panoo

Written by Pekka Lampinen
on 06/18/2007

The age group of 1989-born Finns was known to be a bad one for hockey ever since the players were assembled into an U16 national team back in 2004. Also, the players born after Sept. 15 in 1989 are a stronger group than those born a year earlier, further weakening the 2007 draft class coming out of Finland.

The 2006 draft was a deep draft for Finns. Fourteen picks is something that won’t be repeated this year -- the number of picks will likely drop back to near the 2005 level of eight. However, the 2007 crop doesn’t even have the star power of the 2005 class.

1. Niclas Lucenius, C

A leader among Finnish 1989-born players, Lucenius became a top player in the age group early but failed to make more of a breakout prior to the NHL draft in 2007. Facing ups and downs in his draft year, Lucenius’ final test in the U18 World Championships was a disappointment. Lucenius was healthy for only four games, in which he was left alone and tallied only two points. His best showcase of the season was a Five Nations tournament in December, when he scored four goals and four assists in four games.

An aggressive center also able to play wing, Lucenius is well-rounded enough to make the most out of the pivot position. With an eagerness to hit and challenge defensemen with the puck, Lucenius can be flashy but also solid, thanks to his ample strength and decision-making skills. Crashing the net is what he does best. However, he lacks some vision, which limits his potential to a lesser NHL scoring line player, as he fails to use his linemates to full extent.

Scouts may be divided on which Finn should go first, but Lucenius is the least likely to fall very far in the draft.

2. Lassi Kokkala, C

Kokkala had a fairly straightforward rise through the ranks of TPS juniors. He hadn’t established himself as a strong prospect until 2006, when he improved greatly on his previous year’s numbers. Things seemed to go great for him as one successful performance followed another, until the U18 WC turned out a total disaster. Starting out as the first line center, Kokkala was soon benched. He kept turning the puck over and lost his linemates.

Kokkala is an impressive package for a forward: Swift, powerful and skilled, he seems to have all the talent needed to fish the puck out of the corners and create a scoring opportunity. He battles his way through opponents with quick moves and a balanced use of his good frame. However, his top speed is questionable on open ice and cooperation with linemates ranges from very good to poor. Kokkala also appears to have some problems with decision-making, which will hurt his chances of becoming a core player for an NHL team.

Opinions on how far Kokkala’s skills can carry him vary a lot, as could Kokkala’s draft position.

3. Juha Metsola, G

Beating Harri Säteri for the starting goalie’s job during the U18 World Championships in 2007, Metsola became the third Ilves goalie in a row to hold the post, trailing Tuukka Rask and Riku Helenius. Overshadowed by his elders in Ilves and previously by the younger Säteri and Tomi Karhunen on Team Finland, it took consistent game-breaking performances on international ice for Metsola to join the forefront of Finnish goalies. His draft year in 2006-07 was the best of his career so far.

Metsola has a hurdle -- small-framed and standing at 5’10, he can’t play a fully-effective butterfly. Instead, he does his best to cover the lower part of the net while still on his skates. He reads the game very well for his age, which is necessary for him to survive in traffic. Altogether, his abilities add up to game-breaking potential. His technique doesn’t quite appear like something a seasoned pro would boast, so Metsola will likely still go through some fundamental development before finding his final form.

A successful starting goalie of Team Finland can rise all the way to the top of the country’s draft rankings, as it has been proven in past years. There are undoubtedly teams who see very high potential in Metsola, and others who don’t see him distinguished from the bulk of European netminders in the draft.

4. Harri Ilvonen, D

A fairly unknown player until the fall of 2006, Ilvonen was the sensation of the semester, which almost led to him being picked to play in the World Junior Championships with his elders. Instead, he became the first of his draft class to accumulate experience in the Finnish SM-liiga while also reaching strong results in the Jr A league. Born late in the year, Ilvonen didn’t play in a top international tournament in his draft year.

Ilvonen has found his groove in juniors as a two-way defenseman, although his abilities would suggest at more of a stay-at-home game at professional level. He is a smart player who never panics with the puck -- getting the team out of a defensive zone is one of his strong points. A smooth but not particularly fast skater, Ilvonen lacks some top skills which he would distinguish himself with in the NHL.

Limited international exposure can hurt Ilvonen in the draft. Some consider him the best Finn of the draft class.

5. Jori Lehtera, C

After Ilvonen, there is a gap in terms of quality. Still, opinions on Jori Lehterä can vary so much that the top four is by no means set.

Lehterä has been stigmatized as a solo artist in his junior years, so he settled with dominating opponents in domestic rinks, rarely considered for the national teams. In 2006-07, he exceeded scoring expectations on every level he played that year: 66 points in 24 Jr A games, 12 points in 28 SM-liiga games. Lehterä missed the World Juniors Championships of 2007 with an injury.

Lehterä combines some abilities of a large all-around centerman and a flamboyant scoring winger. Above all he is an adept stick handler able to move in small spaces and a gifted set-up man, combining positioning and passes to create scoring opportunities by himself if need be. On the top of it, Lehterä is a cold-blooded finisher at short range. On the downside, he hasn’t developed his defensive skills properly, although he isn’t too bad at the two-way game. He also remains too much on the receiving end of physical play. His most limiting factor is his questionable skating, which is the next aspect to work on after the draft.

Lehtera has better skills than a number of first-rounders, but it remains to be seen if he can make use of them in the NHL.

6. Eetu Poysti, RW

FULL STORY