Finns in NHL & AHL

[Svedu]

There probably is a thread like this already and if there isn't, there should.

A good night for Finnish players yesterday. Tolvanen, Teräväinen and Luostarinen with a goal each. Teräväinens goal was a beauty.
Barkov and Lundell with an assist each.

Välimäki and Maccelli without points. Korpisalo like expected with a horrible start for Bruins against Panthers.

Sick thing is I do believe that besides Barkov that every finn in the Panthers are few of the most underrated players in both the NHL and perhaps even Finland.
Luostarinen and Lundell could be important pieces in a best-on-best for almost every team.

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[Svedu]

Teravainen gets Blackhawks on the board | NHL.com

CHI@UTA: Teravainen lifts in a sweet backhand in tight

www.nhl.com

 

[Czechboy]

Any promising ones to track in AHL?

How you feeling about Lambert being sent down?

 

[Svedu]

Any promising ones to track in AHL?

How you feeling about Lambert being sent down?

Jets being Jets I guess. Lol, only kidding. Lambert is a difficult prospect to get a grip of. When he's good he looks like an elite player because of top elite tools with skating and agility being the strongest in his arsenal. I mean those are nothing but high end like Hughes brothers etc.
When bad? He can look like Julius Honka looked like a D. He was or is smaller of course, but he could skate and so on, but he just couldn't process the game in a way that suited his strengths at the next level.
Lambert never struck me as that ice cold killer mentality kind of prospect like Laine, McDavid, Marchand and perhaps Michkov do. I'm only discussing and comparing these players mentality, not actual talent level.
He doesn't strike me as a certain homerun because he's streaky and when he's struggling he doesn't look that calm and poised, or certain and confident in his own abilities. Perhaps I'm wrong and I hope so. I'm not sure on Kemell either btw. I hope he can wake up this season as well because the skill, shot and skating were there at a young age. But now he could end up being the next Teemu Pulkkinen just as much that he will actually make it. Even if I think Kemell had a bit more going on for him than a shot only.
Sometimes I wonder if some Finnish prospects are too quiet, to polite etc. If it's a mentality thing. Who knows...

Interesting thing is that I lately find that Finland are unlucky or perhaps even bad at developing those kind of talents. Honka brothers, Heimosalmi, Leevi Aaltonen, Samu Tuomaala etc... The latter could end up being something decent but I'm still quite surprised he can't take the next step. I wonder if it's a mentality thing or only hockey iQ or combined. Because thing is he's a great skater as well, not Lambert level perhaps, and he even has a better shot.
Jesse Nurmi was very promising early on as well, great, great skater. Thought there was potential he could make the WJC's with 1-2 years older prospects when he was young and now it's not even certain he earns himself a spot in this years tournament. Personally I want to see some of these speedy prospects excel and make it. That's why I hope to see Saarelainen, Nurmi and perhaps Vesterinen for Team Finland u20 this winter.

Prospects, no matter if it's the NHL or AHL I'll keep an extra eye this year are:
Aatu Räty, Samu Tuomaala, Lambert, Huuhtanen, Matikka (going under the radar a bit), Both Finnish D's for. Devils organization Vilén- injured and Hatakka, Hyry, Topi Niemelä, Roni Hirvonen, Nyman, Helenius, Oliver Kapanen.

Roni Hirvonen is someone I doubt after his injuries. Make it or break it season for him. For Kupari as well. Heimosalmi needs a season in right direction as well. Players that could improve or that I hope can take a step in right direction are Vaakanainen, Kakko, Pärssinen and Luostarinen.
Vaaka has the potential of being a Mikkola kind of D imo. A very good shutdown D. Kakko, I mean he just needs to show more, simple. Pärssinen, wonder if it Was Granlund that helped him a lot in the beginning and if the magic will be gone. Luostarinen is underrated but needs to have a little bit better season. But don't get me wrong, I like him a lot. Good solid team player who can skate and has lungs.

I've marked those prospects which intrigue me a bit more than the others.

 

[SantosHalper]

Prospects, no matter if it's the NHL or AHL I'll keep an extra eye this year are:

I'd add Antti Tuomisto, Grand Rapids Griffins. Big role offered to him for this season since Edvinsson & Johansson starts in Detroit, so Tuomisto has a very good chance to be #1D in every unit. And perhaps a NHL debut, that might be tough task.
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I would like to point out the goalie coach invasion, Parkkila has been there for years and Marko Torenius got promoted to the big club in Vancouver. Juha Lehtola in Hershey Bears(B2B Calder cup champs) and Roope Koistinen in Grand Rapids. Did Bäckström get sacked by CBJ? Too lazy to check up but anyway 4-5 finnish goalie coaches in NA.

First it was the KHL teams who were hiring finnish goalie coaches and suddenly there is a bus load of top goalies from Russia. Coincidence? I think not. NHL GMs are finally waking up.

 

[Svedu]

Good for Antti. I actually thought about him but I'm not so sure because the young D-core will make it very tough for him to succeed later on in Detroit and because he hasn't been the best.
But he sure is one of those Tuomaala, Huuhtanen, Lambert, Matikka kind of prospects for me. I will follow him and he is interesting but it's very difficult to say how any of these ones will succeed this following year. Of course it always tough to guess these things.

I also forgot Koivunen, of course. He should be one of the 3 or 4 most producing players in the AHL from Finland.

Thank you for very interesting information. I knew about KHL and Finnish goalie coaches but not about NA. Glad to hear! Reminds a bit of ski jumping where the Finnish coaches left for other countries who then became really good and Finland themselves started to fall behind.
Also, Russia have the best goalies nowadays so it all makes very much sense. Even if Vasi as a talent was special but still. There are a couple of others who probably managed themselves a starter job because of great coaching.

Edit: Also didn't mention Heinola because of his extreme tough luck. Always one of my favorite Finnish prospects together with Topi Niemelä, TT, Lundell and Aho.

 

[Erikfromfin]

Also looks like Mikael Pyyhtiä might play for Blue Jackets. Blomqvist could get games. Järventie/Sedoff/S. Helenius etc there are many interesting ones AHL.