Prospect Info: Lenni Hämeenaho (#58 Pick - 2nd Round - 2023 Draft)

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

He's gonna be a very poor man's Timo or a Palat. It's a very Lou esque pick in terms of risk but if he figures out a few things in his game, he'll be a stud. Very impressed how he's done in his post draft games.

Probably more likely he's a middle 6er or 3rd liner but I don't really think it's out of the question he's a top 6er. I think ideally at least one of Holtz or Gritsyuk end up being the guy instead and Hameenaho ends up a great 3rd liner. If Hameenaho does end up hitting his ceiling as like a prime Palat guy then him being the Palat to Jack/Bratt's Point/Kuch that'd be great. If he turns out as a two way 3RW then that's also a good outcome. Hameenaho and Gritsyuk/Filmon as a 3rd line wing duo in like 3 years would be very nice.

Yeah, I've said Palat a ton but I'm starting to think he has more to his game at this point. It's clear they drafted a bit for team fit after what Carolina did to them and saw what Matt Tkachuk and the Panthers heavy game influenced + Vegas winning. It's a copy cat league so not surprised the Devils did that.

 

[Hisch13r]

He's gonna be a very poor man's Timo or a Palat. It's a very Lou esque pick in terms of risk but if he figures out a few things in his game, he'll be a stud. Very impressed how he's done in his post draft games.



Yeah, I've said Palat a ton but I'm starting to think he has more to his game at this point. It's clear they drafted a bit for team fit after what Carolina did to them and saw what Matt Tkachuk and the Panthers heavy game influenced + Vegas winning. It's a copy cat league so not surprised the Devils did that.

Idk prime Palat was really good. I think it’s quite a bit more likely he’s worse than that than better. Likely good outcome to me would be more current Palat

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Idk prime Palat was really good. I think it’s quite a bit more likely he’s worse than that than better. Likely outcome to me would be more current Palat

I think his hands are a better than Palat's were. But yeah, a Palat situation wouldn't be bad at all. It would kinda ironic if we used him though in some sort of trade to offset Palat, lmao. That was my first thought when we picked him.

 

[Hisch13r]

A team developing a legit third liner from a later second round pick is a great outcome as you've noted. Certainly a better outlook than some doom and gloom prognostications that were shared right after the pick when the skating was the dominant topic.

I was a lot more removed from the draft this year so I didn’t really know what to think. The production was pretty good but the skating issues were (and still kind of are) scary. Sawchyn was the one I was really pulling for but this looks like it could be good.

 

[Sheros expletives]

Idk prime Palat was really good. I think it’s quite a bit more likely he’s worse than that than better. Likely good outcome to me would be more current Palat

 

[Cheddabombs]

Is Lenni the best prospect in hockey? I'm not ruling it out

 

[Hisch13r]

I think his hands are a better than Palat's were. But yeah, a Palat situation wouldn't be bad at all. It would kinda ironic if we used him though in some sort of trade to offset Palat, lmao. That was my first thought when we picked him.

He’s probably 3 years away. Hopefully Palat dumped in 2 years. Find some random stopgap and it’s as if we transitioned seamlessly between the 2

 

[Blackjack]

Can anyone remember the last time we had a d+1 forward dominate a senior league in Europe?

Taydenboo - 4 points in 32 games
Yayo - 20 points in 43 games
Bratt - 22 points in 46 games

Bergfors came straight over to NA after being drafted.

Christian Berglund (remember how excited we were for him?) didn’t put up big numbers in the Swedish league until his d+3

Elias put up 10 points in 35 games for Kladno

If we’ve had a forward put up more than 1/2 ppg in Europe in their d+1 in the last 30 years I can’t find it.

 

[Hisch13r]

Can anyone remember the last time we had a d+1 forward dominate a senior league in Europe?

Taydenboo - 4 points in 32 games
Yayo - 20 points in 43 games
Bratt - 22 points in 46 games

Bergfors came straight over to NA after being drafted.

Christian Berglund (remember how excited we were for him?) didn’t put up big numbers in the Swedish league until his d+3

Elias put up 10 points in 35 games for Kladno

If we’ve had a forward put up more than 1/2 ppg in Europe in their d+1 in the last 30 years I can’t find it.

Gritsyuk had a 1.5PPG in the VHL in his D+1 (ignore it was only 2 games). Bratt's is so crazy. He didn't even put up those numbers in the SHL. It was the Allsvenskan. He put up identical PPGs in the Swedish 2nd league and the NHL in back to back years.

 

[MVP Zacha]

This kid is going to be good.

 

[Guttersniped]

It’s still weird to me that he lasted deep into the second round. I know the reasons, skating, no standout skill, November birthday etc, but the production in Liiga in his draft year is very impressive. Even moreso when you look at his splits: he was scoring a ton in the second half of the season.

I know it’s still early, but I’m starting to really believe in this kid, it just seems like he has ‘it’.

I assume it’s mostly the skating plus Liiga production hasn’t exactly translated all that well lately.

You’re exactly right that he pops though, he smart active player with a NHL pace. I called him an animal after seeing him live at 3v3 and I’m sticking to it lol.

He wants to do everything with the puck, he’s not kidding when he says he’s offensive player. He’s very creative.

Lenni just loves to hockey.

 

[Guadana]

highlights of the game

 

[Guadana]

He's gonna be a very poor man's Timo or a Palat. It's a very Lou esque pick in terms of risk but if he figures out a few things in his game, he'll be a stud. Very impressed how he's done in his post draft games.



Yeah, I've said Palat a ton but I'm starting to think he has more to his game at this point. It's clear they drafted a bit for team fit after what Carolina did to them and saw what Matt Tkachuk and the Panthers heavy game influenced + Vegas winning. It's a copy cat league so not surprised the Devils did that.

Is he a Lou type of pick? He was injured? Or his ceiling is low?

 

[Guttersniped]

He’s probably 3 years away. Hopefully Palat dumped in 2 years. Find some random stopgap and it’s as if we transitioned seamlessly between the 2

My guess is the last season gets bought out or dumped but we likely have 3 more years of Palat. So Palat is the, uh, seamless transition.


So you on Palat for 3 years:

 

[Hisch13r]

My guess is the last season gets bought out or dumped but we likely have 3 more years of Palat. So Palat is the, uh, seamless transition.


So you on Palat for 3 years:
View attachment 740339

It should be 2 years but yeah I do kind of feel like it’ll be 3. I want to follow what the Isles did with Bailey. He had 2 years left at 5 and dumped him with a future 2nd.

 

[Saugus]

Can anyone remember the last time we had a d+1 forward dominate a senior league in Europe?

Taydenboo - 4 points in 32 games
Yayo - 20 points in 43 games
Bratt - 22 points in 46 games

Bergfors came straight over to NA after being drafted.

Christian Berglund (remember how excited we were for him?) didn’t put up big numbers in the Swedish league until his d+3

Elias put up 10 points in 35 games for Kladno

If we’ve had a forward put up more than 1/2 ppg in Europe in their d+1 in the last 30 years I can’t find it.

Isn't the Finnish Liiga notoriously low scoring too? To me it's even cooler that he is showing these offensive flashes in a defensive-oriented league.

 

[Hisch13r]

Isn't the Finnish Liiga notoriously low scoring too? To me it's even cooler that he is showing these offensive flashes in a defensive-oriented league.

He outproduced Slaf lol. Slaf had 10 in 31 and Lenni had 21 in 51

 

[Guadana]

Its fun how fast he got "new Palat" stamp. And its good on my taste. Guy is so promising and interesting. From any Devils prospects I saw, I cant remember more involved forward, only Mercer was better as D+1. We make an amendment \ discount on speed and role.

Look at what he did on an emty net goal. Simple and smart move.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Eat crow speed run any %

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Eat crow speed run any %

The reports that our guys were nervous when it was getting close to our pick and were ecstatic that he lasted to the 2nd made me feel pretty good. Scouts whiff all the time, but they seemed fairly confident he was a 1st round talent.

 

[Guadana]

The reports that our guys were nervous when it was getting close to our pick and were ecstatic that he lasted to the 2nd made me feel pretty good. Scouts whiff all the time, but they seemed fairly confident he was a 1st round talent.

It was a good draft overall. People didnt lie.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Is he a Lou type of pick? He was injured? Or his ceiling is low?

In the sense he was a safer pick when they could've had a higher ceiling pick.

 

[Guadana]

In the sense he was a safer pick when they could've had a higher ceiling pick.

He wasnt safer pick. Lenny had very bad skating. It was a huge red flag in the draft day, that can not only limit his potential, but may not allow him to play at the NHL level at all. He was high risk high reward player for his draft position. With bad skating and coordination and speed its not an NHL material, if he will develop his skating(and he is looking better), with his IQ and decision making and effort he has potential to be top-6 NHL player. Or even top-3. He isnt safer role player who has everything for his role but cant crack points ceiling because of the limits of the talent. Mcleod for example was a safer pick. Lenny has much higher ceiling but it doesnt look like he will be as fast\physical\forechecking responsible.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

He wasnt safer pick. Lenny had very bad skating. It was a huge red flag in the draft day, that can not only limit his potential, but may not allow him to play at the NHL level at all. He was high risk high reward player for his draft position. With bad skating and coordination and speed its not an NHL material, if he will develop his skating(and he is looking better), with his IQ and decision making and effort he has potential to be top-6 NHL player. Or even top-3. He isnt safer role player who has everything for his role but cant crack points ceiling because of the limits of the talent. Mcleod for example was a safer pick. Lenny has much higher ceiling but it doesnt look like he will be as fast\physical\forechecking responsible.

That's my point, it looked like a low ceiling and high floor type of player at the time. Nolan Foote is the same exact way right now. Yes, his skating sucks but he does plenty of other things that would let him carve an NHL role especially on a team who'll be in a cap crunch in a few years time. And McLeod is probably the wrong comp, he's the antithesis of Hameenaho. McLeod's cons are Hameenaho's strengths and vice versa.

 

[Hisch13r]

He wasnt safer pick. Lenny had very bad skating. It was a huge red flag in the draft day, that can not only limit his potential, but may not allow him to play at the NHL level at all. He was high risk high reward player for his draft position. With bad skating and coordination and speed its not an NHL material, if he will develop his skating(and he is looking better), with his IQ and decision making and effort he has potential to be top-6 NHL player. Or even top-3. He isnt safer role player who has everything for his role but cant crack points ceiling because of the limits of the talent. Mcleod for example was a safer pick. Lenny has much higher ceiling but it doesnt look like he will be as fast\physical\forechecking responsible.

Yeah I agree that Lenni’s not the “safe” type (I also think a lot of those safe players aren’t actually safe but more just not that good). I don’t think any player with legitimate skating issues can be considered safe.