LD Aron Kiviharju - TPS, FIN JRS (2024 Draft)

[Erikfromfin]

Kiviharju, Heiskanen, Niemelä etc.. gonna be so nice defence in 2026

 

[karhukissa]

This kid is something special. There are players which could dominate this level with pure skating, skill or insane shot. We have examples, Puljujärvi, Kotkaniemi or Tolvanen for example.

And that specific set of skills only get's you so far. But when player is so much ahead of everyone else in IQ, that makes me excited. On top of that, he's a great skater, super skilled and great passer. Players with that high IQ usually doesn't decline, that's why i allow myself to get very excited about him.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

About time Finland had another great defenseman. Thats been a weakness for you guys recently.

 

[Lepardi]

Yep. Should be getting some sort of Liiga minutes next year. He'll be too effective at the U20 level unless he really stalls in developing into next season

If we even want to dream of him becoming the #1 overall pick, shouldn't he be a Liiga regular next season? Barkov had 16 points in 32 games for Tappara as a 16-year-old. If TPS makes the finals again next year, Kiviharju shouldn't be playing at the U18 Worlds.

 

[ijuka]

If we even want to dream of him becoming the #1 overall pick, shouldn't he be a Liiga regular next season? Barkov had 16 points in 32 games for Tappara as a 16-year-old. If TPS makes the finals again next year, Kiviharju shouldn't be playing at the U18 Worlds.

It's a bit different for defensemen than forwards, though. The all-time record for a u17 defenseman in Liiga is 12 points in the 70s... And 6 points by Vaakanainen more recently. Heiskanen went 3rd overall, and his u17 season actually was in u-20s, where he scored at about half the rate of Kiviharju this season.

 

[Esko6]

What kind of D is this kid? Seems super promising. Is he more of a two-way force like Miro or is he more of a Makar type rover ?

I would call him an all-around defenseman who gets points because of great passing, he will much rather do an accurate pass than try to skate past players and he is very responsible defensively.

I have been kinda cautious about hyping him up too early, but he is a fantastic prospect.

 

[FinPanda]

Honestly I'm done with expecting 1st overall pick. I believe we'll get it one day but I hope to see the best Finnish prospects go to at least a bit better teams.

 

[MarVell]

You are unfamiliar with the poster who has been an extremely condescending poster on here for years

Hence the ”you were looking for it.”

 

[Lepardi]

It's a bit different for defensemen than forwards, though. The all-time record for a u17 defenseman in Liiga is 12 points in the 70s... And 6 points by Vaakanainen more recently. Heiskanen went 3rd overall, and his u17 season actually was in u-20s, where he scored at about half the rate of Kiviharju this season.

Reijo Ruotsalainen probably would have scored a decent amount of points as a 16-year-old but Kärpät were still in the 1st division back then. He had 58 points in 36 games.

 

[BB88]

Honestly I'm done with expecting 1st overall pick. I believe we'll get it one day but I hope to see the best Finnish prospects go to at least a bit better teams.

There’s a big difference in what team is picking 1st overall

Are you looking at a team like Arizona or a team like Montreal.

These kids can manage being on a bad team for a couple of years if the management is top tier

 

[mistaclick]

I mean why is him being 1st overall a thing? Why does that matter? I'm more excited about the player then how he may compare on draft day. A special talent that's worth watching at 16 as a dman, especially from Finland, is something we haven't really seen. Let's just enjoy it and not do the whole 1st overall debate/arguing for the next two years...

 

[Lepardi]

I mean why is him being 1st overall a thing? Why does that matter? I'm more excited about the player then how he may compare on draft day. A special talent that's worth watching at 16 as a dman, especially from Finland, is something we haven't really seen. Let's just enjoy it and not do the whole 1st overall debate/arguing for the next two years...

It's pretty embarrassing for Finland as a hockey nation that there has never been a #1 pick or a Hart, Conn Smythe or Norris Trophy winner from Finland.

 

[ijuka]

Even Switzerland has a first overall pick while Finland doesn't. And while Slovakia doesn't have one, Czechoslovakia does so Slovakia might as well have one. So literally every other relevant hockey nation has had a first overall pick.

Well, this year is a pretty good one for one regardless. 2022 had an exceptional status player, 2023 obviously has a Bedard. 2025 has Misa if he's good(too soon)? 2024 on the other hand doesn't have any exceptional status players and relatively little hype. Even other European prospects I've not heard a ton of hype for for 2024.

 

[grentthealien]

2 years away from the draft still so a lot can change but who would even be Kiviharju’s competition for 1st? The only guy I can think of is perhaps American Cole Eiserman?

Other than that I can’t really think of anyone else that I know of from 24 so I don’t really have any problem with people calling him their default number 1 until proven otherwise.

 

[ijuka]

Probably Macklin Celebrini but he too was behind Eiserman / had little hype until he outperformed him on the same team. So it is in flux, and probably needs to be rearranged after next CHL season and all. What that says is that there's no one that especially stands out, at least for North America. And well, Tanner Howe I guess, but he's not exactly shined at WJC-U18s and I have to wonder how much of a product of Bedard's he is.

Regardless, next season we'll have a much better idea of where things stand.

 

[BuiumSaveUs]

tons of prospects will emerge to in the next 12 months.

 

[grentthealien]

Probably Macklin Celebrini but he too was behind Eiserman / had little hype until he outperformed him on the same team. So it is in flux, and probably needs to be rearranged after next CHL season and all. What that says is that there's no one that especially stands out, at least for North America. And well, Tanner Howe I guess, but he's not exactly shined at WJC-U18s and I have to wonder how much of a product of Bedard's he is.

Regardless, next season we'll have a much better idea of where things stand.

Ah yes good old Macklin Honestly I just heard of him a few weeks ago, didn’t even know he was on Shattuck too.

For the longest time it has felt like Aron and Eiserman were the only two names for 24 with Aron predating all of them. It’s exciting to see some names starting to emerge for that draft and we will have a even clearer picture next season. There are even a few guys in 25 like Misa becoming more well known the last couple of weeks too.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

tons of prospects will emerge to in the next 12 months.

It's like that every year but what makes people think that Kiviharju is No. 1 are his exceptional performances never seen in the history of European hockey.

The guy is a genius of the game. So even if we suspect that talents will reveal themselves in North America and Russia, Kiviharju has placed the marker so high for 6 years that it seems hard to imagine seeing another do better.

The draft is only two years away. This is precisely what is crazy because currently Kiviharju already has the level to be selected in the top 50 of the 2022 draft. He is far ahead of Dahlin at the same age.

 

[Bubbles]

2 years away from the draft still so a lot can change but who would even be Kiviharju’s competition for 1st? The only guy I can think of is perhaps American Cole Eiserman?

Other than that I can’t really think of anyone else that I know of from 24 so I don’t really have any problem with people calling him their default number 1 until proven otherwise.

It's so early to put anyone in that tier but Kiviharju is performing at the highest junior level and he deserves it.

I hesitate to put anyone that hasn't performed in the major juniors, which includes Eiserman, Celebrini and Catton.

People seem to look down on Tanner Howe's height but his stats are pretty impressive for a guy that already has two seasons of WHL under his belt.

Demidov is also a contender and he's playing at the highest level as well.

 

[BB88]

tons of prospects will emerge to in the next 12 months.

Sure, but franchise changing 1st overalls are usually getting the spotlight much earlier than that

 

[thomast]

Effective is best way to describe his game. How fast he processes the game, how he can pace the tempo down to weather the storm or up to get momentum back to the team with his exceptional transition ability. He makes low precentage transitional plays with really small window of time look easy and these plays are high precentage for him. Passes are hard, crisp and on the tape, easily NHL level.

I’m amazed how good he is defensively and how he plays without the puck. Always available for easy play for his team mates. Physically he isn’t there yet and i would like him to develope his shot better. I would like him to have more confidence offensively aswell. If we look at the top two premier young D’s he seems to lack Makar’s killer instinct and are closer to Fox. He has all the tools and skill in the world, but he is too unselfish to use them, especially on the PP. Even with his unselfish play he is shattering records, but i honestly think he has much more left in the tank and in the long run he won’t reach his ceiling without trusting himself more. I would love to see him have Makar’s mindset in his offense. Occasionally he flashes that kind of swagger.

He is best U16 player i’ve seen in Finland hands down. I would still bet on someone off the field being #1 instead of Kiviharju, but i also think he could be best transitional D if not player in the NHL someday if he reaches his ceiling. He is truly exceptional in that area of the game.

 

[Sweetpotato]

Effective is best way to describe his game. How fast he processes the game, how he can pace the tempo down to weather the storm or up to get momentum back to the team with his exceptional transition ability. He makes low precentage transitional plays with really small window of time look easy and these plays are high precentage for him. Passes are hard, crisp and on the tape, easily NHL level.

I’m amazed how good he is defensively and how he plays without the puck. Always available for easy play for his team mates. Physically he isn’t there yet and i would like him to develope his shot better. I would like him to have more confidence offensively aswell. If we look at the top two premier young D’s he seems to lack Makar’s killer instinct and are closer to Fox. He has all the tools and skill in the world, but he is too unselfish to use them, especially on the PP. Even with his unselfish play he is shattering records, but i honestly think he has much more left in the tank and in the long run he won’t reach his ceiling without trusting himself more. I would love to see him have Makar’s mindset in his offense.

He is best U16 player i’ve seen in Finland hands down. I would still bet on someone off the field being #1 instead of Kiviharju, but i also think he could be best transitional D if not player in the NHL someday if he reaches his ceiling. He is truly exceptional in that area of the game.

I think as he matures and gets more sure of himself he has the skating and the puck skills to rush the puck at an elite level similar to McDavid having the shot to score regularly but choosing to defer to other teammates.

If I was a team like SanJose, Anaheim, Detroit, etc I'd be absolutely cratering and stock piling picks to have a shot at Bedard and or Kivi in back to back drafts.

 

[QJL]

I think as he matures and gets more sure of himself he has the skating and the puck skills to rush the puck at an elite level similar to McDavid having the shot to score regularly but choosing to defer to other teammates.

If I was a team like SanJose, Anaheim, Detroit, etc I'd be absolutely cratering and stock piling picks to have a shot at Bedard and or Kivi in back to back drafts.

Starting this season, you cannot win 1st overall in back to back years.

 

[thomast]

I think as he matures and gets more sure of himself he has the skating and the puck skills to rush the puck at an elite level similar to McDavid having the shot to score regularly but choosing to defer to other teammates.

If I was a team like SanJose, Anaheim, Detroit, etc I'd be absolutely cratering and stock piling picks to have a shot at Bedard and or Kivi in back to back drafts.

He doesen’t have that kind of alien speed though, he is really fast and more like waterbug. Think how Q Hughes skates. It’s crazy to think, but Kivi is already most reliable player on team Finland by eye test he has clearly highest success % in his plays.

 

[ijuka]

I would like him to have more confidence offensively aswell. If we look at the top two premier young D’s he seems to lack Makar’s killer instinct and are closer to Fox. He has all the tools and skill in the world, but he is too unselfish to use them, especially on the PP. Even with his unselfish play he is shattering records, but i honestly think he has much more left in the tank and in the long run he won’t reach his ceiling without trusting himself more. I would love to see him have Makar’s mindset in his offense. Occasionally he flashes that kind of swagger.

For this season, he indeed has played very safe. But he used to look for more and hunt for openings and opportunities all the time in previous seasons. As such, I wouldn't say that it's something he needs to learn, just something he would go back to - season by season, he's become less selfish.

I'm not sure if it's because of his skating not being as good this season due to his knee injury last year, or because of the level of play simply being so strong he thinks he can't get away with plays like that right now. But I'd say that he has it in him.