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

  • PLEASE check any bookmark on all devices. IF you see a link pointing to mandatory.com DELETE it Please use this URL https://forums.hfboards.com/
Status
Not open for further replies.

Mysteric1000

Registered User
Feb 13, 2019
173
93
I actually have coverage of him playing from Hlinka but too bad this stupid forum doesnt allow me to send "such sizeable files"
 

Leviathan899

Registered User
Nov 17, 2014
976
515
Toronto, ON.
Is Aron Kiviharju the next Adam Fox?
A left handed Fox is actually the best comparison I can think of in the NHL. Undersized and not very fast in straight lines, but elite agility and edge work, great poise with the puck and hockey sense that is high end. He’s playing chess while others are playing checkers. I do think his lack of size will keep him from going number 1 though.
 

ijuka

Registered User
May 14, 2016
23,107
16,254
A left handed Fox is actually the best comparison I can think of in the NHL. Undersized and not very fast in straight lines, but elite agility and edge work, great poise with the puck and hockey sense that is high end. He’s playing chess while others are playing checkers. I do think his lack of size will keep him from going number 1 though.
More tricky than Fox, though. It is a much more Makary aspect of his play.
 

Deep Blue Metallic

Bo knows hockey.
Mar 5, 2021
4,873
5,993
Incredible edge work. His escape moves and pivots look effortless. So much fun to watch.

It will be interesting to see how he performs tomorrow. Canada will be an enormously bigger test.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: WeThreeKings

Ippenator

Registered User
Jan 6, 2016
5,669
4,438
Espoo
A left handed Fox is actually the best comparison I can think of in the NHL. Undersized and not very fast in straight lines, but elite agility and edge work, great poise with the puck and hockey sense that is high end. He’s playing chess while others are playing checkers. I do think his lack of size will keep him from going number 1 though.
Well, he is after all a bit over an inch taller than Connor Bedard, while being a year later in draft class. So I guess Bedard will also drop in his draft because of being small? Probably they both are still growing at least some bit. I honestly don’t think size will be an issue, if he can show enough skills and development during the next two seasons. If he shows enough world class play, he will go 1st in his draft, and if he doesn’t impress enough, then he will be picked a bit later. Time will show, but so far it is looking very promising for him anyway.
 

wetcoast

Registered User
Nov 20, 2018
24,258
11,336
Well, he is after all a bit over an inch taller than Connor Bedard, while being a year later in draft class. So I guess Bedard will also drop in his draft because of being small? Probably they both are still growing at least some bit. I honestly don’t think size will be an issue, if he can show enough skills and development during the next two seasons. If he shows enough world class play, he will go 1st in his draft, and if he doesn’t impress enough, then he will be picked a bit later. Time will show, but so far it is looking very promising for him anyway.

Size is more than just height though as Bedard has very thick legs and is more tank like than Kiviharju.

Bedard is almost a lock for #1 in 23 right now, let's wait and see how Aron progresses as well as the other top prospects.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zub

thomast

Registered User
Oct 23, 2009
3,829
768
We have to remember, Aron has always played against much older players. Last year he played against 19-21 year old players as a 15 year old and ended up one of the best D’s in the league. Contrast of physical difference is bigger at that age group. According to interviews by his coaches, he have not started proper physical training at the gym yet. He played against world best players who were 3 years older than him and was the best D on team Finland.

Size isn’t issue for him in the future, top speed might be bigger issue right now. I think he is great skater in general though. He is incredibly smart with his positioning and he is defensively already rock solid. People who have not seen him have usual though, that he is one dimensional. No, he is 3-zone beast and his transition game is already world class.
 

Ippenator

Registered User
Jan 6, 2016
5,669
4,438
Espoo
Size is more than just height though as Bedard has very thick legs and is more tank like than Kiviharju.

Bedard is almost a lock for #1 in 23 right now, let's wait and see how Aron progresses as well as the other top prospects.
I remember you claiming that Wright was a sure lock earlier too. Not that I’m not myself quite sure that Bedard will go 1st, but on the other hand I don‘t see him really that much head and shoulders above the other top 4 players that things couldn’t even change still in a year. Sure Bedard is anyway clearly better than Wright, but that can be definitely said about Bedard’s competition as well (Fantilli, Michkov and Dvorsky are clearly better than anyone in Wright’s draft). And no, Bedard isn’t really that much built like a tank. 5’9 tall and 181 lbs is quite good, but doesn’t scream of anything like a tank build. But he is most probably still growing anyway, as is happening definitely in Kiviharju’s case, as he is even over half a year younger than Bedard.

Kiviharju did in fact grow over an inch and about 9 lbs since the start of last season. He is now 5’10 tall and weighs 165 lbs, so I would really say that the size is no issue in his case, if it’s not in Bedard’s case. It’s not like the kids aren’t growing and getting stronger at their age still. They are probably even growing still a bit taller, but most definitely they are gaining a lot of weight when they are doing more and more of the muscle training. Which in fact they are only lately starting more systematically in Kiviharju’s case.
 
Last edited:

wetcoast

Registered User
Nov 20, 2018
24,258
11,336
I remember you claiming that Wright was a sure lock earlier too. Not that I’m not myself quite sure that Bedard will go 1st, but on the other hand I don‘t see him really that much head and shoulders above the other top 4 players that things couldn’t even change still in a year. Sure Bedard is anyway clearly better than Wright, but that can be definitely said about Bedard’s competition as well (Fantilli, Michkov and Dvorsky are clearly better than anyone in Wright’s draft). And no, Bedard isn’t really that much built like a tank. 5’9 tall and 181 lbs is quite good, but doesn’t scream of anything like a tank build. But he is most probably still growing anyway, as is happening definitely in Kiviharju’s case, as he is even over half a year younger than Bedard.

Kiviharju did in fact grow over an inch and about 9 lbs since the start of last season. He is now 5’10 tall and weighs 165 lbs, so I would really say that the size is no issue in his case, if it’s not in Bedard’s case. It’s not like the kids aren’t growing and getting stronger at their age still. They are probably even growing still a bit taller, but most definitely they are gaining a lot of weight when they are doing more and more of the muscle training. Which in fact they are only lately starting more systematically in Kiviharju’s case.

I don't recall saying that he was a sure lock but perhaps I said he was the frontrunner so far before the season started based on his rookie OHL season and U17s.

Bedard is a tank compared to Kivihajru plain and simple. 5' 9" 181 lbs to 5' 10" 165 lbs its not really hard to see the difference here.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DatsyukToZetterberg

austin63867

Registered User
Nov 13, 2018
513
604
Kiviharju might not go #1 in 2024, but more importantly.......he got himself a white cowboy hat!

Think that would make up for any issues he has in his future.
 

Ippenator

Registered User
Jan 6, 2016
5,669
4,438
Espoo
I don't recall saying that he was a sure lock but perhaps I said he was the frontrunner so far before the season started based on his rookie OHL season and U17s.
Bedard is a tank compared to Kivihajru plain and simple. 5' 9" 181 lbs to 5' 10" 165 lbs its not really hard to see the difference here.
You definitely said that Wright was a clear lock, and weren’t talking about him being just a frontrunner for sure.
And how was Bedard’s weight a year before? They are different draft classes, so that is the weight you should compare really. I very much doubt he was 181 lbs then. Or are you claiming he didn’t grow at all in a year?
Edit: I in fact found info that in autumn 2021 Bedard weighed only 165 lbs (exactly the same as Kiviharju’s comparable weight is now). Of course Bedard was also measured only 5’8 tall then, but anyway it goes to show how much things change with the size for the kids of this age. I won’t be surprised one bit if Kiviharju will weigh at least 181 lbs a year from now, or maybe even more. Especially if he still grows taller, which might very well happen at his age.
 
Last edited:

ijuka

Registered User
May 14, 2016
23,107
16,254
Bedard's clearly much more developed physically, and he was described as being very physically mature for his age. He also is described as ripped. How long has Bedard been doing strength training? Kiviharju hasn't really even properly started strength training.

I feel like it's a Canadian way to start doing such things much earlier, but that doesn't necessarily translate to similar physical development down the line when it comes to future projections. For example, it's not unrealistic to assume that a player would gain some significant mass after beginning serious strength training.
 

Ippenator

Registered User
Jan 6, 2016
5,669
4,438
Espoo
Bedard's clearly much more developed physically, and he was described as being very physically mature for his age. He also is described as ripped. How long has Bedard been doing strength training? Kiviharju hasn't really even properly started strength training.

I feel like it's a Canadian way to start doing such things much earlier, but that doesn't necessarily translate to similar physical development down the line when it comes to future projections. For example, it's not unrealistic to assume that a player would gain some significant mass after beginning serious strength training.
And anyway Bedard weighed last autumn exactly the same amount (75 kg/165 lbs) as Kiviharju weighs now. Those are the real comparables, not what they both weigh right now. Ok, Bedard was then one inch shorter than he is now, but it still shows that there wasn’t that big of a size difference between them, as some people seem to falsely think.
 
Last edited:

prongertheman9

Registered User
May 30, 2010
448
516
And anyway Bedard weighed last autumn exactly the same amount (75 kg/165 lbs) as Kiviharju weighs now. Those are the real comparables, not what they both weigh right now. Ok, Bedard was then one inch shorter than he is now, but it still shows that there wasn’t that big of a size difference between them, as some people seem to falsely think.
Not that it really matters but Bedard was measured at 5’9 181lb a year ago. It is his current size that is unknown
 

Caboose

Registered User
Jan 16, 2019
240
442
Incredible OFD, best since Makar. My dude won 6 straight Norris and even won an Art Ross during a franchise sim league. Can pencil him in for over 100 points per season.
 

Ippenator

Registered User
Jan 6, 2016
5,669
4,438
Espoo
Not that it really matters but Bedard was measured at 5’9 181lb a year ago. It is his current size that is unknown
Well it was anyway mentioned in a biograph about him that he was 5’8 and 165. That biograph was written in fact only December 2021.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad