Viking Cup: Nyholm Finds Home

Finland's under-18 national team beat Germany 6-2 in the consolation final at the recent Viking Cup tournament in Camrose, Alberta. Here is a look at the top performers from Team Finland including Juuso Antonen, Joonas Lehtivuori and big winger Robert Nyholm.

Robert Nyholm (2006), RW

Big winger had a very strong showing in the tournament .. tied with Jusso Antonen for the team scoring lead with four goals .. scored one of the highlight goals of the tournament against the U.S. squad .. showcased fine individual puckhandling abilities as he stepped through several American defenders on a power play before firing the puck past the goalie .. displayed strong skating and a diligent checking game throughout the tournament .. demonstrated a simpler approach here as he focused on shooting at net instead of trying difficult passes .. performed well on the power play, constantly creating chances for others .. surely made an impression with NHL scouts, yet again proving his effectiveness on smaller North American rinks .. (5-4-1-5)

Joonas Lehtivuori (2006), D

A very mobile defenseman who displays excellent poise with the puck .. led all Finnish players with four assists .. did a fine job launching rushes and anchoring the power play from his point position .. could be more selfish at times as he always looks to find passing opportunities instead of shooting himself .. not overly big nor strong at 6-0, 180 pounds, but still has time to bulk up and add more strength .. possesses a solid set of skills for the modern puck-possession brand of hockey, which begins with his skating ability .. (5-0-4-4)

Riku Helenius (2006), G

Massively-framed goalie is built more like a linebacker .. takes up a huge portion of the net .. showed that he is extremely difficult to beat from close range, even on rebounds .. though he failed to post very impressive numbers, he did make a number of excellent stops throughout the tournament, even in the 9-5 blowout against Team USA .. starting to get more attention than fellow U-18 goalie Niko Hovinen .. (2GP, 1-1, .846)

Jan-Mikael Jarvinen (2006), C

Tiny center was at the top of his game throughout the tournament .. one of the most consistent performers for Finland .. played with good energy and skating .. showcased his versatility by being utilized effectively in various situations .. possesses a nice mix of good puck skills and speed .. however, he is at a serious disadvantage because of his diminutive frame .. continues to get better on the international level, but his size makes it difficult to consider him a viable NHL prospect .. (5-1-1-2)

Niko Snellman (2006), LW

A big and aggressive winger who gained notoriety for his rugged and bullish play .. was over charged during the tournament and easily the most physical player in attendance .. seemed to overfixate and concentrate more on dishing out punishing hits rather than playing as a part of the team .. possesses pretty nice skating ability for his size as well as strong physical attributes .. displayed flashes of ability with the puck, however a more composed performance would have left an even bigger impression .. (5-0-0-0)

Juuso Antonen (2006), RW

Speedy winger was very effective and put up nice point totals for Finland, leading the team with seven points .. collected three goals and an assist in the two games against the Germans .. scored a breakaway goal in the consolation game and produced other similar opportunities .. boasts decent skills and size in addition to nice speed, but has to show even more to raise his stock in the 2006 draft listings .. (5-4-3-7)

Juuso Puustinen (2006), LW

Started the tournament slowly but came on at the end with all three of his goals coming in last two games .. possesses a big-time shot and plays on the point in the powerplay, which is where he did his damage .. seems to be gradually becoming more comfortable with contact as he is increasingly playing more physical hockey .. boasts adequate size and is a pretty slick skater .. all in all, there's a nice set of skills here, although he seems to lack a certain edge to his offensive game .. could be a nice prospect down the road with some more consistency .. (5-3-0-3).