EUROPE [Jun-06]: NHL Draft List and Profiles

NHL Draft List and Profiles - Finland (posted 6.20.06)

by Mikko Vuori

1. Riku Helenius - big keeper keeps seeing his stock rise big time

(first round)

2. Jesse Joensuu - big forward now shows signs of life but puck

skills are not top notch (25-45)

3. Jan-Mikael Juutilainen - smart, skilled, reliable, two-way pivot

lacking if physical areas (50-70?)

4. Robert Nyholm - has size and drive but doesn't have the all-

round game and consistency (90+, maybe out of top-100)

5. Eetu Heikkinen - defensive defenseman showed offensive skills

towards the end of the season (3rd)

6. Niko Hovinen - falling through the year, big goalie still has

the tolls to make it (4th-5th)

7. Petteri Wirtanen - '86 born shut down center is already very good

in his, job (4th-5th)

8. Joonas Lehtivuori - Supposedly, good puck mover failed to live up

to the expectations (4th-5th)

9. Timo Seppanen - '87 born offensive d-man made himself known in

the 2nd half of the season (6th-7th)

10. Jonas Enlund - late 87 center plays in offensive role scores a

lot with his good shot. (6th-7th)

11. Juuso Puustinen - has the size, skating and shot to produce, but

production is not there yet (6th-7th)

12. Joonas Kemppainen - big strong versatile forward does not seem to

have huge upside (6th-7th)

13. Jan-Mikael Jarvinen - keeps on playing hard and setting up

scoring, but severely lacks size

14. Juuso Antonen - strong skater looks flashy, but doesn't produce

enough

15. Mikko Kukkonen - unspectacular defensive defenseman does not just

his job

16. Atte Engren - surprising second, half lead to a U18 national team

back up spot

17. Teemu Ramstedt - late-87 born old-style skill forward does not

play with a high pace

18. Max Warn - big two-way player can be used in any role but none

of them on world class level

19. Leo Komarov - 87-born super pest has no fear but doesn't have

much else either

20. Miko Malkamaki - more defensive defenseman, but has some skills

improved during the season

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Riku Helenius - Rocketed to fame during the season and seems to be the

one carrying the torch of Finnish goaltending.

Niko Hovinen - Lost his status during the season, but hasn't lost the

game yet. Needs to work hard again.

Jesse Joensuu - Could everyone have been so wrong, or is he just

struggling with the offense because of high-level competition? We will

see.

Robert Nyholm - Divides the opinions. If someone has seen only the good

games from him might be picked earlier than what the consensus is.

Miika Wiikman - Late 84 born goalie led HPK to SM-liiga championship.

Last year of draft eligibility this summer.

Petteri Wirtanen - Two-way center has good attributes: shot, face-offs

and so on. Might even be AHL ready?

Jonne Virtanen - Huge winger moved to Lappeenranta to work for a SM-

liiga spot in a couple of year time. Might never make it to pro-game,

but surely gets noticed.

Jonas Ahnelov Profile (posted 6.19.06)

by Jante Abrahamsson

Jonas Ahnelov D, Sweden -

Primarily a stay-at-home defensemen, who is strong in his own zone and around the net .. plays an aggressive game and likes to deliver hits, but has enough hockey sense to not get caught out of position too often .. there are however still room for improvement there .. a fairly good puckhandler who can supply decent outlet passes from is own zone and is also fairly mobile .. good straightaway speed, although his lateral movement is only average at this stage .. rarely shows much in terms of offensive instincts and creativity, doesn't join the rush very often or get himself involved offensively .. has an adequate slap shot and should try to develop his offensive game as well, as his puckhandling and shooting skills hint at some untapped potential.

NHL Draft: List and Profiles - Russia (posted 6.16.06)

by Eugene Belashchenko

TOP PROSPECTS:

Yuri Alexandrov - Undoubtedly the best Russian prospect available in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. The only thing that will this young man out of the first round is the lack of a transfer agreement between the NHL and the Russian Super League's ruling body. The young defenseman was really the only player on the Russian blue line who could get away with little blame for Russia's defensive vows. Alexandrov is a mobile defenseman who can contribute offensively, but does need to continue developing his power play quarterbacking skills. He is a smooth skater with strong puck handling skills and a strong slap shot from the blue line. Physically, the young blue liner needs to continue to bulk up and gain strength in order to more effectively compete at the boards.

Semen Varlamov - Best goaltending prospect to come out of Russia in a very long time. In some regards, he may even surpass Ilya Bryzgalov, as while he covers a little bit less of the net with his frame, he is quicker between the pipes than the Anaheim Mighty Ducks netminder. Varlamov has shined for Team Russia at the U18 level, starting at the last two U18 World Junior Championships. While the team has not been successful in earning medals, he has proved reliable for Russia repeatedly. The Saratov native has also backed up the U20 squad this year at the U20 WJC in Vancouver, though he did not get very much ice time with Khudobin at the helm. An 88 born player, Varlamov will start for Russia at the 2007 and 2008 U18 World Junior Championships. He possesses very impressive quickness in both his butterfly and his glove hand. The young goalie does, however, h needs to improve his positioning and challenge opponents more on the shots. Many of these attributes of his game will likely come with time and training, but to reach his full potential; Varlamov will have to get training at goaltending schools outside of Russia, since the country is unfortunately infamous for its lack of effective modern instruction for goaltenders. Overall a talented and highly regarded prospect with a bright future, likely in the NHL.

Andrei Popov - One of the lesser known of the top Russian prospects eligible for the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. This is so largely because he competes in the High League (Russia 2) and the primary exposure he has to the scouts is at the U18 international tournaments. It is at this venue that it would be difficult to call his performance stellar and his drafting position strong, as despite clearly having the skill and size he has struggled to produce. Some of Popov's struggles could be attributed to the lack of a consistent line during international competition. At the U18 WJC his line's center, Mamin was moved back on defense during a few of the content, leaving Popov to mesh with other players. Still, for a player of Popov's caliber, he should have still taken control of the game and produce as, for example, Phoenix Coyotes prospect Enver Lisin at times did a few years back. In any case, Popov is a physically gifted young forward who possesses impressive skill level and skating ability. He does need to develop a larger presence in traffic and at the boards, as well as rely more on his playmaking abilities, which are definitely there. [69]

Nikolai Kulemin - A workhorse type of a player that any team would love to have in the lineup. He is one of the few "Malkin sidekicks" who came out from behind the future super star's shadow and made a name for himself at the Super League and junior levels. At just 19, Kulemin earned a spot in Metallurg's lineup where he skated along side Malkin on the second line. He is not terribly imaginative, working hard at the boards, and crashing the net, but is capable of making some impressive passes and a few surprising puckhandling moves. Just a season after skating in the juniors and not even on the radar of Russia's U20 national team, Kulemin became a full-fledged Super League player and one of the main impact forwards on Russia's U20 squad that earned silver medals at the U20 WJC in Vancouver. Beyond the juniors, Kulemin surprised many by earning a spot on Russia's senior national team roster that competed at the World Championships in Latvia. While not a star, Kulemin is highly regarded for his work ethic, and supporting cast qualities. These same qualities will earn him a high spot in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft order. [72]

WILD CARDS:

Alexander Bumagin - One of Russia's highest regarded players prior to the 2005 NHL Entry Draft; it was quite surprising when his name was not called during the ceremony. Considering his immense upside of a sniper, Bumagin deserved to be drafted. The young forward further proved this during the 2005-06 rookie season in the Super League, where he first became an impact player on the veteran full Lada early in the season, and then became the leading scorer after the club ran into some financial difficulties. A capable forward with the maturity far beyond his age, Bumagin in some ways reminds of a younger Sergei Mozyakin, who is another undersized Russian forwards with an impressive shot and speed. He sees the ice well and uses his linemates effectively. Bumagin also does not hesitate to shoot the puck and proves to be a threat anywhere in the offensive zone. His size does get him in trouble, since Bumagin does not avoid traffic and takes on some punishment that at times sidelines him with injuries. Still, after a concussion early in the season, the young forward was able to keep himself out of the infirmary for the rest of the season. In a right system, the 87 born Bumagin can flourish into a reliable goal scorer. A talented and promising young prospect that has already proved a lot, Bumagin just needs an environment where he could receive plenty of ice time, but also have a veteran cast and coaching staff around him from whom to learn and continue to develop.

Vladimir Zharkov – Blessed with a lot of potential, but who is a bit of a wild card and a project pick, as were some other Russians in the years past, including Mikhail Yakubov, Alexander Perezhogin, and Alexander Polushin. The young player works hard in the corners and drives well to the net, but he is not a full-fledged power forward. He has already proved his ability at the Super League level with CSKA. In some aspects of his game Zharkov reminds of Los Angeles Kings forward Alexander Frolov. However, Zharkov still needs to improve his decision-making and his defensive work. Overall, we are a bit more hesitant to proclaim Zharkov as one of the top Russian prospects as were Alexander Naurov and Dmitri Chernykh over hyped a couple of years back and haven't been close to meeting the hefty expectations. We believe he is a very promising prospect who is a project selection for his club that could pay significant dividends. [80]

Sergei Shirokov - Why this player was not picked at the past two NHL Entry Drafts is a mystery. This is especially the case after his impressive performance at the 2005 U20 World Junior Championships. We remain very high on this young prospect and believe he has a bright future wherever he ends up playing hockey. This season he further strengthened his case by finally making a successful Super League debut. The young prospect has been a great presence at the international level for several seasons, but his strong play against professional players in the Super League really kept him on the prospect radar. Shirokov was an impact player with CSKA and meshed on the same line with St. Louis Blues prospect Konstantin Lemtyugov. Shirokov can be described as a "poor man's" Sergei Samsonov. He is not very tall, but well built and that really helps him when fighting in traffic and at the boards. While he is an overage player at 20 years of age, Shirokov performed better than many 18 year olds perform at the same age, but was inexplicably not drafted.

Ivan Kasutin - Finally, the experts are recognizing what we have been saying for more than a year: Ivan Kasutin is the real thing and is one of the most skilled goaltenders to come out of Russia in a long time. Kasutin made a great professional debut in the High League (Russia 2), skating for HC Dizel in Penza. He led the club to a successful playoff run and was third goalie for Russia's squad at the U20 WJC. Despite his unsuccessful 20 minutes in a friendly game at the WJC that cost him the back up spot, given more of a chance Kasutin could have performed well for Team Russia even as the squad's starter. Coming from the Finnish school of goaltending, Kasutin is technically sound. He is also strong mentally and is very confident and calm in his abilities. If the young netminder continues to advance at the same pace as he is now, he will become one of the premier Russian goalies within a handful of years.

Evgeny Ketov - Really came on out of virtually nowhere this season. The product of the Lada hockey system has really impressed when given additional opportunity after Lada's financial crisis that thrust the junior players into the forefront. He has a great sense for the net and also shoots the puck very well. While not a top line sniper, Ketov has something special about him. He does not hesitate to crash the net and fights hard in the corners. While not one of the impact scorers on Russia's squad at the U20 WJC, Ketov's presence on the team is a strong indicator of the kind of success he has enjoyed during the 2005-06 season. This young prospect is most definitely a sleeper pick, but considering is maturity and rapid growth, he deserves attention.

FALLING:

Valeri Zhukov - While highly touted for his size and his success in the High League, the 6'3 defenseman had a bad U18 WJC tournament, falling heavily in the prospect ratings. His inability to keep up with the speed of the play, as well as handle the physical aspects of the game despite his impressive size are real causes for concern. A project pick at best who is still appealing due to his size, but considering the high expectations, Zhukov has been a disappointment.

NHL Draft: List and Profiles - Czech Republic and Slovakia (posted 6.12.06)

by Robert Neuhauser

The rising/falling/wildcard list with players from Czech Republic and Slovakia.

1. Jiri Tlusty, F, Kladno Sr. - rapid progressing winger has the tools of a first-line NHL player (top 10)

2. Michael Frolik, F, Kladno Sr. - lack of progress raises concern, but vision and offensive ability remains. (10-15)

3. Tomas Kana, F, Vitkovice Sr. - gritty sparkplug develops steadily and reveals solid offense. (50-55)

4. Michal Neuvirth, G, Sparta Praha Jr. - talented netminder relies on quality quickness and reflexes. (70-75)

5. David Ruzicka, D, Kladno Jr. - very appealing intangibles, but skating remains a concern. (80-85)

6. David Kveton, F, Vsetin Sr. - excellent skill set, but lackluster traffic play and fragile on the psychical side. (95-100)

7. Martin Latal, F, Plzen Jr. - very impressive skater, but hands need to catch up legs, team play raises concerns. (5th round)

8. Marek Troncinsky, D, Kladno Jr. - wildcard type offensive defenseman, needs to loose weight. (7th round)

9. Jakub Kovar, G, Ceske Budejovice Jr. - raw prospect with solid tools, potential late-bloomer. (7th round)

10. Michal Kazatel, F, Kladno Jr. - quality playmaker but lack of skating and desire limits him.

11. Patrik Prokop, D, Vitkovice Jr. - offensive defenseman with average skating skills and tenacity.

12. Alexander Hegegy, D, Trinec Jr. - shows two-way talent, physical play and strength prevent him from pro consideration.

13. David Stieler, F, Kladno Jr. - smooth and skilled, needs to show a bigger tenaciousness to earn pro consideration.

14. Tomas Prostrednik, D, Slavia Praha Jr. - progressed in his skating and offensive upside, but didn't lift his game enough to earn pro consideration.

15. Jan Semorad, F, Pardubice Jr. - progressing nicely, but is not the pro-type of player.

16. Marek Polak, F, Trinec Jr. - aggressive winger with decent skill set hampered by inconsistency and moody play.

17. Jakub Valsky, F, Kladno Jr. - gives his best and shows adequate skills, but the overall package is not pro-caliber.

18. Zbynek Hampl, F, Trinec Jr. - solid skating and stickhandling skills, but lacks grit and passion for the game.

19. Jiri Korcak, F, Zlin Jr. - a dependable winger who can pass and hit, skating remains a concern.

20. Vladislav Vrtek, C, Litvinov Jr. - very skilled with the puck and productive, but not very fast for a diminutive player.

21. David Zima, F, Litvinov Jr. - diligent and adequately skilled, but is not a legitimate pro prospect.

22. Tomas Jurdic, D, Trinec Jr. - smallish defenseman who needs to further progress on his positional play and strength.

23. Martin Zabransky, C, Kometa Brno Jr. - a solid defensive center who lacks crisp skating and bulk in his body.

24. Jakub Korinek, D, Plzen Jr. - took his skating to another level, but unimpressive hockey sense limits his potential.

25. Pavel Kubena, F, Karlovy Vary Jr. - needs better skating skills to support his diligent effort on the ice.

26. Patrik Flasar, D, Vitkovice Jr. - gained more maturity and two-way prowess, but is not a pro-type of prospect.

27. Martin Ruzicka, G, Pardubice Jr. - diminutive goaltender is a career-long European type.

28. David Kajinek, D, Liberec Jr. - a lanky project who does not make glaring defensive mistakes and plays a reliable stay-at-home style.

29. Martin Ondracek, LW, Slavia Praha Jr. - average skating skills hold back the diligent forward who performs at both ends of the ice.

30. Karel Kubat, D, Litvinov Jr. - a smallish defenseman who didn't progress much on his appealing offensive upside and mean streak.

2006 Slovakia

1. Tomas Marcinko, F - two-way forward who progressed in his skating and shows strong defensive savvy, but offensive potential remains a questions mark. (60-65)

2. Branislav Konrad, G - underrated goaltender with solid fundamentals and athleticism, slightly slower reflexes (4th round).

3. Tomas Zaborsky, F - a revelation, quality scorer and passer who needs to improve on traffic play and top-end speed (7th round).

4. Lukas Zeliska, F (plays in Czech Republic) - possesses solid skill set and offensive instincts but seriously lacks a quality work ethic.

5. Milan Balis, D - started the season on a promising note, but the unimpressive finish with an average play at both ends of the ice raised concerns.

6. Rastislav Konecny, F - smooth one-dimensional winger with solid skill set but lackluster traffic play.

7. Marek Simko, G - diminutive butterfly goaltender who can steal games but also lose them.

8. Ivan Rohac, F - did not succeed in Czech juniors, but can show offensive tools mixed with occasional tenacity.

9. Jozef Sladok, D - lanky defenseman who progressed on his offensive upside and skating, poor attitude and work ethic holding him back.

10. Marek Biro, D - a defensive defenseman who solid size and strength, lacks hockey sense and makes too many mistakes for pro consideration.

11. Andrej Themar, F - smallish speedy winger who shows glimpses of quality offensive play, work ethic raises a concern.

12. Patrik Bakos, D - impressive size tools, but his regular unwillingness to make any use of it scares away.

13. Jakub Rumpel, F - diminutive skilled '87 born winger who can make his living by playing at the elite level in Europe.

14. Rastislav Dej, F (plays in Czech Republic) - overlooked by the national team coaches but the offensive winger possesses quality skill set and an underrated scoring touch.

15. Julius Sinkovic, F - A one-dimensional winger who does not step up his productivity against stronger opponents.

Falling

Martin Latal, RW - failed to progress during the second half of the season... possesses pro-caliber speed but hurt his stock with inconsistent physical play... needs to fully coordinate his hands and the quickness of his legs .. Hampered by a too hot temper... only an average factor at the Under-18 WJC... dipped from potential third-rounder to a possible bottom round pick.

Wildcard

Branislav Konrad, G - a wildcard type of player... possesses okay fundamentals and athletic ability which indicates the potential of a NHL backup goaltender... will need patience in his development... the most talented Slovak netminder in the recent years.

Constantin Braun, LW - hampered by inconsistency during the international games but saved his stock with a good performance at the Under-18 WJC... possesses the intangibles of a sniper but needs to further progress on his skating .. A useful player in the offensive zone... more of a gamble pick who could turn out to be a pleasant surprise for his team.

Jakub Kovar, G - lifted his play in the second half of the season enough to gain pro consideration... isn't likely to develop rapidly and fits the mold of a potential late-blooming goaltender... would benefit from working regularly with an experienced goaltending coach... possesses the potential of a NHL backup goaltender.

Jan Mursak, RW - the Slovenian right winger pulled off only an average performance at the Under-18 Div I WJC in Hungary... his speed and an ability to execute in full flight are the strongest assets of his pro potential and he remains worth picking in the lower half of the draft... improved noticeably after arriving in the Czech junior Extraleague from Slovenia and registered a further improvement in his play during the second half of the season.

Karol Krizan, G - the over-aged Slovak goaltender isn't eligible for a selection in the draft, but would make a good overage signing out of Europe after a breakthrough season in the Swedish Elitserien and a solid performance at the World Championships .. A butterfly style goaltender with solid flexibility, reflexes and stickhandling ability... potential NHL backup goaltender.

NHL Draft: List and Profiles - Sweden (posted 6.11.06)

by Jante Abrahamsson

1. Nicklas Backstrom – The best thing out of Sweden since Peter Forsberg. (Overall list projection: 2nd overall)

2. Tony Lagerstrom - Mr. Reliable. Can do it all and is a leader, but lacks true stand out features (45-50)

3. Patrik Berglund - A smart playmaker who has size and a deceptive speed (45-50)

4. Jhonas Enroth - Solid goaltender with game breaking ability and no major flaws (50-55)

5. Dennis Persson - Offensive minded blueline with strong puckhandling skills (65-70)

6. Robin Figren - Speedy winger with skill and a gritty approach, plays a fairly North American game (70-75)

7. Niclas Andersen - All-round skilled rearguard that could come out as flat too often (85-90)

8. Jonas Ahnelov - Thrives when the game gets physical and can handle to puck. A lack of international exposure have put him under the radar (90-100)

9. Robin Lindqvist - For some reason overlooked last year, but deserves a second chance. A smart and gritty pivot, holding a regular spot in the SEL. (4th-5th round)

10. Thomas Larsson - feisty and combative, but slow-footed and with a questionable mental game (4th-5th round)

11. Kristofer Berglund - mobile defenseman with good offensive instincts (5th-6th round)

12. Mario Kempe - a hardworking winger who brings a lot of energy to his line (6th-7th)

13. Magnus Isaksson - Eligible last year, but the smallish, though offensively skilled pivot should be a more appealing offer now. (6th-7th round)

14. Erik Moe - Could be shaky in his own end, but there's offensive upside in this package (6th-7th round)

15. Daniel Rahimi - started to get noticed late this season and got his chance internationally as well (7th round)

16. Mikael Ahlen - lacks skill, but his mix of attitude and decent size, usually appeals to scouts (7th round)

17. Oskar Johansson - knows how to put up numbers, but plays a less than well-rounded game (longshot)

18. Patrik Nevalainen - came out of nowhere this season and nearly played his way on to the Swedish WJC team (longshot)

19. Jimmy Jensen - hardworking pivot without any flash whatsoever (longshot)

20. Mattias Modig - only an injury away from the WJC team and started his first SEL game this season (longshot)

21. Johan Alcen - good junior league scorer, but only average skating brings down his stock (longshot)

22. Magnus Svanberg - needs luck to get picked after his abysmal U18 WJC showing (longshot)

23. Tobias Forsberg - smart and hardworking winger who probably deserved a spot on the Swedish U18 WJC team (longshot)

24. Niklas Oman - big rearguard who has improved his mobility a good deal. Eligible last year (longshot)

25. Linus Omark - high risk/reward, as the offensives skill set is impressive, but not so much the size or the physical game (longshot)

Players to Watch:

Nicklas Backstrom – Proving his worth at World Championships, playing in the Swedish top line alongside Henrik Zetterberg. Has outplayed Phil Kessel in the tournament and is almost on par with Evgeny Malkin.

Daniel Rahimi – A big Finnish-Iranian rearguard with Swedish citizenship, who emerged in the junior league with newcomer Bjorkloven this season. Impressive size can play physical as well as handle the puck.

Mikael Ahlen – Proved at the U18's that he can't score if his life depended on it, but is the type of player certain NHL scouts seems to have a penchant for. A project far from being ready.

Niclas Andersen – Started out the season as a fairly hot commodity for the upcoming draft, but has proven little and an average performance at the U18's certainly did not help his case.

Magnus Isaksson – Top Swedish scorer at the Russian U19's tournament in April and showed small flashes of offensive brilliance in the SEL already this season. His lack of size would without a doubt make a lot of teams shy away however.

Patrik Berglund – Showed at the U18's that he is finally growing into his lanky frame. Handles the puck well and the playmaking skills are there. A future as a second line centre in the NHL seems likely at this point.

Erik Moe – a lot of things needs to be polished up in his game and his consistency level must be improved, but the fundamentals in terms of mobility, stickhandling, and passing game are all there to make a good offensive defenseman down the line.

Thomas Larsson – Can certainly do better than what he showed at the U18's, but he needs to mature off the ice as well as being lighter on his feet. One have to admire his desire to win and overall competitiveness though.

Patrik Nevalainen – not very big, but a really smart player who challenged for a spot at the WJC team already this year, besides being virtually unknown a year ago. Will be a lock in the tournament this upcoming season. Skilled puckhandler who sees the ice well.

Jonas Ahnelov –A possible pick in the top third of the draft who has flown under the radar for most of the season, mainly due to lacking international exposure. Really enjoys the physical side of the game and is very proactive in his hitting game.

HPK takes SM-liiga title (posted 6.2.06)

by Mikko Vuori

HPK Hämeenlinna took its first SM-liiga title, but the spring seems to be more about players leaving SM-liiga for NHL hockey.

The new rules in NHL and the new transfer agreement are putting pressure for NHL teams to sign their draft picks and cheap veterans from European ice. Players performing well during the spring have now a chance to sign a pro contract.

In the SM-liiga playoffs HPK was led offensively by a pair of newcomers, skilled center Ville Leino and big winger Janne Lahti, but their defense was ultimately too much for Ässät in the finals. Goalie Miika Wiikman registered three shootouts during the playoffs. Wiikman, who turns 22 later this year, will be a free agent if no one selects him in the next NHL draft. However, the new IIHF-NHL transfer's agreement would not allow him to leave undrafted after mid-June, so scouts will get another year to see if he has pro-potential. HPK's another goalie Karri Rämö, who was injured during the playoff run is already negotiating a contract with Tampa Bay Lightning who had drafted him previously.

Another name in HPK's defense was their captain Mikko Jokela, who had a very solid season. Jokela was a force in the playoffs, playing big minutes, scoring and hitting before being suspended for his open ice hit that left Ässät's Leo Komarov injured with broken nose and a concussion. Jokela has one NHL game with the Canucks from 2002-2003, and might be a possible player for North American return. At 26 years of age, Jokela still has time to improve his game to NHL level.

Bronze winning team Kärpät's captain Lasse Kukkonen is another player who has already tried to get an NHL roster spot previously. Kukkonen played 10 games for Chicago Blackhawks in 2003-2004 season, but choose to play in Finland instead of AHL during the lockout. Kukkonen had a strong season with Olympic appearance as Finland's spare defenseman, top +/- rating (+30) in SM-liiga and finishing second among all skaters in playoffs points race with 12 point in 11 games. Blackhawks GM Dave Tallon liked what he saw during his trip to Finland, and Kukkonen might be getting his one-way deal for next season. The other Finnish Blackhawk prospect Olli Malmivaara doesn't seem to be in Blackhawks' plans.

Kärpät might face the loss of another player from their blueline, as Nashville draftee Mikko Lehtonen is having a strong spring. Lehtonen has been one of Finnish league's top defenseman for a couple of years, but he is now making name for himself in the World Championship tournament. Lehtonen, paired with his teammate Kukkonen, can play good defense game and has a very hard and accurate shot on the powerplay. The only problem is that Nashville has already a lot of depth on their defense. The team will lose Lehtonen's right if he isn't signed this summer, so there are some decisions to make.

It would look like Nashville might pass on signing Lehtonen, as they already inked free agent defenseman Ville Koistinen from Ilves. Koistinen, who turns 24 during the summer, is an smallish, offensive defenseman. Koistinen skates well and was the most productive defenseman in Finnish SM-liiga last season. Predators signed him to one-year deal, which would indicate that next year would tell if he could make it to NHL in near future.

Ilves already lost one player to NHL before Koistinen's deal. Center Perttu Lindgren, who signed his entry-level contract with Dallas Stars. The deal allows Lindgren to return to Ilves for another season if he doesn't make the NHL. The talented playmaker Lindgren saw his stock rise a lot during last season and with the rate of development, it is not impossible for him to be near NHL spot next year.