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Prospect Info: 2020 2nd Rd Selection - #59 OA (via OTT) - C Roni Hirvonen (Assat) - 5'9 164

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Bloomberg said:
I really like Hirvonen and hopes that contribute to the Leafs oneday, but his size worries me. He reminds me of Soshnikov. I really liked Sosh, but he didn't fit the team. Not sure how Hirvonen might fit?
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The difference is Sosh was all shot and dash per say but not much else. Hirvonen has a significantly higher IQ and more well rounded.
 
BertCorbeau said:
He definitely plays bigger than his actual size
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Great balance and a really strong core it seems, I think it was Beniers last night who figured that he had Roni dead to rights in the trolley tracks, and I'm not sure that Hirvonen got the worst of it
 
Decent skills upfront and willing to get engaged. Maybe a good depth player someday
Maybe another Ennis type of player
 
justloveleafs said:
Looked up soshnikov. Doing well in the khl. Good for him, liked him a lot. Nikita Soshnikov Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com
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Always liked him. He was willing to get engaged. Unfortuantely, in that team we didn't have a spot for him and his injuries werent' sustainable the way he played in NHL
Great skater. I always thought he could have been a great 3rd liner. Doesn't have the hands to go with his feet. Kind of like Mikhayev

Except Sosh would take on a bigger bigger opponent. I remember him nailing Bergeron front of Chara. I am like, why.......why would you do that. Then Chara hit him hard later in that game, that was the start of his injuries
 
LeafsOHLRangers98 said:
Well he's joining a much better team. Hopefully he can still get some decent playing time.
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I'm sure Hirvonen is getting playing time in HIFK.
How much Roni will play is depend that will he play powerplay and penalty killing.

I don't know yet what role Hirvonen will play in HIFK but what i'm seen first speculations
of HIFK's lineups he probably will be 3rd line center but he can end up as a winger as well.

I read something bringing Hirvonen to HIFK was made to put him together with Anton Lundell.
Lundell and Hirvonen played together in U20 WJC's and they had good chemistry in those games.

But unfortunately the odds for that Florida Panthers
will let Lundell play one extra season in HIFK is only 1% if not less
so i wouldn't hold my breath to wait that happen.

Hirvonen has all chances to become better player and better pro as well.
And if he works hard and gets better all the time i don't see any reason
why he wouldn't play in maple-leafs some day.

If fans are allowed when SM liiga season 2021-2022 starts autumn 2021
i will try go to watch some HIFK's games and keep eye on Roni Hirvonen.

One more thing.
Next season ( 2021-2022 ) HIFK is not same team what it was last season ( 2020-2021 ).
There will be new players and new coaching staff.

Jarno Pikkarainen who coached Anton Lundell is not anymore HIFK's head coach.
Earlier this week ( Monday ) HIFK announced their new head coach.
HIFK's new head coach is Ville Peltonen.

Someones of you guys ( Maple-Leaf fans ) might think
who the hell is Ville Peltonen.

Ville Peltonen is former Finnish pro-hockey player
who played in NHL in his player career Peltonen's
NHL teams were San Jose Sharks, Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers.

Peltonen captained HIFK to SM liiga championship season 2010-2011 when he returned to Finland.
After his retiring Peltonen was coaching director in HIFK juniors
and he kept developmental ices to all HIFK junior forwards ( centers and wingers ).

Peltonen has also served assistant coach in Finnish men's national team
and he's also coached in NLA ( Switzerland's A league ) where he was assistant coach and head coach.

But as a SM liiga coach Ville Peltonen is a rookie.
Despite of Ville Peltonen's inexperience as SM liiga coach i'm sure of that coach Peltonen
can help a lot Roni Hirvonen to reach his potential and become better pro hockey player
and if that road ends to Toronto Maple-Leafs NHL roster someday then so be it.
 
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fahad203 said:
Decent skills upfront and willing to get engaged. Maybe a good depth player someday
Maybe another Ennis type of player
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If i'm not totally mistaken i have a flashback in my mind where
Brian Lawton compared Roni Hirvonen to Mikael Granlund in 2020 NHL draft.

That was in sportsnet video where Maple-Leafs scout drafted Roni Hirvonen 59th overall pick
and Reid and Lawton discussed of that pick in NHL networks draft studio.

Edit
It was this video.
 
LeafChief said:
Will he still get top 6 icetime? Who plays in HIFK's top 6?
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Well...HIFK did get quite a lot of new forwards, but i think they know his potential and how good he is.

HIFK roster is much better what Ässät roster, so there's that...yeah, but the thing is, most Sm-Liiga teams
don't have the traditional 1-2-3-4 lines system, the ice time gets spread through out the line up.

Will get lots of PP time,for sure. He might be playing either in the 2nd or 3rd line, when it comes to 5 on 5.
- zero chance that he gets buried in the 4th line.
 
Don't know how good the level of that tourny was but from the goal clips it seems like Hirvonen has a pretty good shot, sniping the top shelves nicely there. I was under the impression he was just a grinder type lol.
 
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