jersey. The big winger had only played in the U-18 league in Finland prior to jumping ship to North America and the WHL. Seitsonen's Finnish team HPK has been trying to work out a return for him to Finland to play in the SM-Liiga, but the latest on the subject is that he is likely to continue to play in the WHL.
Intriguing sniper Pasi Salonen went in round five and could very well be either a brilliant mid-round pick or another forgettable day two selection. Now Washington property, the talented Salonen has the necessary skills to develop into a scorer. He skates with good acceleration and showcases nifty stickhandling skills, but these assets have looked much like chocolate icing on a carrot cake - befuddling and often unnecessary. His inability to truly impress at the pro level is linked to his high-octane style of play which is high on offense, but low on any degree of defensive awareness. Salonen is undoubtedly a sleeper pick, but it can be argued that his selection may have been a tad high after the disappointing campaign.
Hoping to hit another Marek Zidlicky-like home run, the Nashville Predators must have been reading this website and chose overager Janne Niskala, who was the oldest Finn drafted. The 24-year old is past most of his growing pains and is very close to showing off his skills in the NHL. A great skating defensemen, Niskala likes to join and lead rushes, scoring a share of goals with his rocket shot to boot. A potential PP specialist, Niskala will be offered a contract, but with the possible lockout he could very well remain in Finland for another season.
Columbus' Finnish scout Jukka Holtari was quick to snap the Finnish winger/centre Lennart Petrell with the Blue Jackets' sixth round selection. Petrell, who is two years older than most of the draftees, had a breakthrough year in Finnish juniors, earning himself an SM-Liiga contract and a birth on the Finnish WJC squad. Size certainly played a role here - a big man at 6-foot-3, he likes to play physical hockey and exhibits good energy on the forecheck with an interesting array of shots. The flaws, though, are aplenty as Petrell shows a tendency of making misjudgements on the ice and has problems with his skating.
Goalie Karri Ramo and winger Miikka Tuomainen were picked in the later rounds. Ramo has good size for a goalie, standing at 6-foot-2 and performed impressively at international levels, mostly backing up 2005-eligible wunderkind Tuukka Rask at the U-18's. He is clearly a project of sorts. Tuomainen could very well be a big flash in the pan, but he's a risk worth taking. A player with size, Miikka was a Viking Cup revelation and subsequently played well in his return to Finland. He has secured a spot on the TuTo lineup in Finnish second league for next season.
Kontiola, a skilled playmaking pivot, does not look like a typical NHL prospect. He had a decent showing at the World Juniors and showed a promising late-season surge with Tappara of the Finnish league. However he does not possess great speed nor strength which means that he will rely highly on his hockey sense as he develops into a pro.
A tall but lanky goalie, Rinne certainly has good size for the NHL, but has a penchant for giving up weak goals, due to questionable coordination of his legs at times. A questionable pick, Rinne showed rather unimpressive potential in our viewings.
Tenkanen entered his second year of draft eligiblity after getting passed up last season. While he does not possess much size, he plays a solid all-around gave with daring confidence. He is not a big-time scorer, but a guy who does all the little things well and stands his ground on both the forecheck and the backcheck.
The SM-Liiga rookie of the year, Janne Pesonen, was also picked up by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the final round of the draft. The 22-year old is a lively player who is creative and chippy. A good skater and impressive stickhandler, Pesonen is a finesse player who needs to bulk up - a rather familiar type of package out of European countries. He is a reasonable ninth round pickup, considering that he is already at a level that many day-two draftees never reach.
Chicago's final pick, Marko Anttila, is a very different story. Measured at roughly 6-foot-7, the 19-year forward played last year in the Finnish 4th Tier league and 3rd Tier junior hockey with Lempäälän Kisa. Chicago Blackhawks' European scouting director Sakari Pietila is said to be friends with Anttila's coach in Lempäälän and had the inside scoop on the little-known giant. Anttila will play with Ilves Juniors next year and, reportedly, has a good shot to complement the great size.
Players who we thought could have been drafted but did not see their names called in Raleigh are Janne Kolehmainen, Teemu Nurmi, Jarmo Jokila and Aleksis Ahlqvist. It seems that Kohlemainen did not opt into the draft from what we are hearing right now. Nurmi went undrafted for the second year in a row, which is not terribly surprising considering his struggles with skating. Jokila was most likely passed up due to his lack of size, while the goalie Ahlqvist was ignored for the U-18 World Juniors despite undisputed pure abilities.