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

[Devs3cups]

This pick is...fine. Right around where I had him (60). Don't think there's a ton of upside there, but I think there's a player. The good: super smart thinker of the game, elite ability to park himself around the crease and position himself for scoring opportunities, very committed multi-zone winger, and a pretty impressive DY Liiga showing in terms of production. I like his shot, it's not a laser or anything, but it's solid, and more importantly than that is he doesn't just depend on juniors-style scoring opportunities to put up goals, he's finding loose pucks and getting some pretty translatable goal scoring in. Now there's definitely some bad, too: it's not a big swing or anything, his skating definitely needs work (to put it nicely lol), and he's pretty strictly a complementary, low-upside support player at best. This, in a vacuum, isn't a huge issue to me, but I respect that others might've been lower on him. To me, the biggest beef with the puck I had is that there were a number of other options I just preferred more than him. Maybe our staff was really impressed by his brain, maybe they're trying to find that swift thinking, defensively minded bottom 6 winger via the draft instead of trading a bunch of capital for one at the deadline down the road, I'm not sure. But it's ok. I think he can play with some skating improvement. To end on a positive note, the HockeyProspect team, who puts out the high quality Black Book every year, did a pre-draft Q&A session and one of the questions was which prospect do you think you have underranked, and one of the head scouts name dropped Hameenaho as the one who he thought could burn them down the road and who should've at least been in the 40s since he looks like a winger version Faska. Yes, I know, that isn't exciting, and he did, too, but he emphasized that those players still have underappreciated value on an NHL roster. Again, to me, not my favorite pick, but I can live with it.

Great analysis as always!

 

[Guttersniped]

2023 NHL Draft Scouting Reports: Prospects 71-80

With the 2023 NHL Draft right around the corner, it's time to round out the top-80 prospects on LWOH's group big board!

lastwordonsports.com

Lenni Hameenaho - 2023 NHL Draft Prospect Profile - The Hockey Writers Player Profiles Latest News, Analysis & More

Lenni Hameenaho is a reliable two-way winger with a physical game but little offensive creation of his own.

thehockeywriters.com

Lenni Hämeenaho: 2023 NHL Draft Prospect Profile; Safe Finnish Winger

Lenni Hämeenaho of Porin Ässät made the first team in his draft eligible year, he was the only 2023 draft-eligible player on Finland’s WJC roster, and he produced in Liiga. So how could he be available for the Devils in the late second round? Read this to learn why.

www.allaboutthejersey.com

From other sites & Guides (all the text from the screen grabs is quoted so people don’t go blind trying to read it).

Spoiler: HockeyProspect.com Black Book #64

Their rankings:

(They ended up ranking his skating pretty high, which confuses me lol.)

Lenni Hameenaho is a unique shutdown, playmaking winger, who had a very successful year while playing up in Liiga with Assat this past season. He’s one of the most mature and structured players we have evaluated, not only for this class but any class. He’s right up there with Anton Lundell in terms of projectable structure, but that’s not to be confused with his very different skill-set.


What makes Hameenaho an outlier is his rare level of intelligence when evaluating the defensive side of the game. We could throw the usual sentences at you. Namely, that he’s strong on the puck along the walls, that he’s capable of controlling the middle, and that he has attention to detail, while rarely cheating or getting caught out of position.

Those words do work for him, but they leave out a truly unique defensive quality that he presents relative to most other draft eligibles.

His unique trait isn’t the same defensive ones that we wrote about Sapovaliv or Adam Sykora’s last year either. His is a bit more straightforward, but just as useful, and that’s regarding his ability to recognize passing trajectories multiple steps ahead of the play. He’ll time his skating routes at the moment an opposing pass is being made. In fact, his passing interception rates this season are up with the best we evaluated out of any draft eligible for this class.

This gift extends to the full length of the ice as well. He plays the dots much like a defenseman should, and he directs their space purposely to take away their skating routes. He’s tactical off the puck, forcing players into bad positions, then collapsing into their space, timing the moment they get comfortable, so that he can make surprising and unsuspecting defensive plays against them. This can be seen at the highest rates when he’s moving from the forecheck and back through the neutral zone, where he uses his leverage advantages and stick timing to strip pucks off of players.
His intelligence off the puck extends to the offensive zone as well. He recognizes the timing of backdoor routes, in tight to the net. His skating patterns usually allow him to set up for high danger shots in the high slot and slot areas depending on the play type.

Hameenaho is one of the most intelligent players in this class, and he has to be, because he’s not a functional skater. He makes plays and breaks up plays in spite of his skating. He’s one of the older players for this class, and is physically a bit more advanced, which decreases the amount of power he can obtain down the road, relative to where he currently is when comparing him to most other prospects. Yet, we think there’s still a chance he can translate his 200-foot game, as a result of his skill-set helping counteract some of his limitations to a degree.

Lenni’s pass reception skill-set allows him to still make plays off of the rush by using his hands to put pucks into spots that he can skate back into, so that he doesn’t inadvertently slow himself down. When a defender springs on him and closes the gap rapidly, Hameenaho uses calculated puck placement and deceptive fakes at the initial phase of an offensive play to help offset the defender’s timing and slow them down. Most of Hameenaho’s plays are thought out in a way that allows him to move from the outside and back towards the middle of the ice, and he’s been surprisingly successful at generating these play types at the Liiga level, despite his disadvantages.

Like Matthew Wood or Koehn Ziemmer, who also have a lot of difficulty accelerating from a stand still, Hameenaho is reliant on his advanced playmaking and frame, in order to compensate for not being able to blow by defenders or generate dynamic rushes most of the time. He has a strong cycle game and he has a well rounded in tight and open ice passing game due to his one touch processing ability, combined with his ability to move pucks through layered traffic.

Hameenaho might be an example of a player who scouts will appreciate a lot more than the casual fan. He’s a substance over style, defense first, transitional disruptor of the play. He acts like a third defenseman in his own end of the ice. He’s a supporting juggernaut, who brings tremendous off puck upside. He’s built for playoff hockey, he plays a mature, highly structured game, and there’s untapped offensive potential depending on how much he can develop his skating base.

His skating development will be critical for his translation in general. He has so many impressive instincts for the game, but the skating holds him back in a big way. In theory, a player who is already producing in Liiga at his age who has his hockey sense, typically has a very high floor, but his skating both mechanically and in terms of power is in the bottom tier range for this class, and it alone makes his projection far riskier.

We also have to factor in his talent level, especially his finishing ability, which is unlikely to be anything more than average long term, and we feel his rate of production this season was a bit fortuitous. He’s not going to be a big time contributor at the offensive end, but he shouldn’t be a black hole in that aspect of the game either, especially if there’s another gear in his stride, and another level of coordination that hasn’t been developed yet in his puck handling.

"Let me know if you figure him out, I have no idea."
- NHL Scout, January 2023

"He's a Radek Faksa, type of player who sticks to the wing. He doesn’t put up many points, and he’s a depth player, but he’s the one you keep, since he has so many useful qualities.”
- AP Scout, Brad Allen, May 2023

"My projection for him never surfaces if he doesnt develop his skating in a big way. It currently affects every aspect of his game.”
- HP Scout, Brad Allen, May 2023

Spoiler: And HockeyProspects.com scouting reports

He only played over 6 minutes vs Switzerland which was the least of all the forwards on Team Finland. I appreciate his willingness to go to the net with the puck or go there looking for tips or rebounds. That part of his game was the only real thing that I liked from him today although with his minimal usage it was tough for him to make a real impact in this game. I would like to see him play a more physical game out there, he threw a nice hit on his last shift but I want to see more physicality/energy from him which could help him increase his ice time. His skating is still a question mark to me, not the smoothest stride and he lacks explosiveness on the ice.

One really good scoring chance late in the game from a great pass by Lambert but as far as real offensive sequences that was about it for him in this game. There were a few nice stickhandling sequences in the offensive zone but they went nowhere because of the poor shots he took on the net. The best part of his game was his defensive play, always a good effort from him away from the puck with his support down low and backcheck. Very good active stick that causes 2 turnovers during the game and also his anticipation helps as well hide some of his average skating skills.

Mature performance against KooKoo showing Lenni's 200-foot game. His off puck anticipation and defensive reads of the game are right there with Anton Lundell at the same age in the same league, which speaks volumes to how developed this player is at this age. He's not a gifted skater but his ability to read the play in advance and subsequently stay above the puck allows him to compensate in a big way. Same goes for his pass reception when he needs to transition, he relies on it to compensate for the lack of three step area quickness. Offensively, he had one of his higher impact games where he scored off a rebound coming in as the trailer, admittedly the goal was more a byproduct of luck then it had to do with his release.


However, his second goal was the result of him reloading from the neutral zone back into the offensive zone as the F3, anticipating the exit pass attempt through the middle, intercepting the puck then skating in alone and recognizing the five hole seam was open on a goalie that failed to get set in time. He was efficient, competitive, he showed advanced forechecking ability, advanced defensive play, and finally had some of his excellent reads lead to goals. Well rounded, multidimensional player that's advanced in the details of the game in a big way.

Spoiler: Elite Prospects #61

[/QUOTE]

GAME REPORTS
David St-Louis: March 26th, 2023 - Ilves vs. Ässät - Liiga


Hämeenaho might be among the most interesting players in the draft. There is such a massive gap between hockey sense and straight skills in his game. He’s clearly a really intelligent player on the ice: He moves well away from the puck, finds pockets of space, makes the right plays with the puck, anticipates the flow of the game, pressures relatively well, but the skating projects as significantly below average. It prevents him from handling around the opposition, reaching passing lanes, and even from protecting the puck adequately. He works hard. He battles, but he’s all energy, handling skills, and sense right now. I’d still draft him in the top-60.

David St-Louis: March 26th, 2023 -. Ässät vs. Ilves - Liiga

Not a very eventful game from Hämeenaho. He did score by attacking down the wing and sniping a puck past the goalie. But the rest was quieter. He made a couple of nice breakout plays, battled around the net for rebounds and to screen the goalie, and also on the boards for pucks. His lower pace of play is still a problem for his projection. Even on his shot, another player would have made it an in-stride release, considering the space he had, but it wasn’t really possible for him with his mechanics. I think his potential is limited to a fourth-line role, but he could become one of these fourth-liners that play the penalty kill and speciality roles on the powerplay -- so a real role player, a defensive stalwart that still earns a lot of minutes, and that has upward mobility in the lineup as a complementary piece, but can’t really contribute all that much on the rush.

Lassi Alanen: March 4th, 2023 - Ässät vs. Lukko - Liiga

Not a particularly impressive game from Hämeenaho here. The flaws were on display, like how he struggles to create off the
rush as a puck-carrier, being relied on his hands alone, handling in front of the body and leaving the puck exposed in the process. The dekes just don’t work at a very high percentage, when he can’t really set them up properly and they’re easy to read. I’ll give him credit for one slick between-the-legs move in-zone after receiving the puck in the high slot, using it to gain enough space to get his shot off from in tight but couldn’t beat the goalie by trying to go high from up close. Skating stride remains the biggest issue (lacks ankle flexion, knee bend, clunky stride overall) that extends to other areas as well, as I’ve written previously. In this one, he couldn’t really show his strengths that much either.

Lassi Alanen: February 18th, 2023 - Ässät vs. TPS - Liiga

Another demonstration of Hämeenaho’s off-puck smarts, his ability to find pockets of space and time his movements to the slot and establish body positioning at the net-front. That’s how he generates his value at this moment in time. Scored a beautiful goal off the rush just this way, sneaking his way open at the slot at the right time, then finishing with a slick two-touch shot that couldn’t have been placed any better, just over the goalie’s shoulder. He’s not doing much in terms of play-driving, though. Most of his rush sequences involve him opting for rather low-percentage shot attempts. I haven’t seen notable delay game off the rush, the playmaking and skill are limited because of the skating. His defensive game is a selling point given how he reads the play and positions, but could be even better with improved posture and quickness.

Lassi Alanen: February 10th, 2023 - Ässät vs. Lukko - Liiga

It’s the skating that’s holding Hämeenaho back. He’s unable to find separation off the rush, tries to use some crossover patterns to approach defenders but the lack of quickness or outside edge proficiency forces him to resort to low-percentage dekes or dump-ins. One of those deke attempts was successful, though, as he was able to slip past the defender using the inside for a scoring chance. That was the highlight of the game for Hämeenaho in this one, aside the beautiful cross-lane stretch pass that opened his linemate up for a partial breakaway. The skating does limit his cycle game somewhat, too, as he’s not able to employ pockets of space quickly enough to make give-and-gos work.

Lassi Alanen: February 1st, 2023 - Ässät vs. Jukurit - Liiga

Hämeenaho has better moments here than in the previous viewings. For one, he finally returned on the scoresheet, entering
the zone on 3v2, then launching a powerful wrister from the top of the circle, cleverly using the defender as a screen while circumventing his shinpads at the same time. He had another similar rush where he cut to the middle and went for a same-side slip pass instead – the idea was really good but the execution was just slightly off. The playmaking results from this season aren’t very good but I still think he’s a smart playmaker overall, even if finishing plays is his calling card. Continued to struggle a fair bit in transition, though.

Lassi Alanen: January 18th, 2023 - Ässät vs. SaiPa - Liiga

Another really bland Hämeenaho viewing in a row. Failed to make an impact in any noticeable way, other than a few nice passes to the middle to beat pressure in the defensive zone. More often than not, though, he didn’t have answers against pressure in transition and was forced to dump the puck out or in. When he tried to enter the OZ with control, his attempts got shut down, not having enough quickness or handling skill. Even as he would’ve gotten a scoring chance off the rush after driving the middle and receiving the pass at the top of the circle, he fumbled the pass reception and couldn’t get a proper shot off. Not having nearly as many impressive moments as he did in some of the earlier viewings this season. He’s a pick, but probably in the late second to early third range.

Lassi Alanen: January 14th, 2023 - Ässät vs. Kärpät - Liiga

Hämeenaho added a secondary assist on the power play, entering the zone, passing under defender’s stick, then relocating
to the net-front and screening the goalie for the shot that went in. Other than that, it was a very quiet game from him. The mechanical limitations were very clear from skating and even handling perspective, and he even had trouble connecting on more basic plays or receiving passes from teammates. A lot of time spent defending and holding the point, but also didn’t have an notable defensive highlights.

David St-Louis: December 27th, 2022 - Finland vs Slovakia - WJ20

Hämeenaho looked better as the game went on. He transformed a couple of steals into scoring chances in the third period by reading the puck carrier and getting his stick on passes as they were launched. The technical ability still looks limited; he evades stick but can’t separate. He’s an adaptable passer, but can’t really turn around rapidly to hit targets. His lack of speed forces him into bad decisions, but the off-puck game continues to shine. He anticipates pockets of space and controls his skating to remain a good option for teammates.

David St-Louis: December 1st, 2022 - Sport vs. Ässät - Liiga

Hämeenaho looks defensively responsible, based on his tendency to want to help teammates and the effort he puts in to join battles on the wall and cover his man on the backcheck. Of course, his lack of speed and acceleration is a problem in that facet of the game, too. Even his handling looks limited. But the off-puck game remains a strength. He knows how to rotate, where
to position. He also has some playmaking ideas, holding the puck, cutting laterally to buy time for teammates to get in scoring position, and then passing deceptively. The hockey sense looks high-grade, but the technical abilities low-grade.

David St-Louis: November 30th, 2022 - Ässät vs. SaiPa - Liiga

I’m really impressed with Hämeenaho’s off-puck reads. This guy plays chess on the ice. He’s always well positioned to get a puck, with the right body angle, and at the right timing. He surveys the plays and complements it by linking passing plays and deflecting shots near the net and also by positioning for one-timers. He protects the puck well with his hands, but is limited by a clearly below-average posture and stride along the walls and in open ice. The skating will be a huge hurdle, but he looks like a smart player.

Lassi Alanen: November 16th, 2022 - Ässät vs. JYP - Liiga

Not really much to write about here from Hämeenaho’s perspective. His line was behind on the play consistently, leading him not getting many puck touches in the OZ even if he knows how to occupy pockets of space at the right time and anticipate the play really well. The ones he got didn’t result in anything either. He’s not really a controlled transition player with his current skating, being too easy to close in on and almost every time being forced to dump the puck in. I still have a lot of respect for his defensive details, too, but he did let him man to gain body positioning and a high-danger chance as he did lean his weight on the wrong side for a second and doesn’t have nearly enough quickness to recover once he gets behind the play.

Lassi Alanen: November 13th, 2022 - Czechia U20 vs. Finland U20 - U20 Five Nations

Hämeenaho’s game is slightly limited and he’s not doing a whole lot of high-end stuff, but his basic game will still rack up points, even at this level. Scored from the slot right after the power play had expired, again doing a good job at getting open at the right time. Made some solid small-area passes with slips under sticks and looked for give-and-gos. Some passes were on the inaccurate side, but the ideas were mostly good. Kept up with the pace and applied pressure to the puck-carrier on the forecheck.

Lassi Alanen: November 12th, 2022 - Sweden U20 vs. Finland U20 - U20 Five Nations

Hämeenaho scored on the power play, displaying his off-puck instincts and ability to find pucks in the net-front. Moved away, then established body positioning while moving back in, sealing the puck away from the defender’s reach and scoring from a rebound. Also got another high-danger look at 5v5 by the way of smart movement in the OZ, getting lost from the defender and timing his move into space. Skating looked a bit better in this one pace-wise, a bit more explosiveness and top speed, though the stride form is still not flattering and causes problems. Didn’t showcase a lot of notable skill or playmaking, but at this level, his game is likely going to rely on his off-puck instincts, keeping plays alive and giving an honest effort defensively, which he did.

Lassi Alanen: October 29th, 2022 - KooKoo vs. Ässät - Liiga

Hämeenaho finally found his way to the scoresheet, scoring two big goals in the third period. Followed the shot off the rush and scored on the rebound, then later read the play perfectly, intercepted a breakout pass and clinically finished five-hole. Hämeenaho’s transition plays were cleaner than in previous viewings, moving the puck immediately when the opportunity was there and cut back if he didn’t find an opening. The skating still inhibits his on-puck offence and he has to rely on his smarts to create offence from broken plays and with his off-puck instincts. It so happens that those are some of his biggest strengths.

Lassi Alanen: October 22th, 2022 - Ässät vs. Lukko - Liiga

Another pretty quiet showing from Hämeenaho despite getting a ton of ice time, having established himself as a clear-cut top-9 forward on this team. He struggles to hold on to the puck at this level, often being forced to dump pucks out when he could just wait a bit longer and make a controlled play. On OZ retrievals, he also tries to move the puck with the first touch, sometimes being successful. Some straight-line rushes where he tried to get to shooting location via outside lane, but failed to do so most of the time. One nice cross-ice passing play off the rush, but even that was a bit fluky as it bounced off the skate of the defender. The posture hurts his leverage in puck battles quite a bit.

Lassi Alanen: October 8th, 2022 - Ässät vs. TPS - Liiga

A more quieter showing from Hämeenaho compared to my previous viewing. His line wasn’t able to establish much in the form of offensive zone control. Hämeenaho’s skating flaws were more prevalent when he couldn’t escape as effectively along the boards if he didn’t have any passing options available. Instead he was forced to dump the puck out a lot from his own zone. Some pretty simple handling errors here and there, too.

Lassi Alanen: September 24th, 2022 - KalPa vs. Ässät - Liiga

Actually a very solid showing from Hämeenaho here, adding a secondary assist on the power play. The stride remains grim and limits him in certain aspects, but it didn’t prevent him from doing cool stuff. His playmaking shined in multiple situations, making a couple of crafty feeds from below the goal line. In another situation, he was able to pass immediately upon receiving the puck on the forecheck and create a scoring chance as of result. Also drew two penalties near the boards. Was forced to dump out the puck a few times unnecessarily, but also made some slick passes in transition, favouring the middle. Liked his work rate away from the puck, too. Not surprised his role has increased since his debut.

Lassi Alanen: September 13th, 2022 - Ässät vs. Ilves - Liiga

Hämeenaho was able to play his way to Ässät’s opening night lineup and made his Liiga debut on the fourth line, which is a testament to his performances throughout the preseason. There might have been a bit of nerves in this one since he missed quite a few pass receptions on breakouts that he should have been able to handle. Not a whole lot of puck touches offensively as Ilves was clearly the dominant team throughout the game. Was able to intercept a few passes in the NZ with good reads and hand-eye coordination. Skating hasn’t gotten any better from last season, though, at least in terms of technique. Still very hunched over all the time, lacking almost any ankle flexion and tilting from the hips. It’s going to be hard projecting him to the NHL because of it.

Lassi Alanen: April 23th - May 1st, 2022 - U18s

Hämeenaho played the entire tournament on the third line and played the bumper role on the second power play. He didn’t
put up huge point totals, but sneakily was one of the better offensive creators at 5-on-5, finishing top-1 in expected primary assists and top-4 in expected primary points among forwards on the team. Hämeenaho’s skating is an issue that needs serious work over the next year, but he’s got a lot of desirable qualities. I’ve known him more of as a net-front finisher and a shooter, but he was showcasing a lot of solid playmaking habits during this tournament, setting up his linemate Uronen up with some clever ideas. Defensive side is also a work in progress, but there’s definite upside with Hämeenaho. Recently signed a long pro extension with Ässät.

Lassi Alanen: February 4th, 2022 - HIFK vs. Ässät - U20 SM-sarja

Hämeenaho is clearly a talented player. He opened the scoring early with a beautiful curl-and-drag wrister off the rush, taking advantage of the diving HIFK defenceman. Later on, he got a primary assist on the power play when his shot’s rebound was buried from the net-front. I was particularly impressed by his ability to string together handling sequences into shots, ie. the curl-and-drags, quick fake shots to beat the forechecker before an actual release. He has a rather high turnover rate, often trying to go for the fancy play in transition or in the OZ. He’d be a lot more effective if he was able to execute on those plays with a
bit more consistency. I have to say that he was also getting the puck back a ton, whether it was from recoveries after shots, forechecking or backchecking. It’s pretty interesting how effective he can be in this regard despite being a clearly below-average skater in terms of his stride.

Lassi Alanen: November 20th, 2021 - Tappara vs. Ässät - U20 SM-sarja

Hämeenaho’s skating is a problem, and is going to affect his projection massively unless he improves a lot in the next 1,5 years. The current stride is just ugly, there’s no getting around that. Despite it, though, Hämeenaho has started the season rather productively in the U20 league. This wasn’t one of his better performances, but he still made a few good plays. His off-puck savvy is probably the biggest asset. I liked how he tried to establish body position by cutting defenders at their hips, even if
his skating flaws prevent him from doing it more effectively. Should have scored on a grade A chance after backdoor pass, but somehow wasn’t able to finish.

Lassi Alanen: November 12th, 2021 - U18 Five Nations, Switzerland

Hämeenaho started the tournament on the third line, but his role fluctuated and he ended up being the 13th forward in the latter games. I don’t really agree with that decision as I thought that he played pretty well in his first game (also first appearance with any national team). Hämeenaho’s smarts are very good. He’s got a knack for loose pucks, and scored the opening goal in the second game of the tournament from the net-front. He has good awareness of his surroundings and can dish smart passes in transition. The lack of footspeed was very apparent as he’s clearly a below-average skater with lack of knee and ankle flexion.

(Game reports quoted inside!)

Scouting Report

Lenni Hämeenaho might be the player in the 2023 draft with the widest gap between their hockey sense and skating.

The lack of raw tools didn't prevent him from putting up impressive counting stats last season at the U20 level and they didn't prevent him from cracking Ässät's Liga roster this season.

Adding 21 points in 51 games and averaging 16 minutes of ice time per night, Hämeenaho's season ranks sixth in points among all draft-eligible skaters in Liga over the past seven years, beating out highly-touted prospects like Roni Hirvonen, Rasmus Kupari, and Juraj Slafkovsky. Hämeenaho also tied for most goals amongst his teammates during Ässät's postseason run, not fading out of the picture like many others of his age have done in the past.

As mentioned earlier, there's no doubt about Hämeenaho's best quality being his intelligence. He's an extremely smart off-puck player at both ends of the rink. He finds quiet ice and pockets of space in the offensive zone, popping in and out of the slot, anticipating possible passing lanes and rebound opportunities.

His instincts around the net are simply unmatched in this year's class of Finish prospects. The same qualities also allow him to break up plays defensively, foreseeing the developing plays in advance and positioning himself accordingly.

Spoiler: FC Hockey #73

Hameenaho is a versatile winger known for his mature play, strong work ethic, and ability to thrive in the dirty areas of the ice. He excels in transition and along the boards, making smart decisions with the puck and utilizing small passing plays to create space for himself and teammates. While not flashy, Hameenaho is strong on the puck and can generate scoring chances by beating opponents in front of the net. His forechecking is commendable, and he has a knack for anticipating situations well. However, his skating is one of his weaker assets, as he lacks explosiveness, which hinders his ability to create space. Defensively, Hameen-aho is sound, but can sometimes be overly eager to initiate a counter-attack, leading to poor positioning. He has a tendency to follow the puck when defending, which can result in him being outplayed. Despite these shortcomings, he demonstrates great confidence and is adept at setting up linemates for scoring chances while also battling for pucks. His passing skills, especially entering the offensive zone, are noteworthy, as he can expertly exploit the space between a defender's stick and skates to distribute the puck to his linemates. His ability to play among more experienced players is a testament to his skill and potential. However, to maximize his draft stock and secure a higher selection, Hameenaho will need to focus on improving key aspects of his game. His skating, straight-line speed, and edgework could use enhancement, as these areas currently hold him back from reaching his potential.

Hameenaho is one of the better Finnish prospects in the 2023 draft and is likely to be considered for a middle or bot-tom-six role on an NHL team.

Spoiler: Plus some FCHockey scouting reports

Word on the street is he’s a versatile wing.
March 2023

Hameenaho is a versatile winger who plays with maturity. It is difficult to find major weaknesses or strengths in him. He is a competitive and active player with excellent work ethic. He has soft hands, which he uses effectively in tight spaces to create plays for his teammates. He plays with confidence and is not afraid to battle near the boards. His wrist shot is fine, but he should learn to shoot more variably. He scores many goals from close range because he is good at sensing rebounds, and he brazenly drives to the net on rushes.

On rushes, he can create space for his linemates by taking defenders close to their own net. In the offensive zone, he has the courage to stay on the puck and protects it well. Without the puck, he is good at finding open space. He can quickly change roles in different situations and is quickly ready to defend. He skillfully uses his stick to create space without the puck in the offensive zone. His skating is the biggest problem hindering his NHL career. He is not fast or explosive, and his blade use is not optimal. His skating posture is a little hunched over, and he can't reach much speed at his strength level. This may improve in the future as strength levels increase. Also, he doesn't always have the patience to stop for battles, but he moves to where he wants the puck to go. There is still some development to be done with positioning in the defensive zone. I think he will be drafted at the highest in the third round in the 2023 draft.

January 2023

Hameenaho is a versatile winger who plays a very mature game for his age. There isn't anything that really pops in his game. He's very average in a good way. Defensively sound, but not great by any means.

Offensively, he's okay but not a point producer. The good part about having a guy like him on your team is that he goes to the dirty areas, and strives in corner battles and loose pucks in general, really. Hameenaho plays with confidence, going into battles against clearly bigger guys and winning a good share of them.

The same can be said offensively, as he isn't shy of playing in the opposition's end. He's confident in transition but simple, which will limit him because the upside isn't huge. This is a player you draft to be a third or fourth liner, but surely a player that every coach likes and will play a good team-first game.

Personally, I think Hameenaho will go somewhere in the third or fourth rounds of the 2023 draft, to a team that likes to play it safe on the safer side with their picks.

January 2023

Hameenaho is a winger who is at his best in transition and battling along the boards and in front of the net in the offensive zone. He is not the most flashy guy out there, but he makes good decisions with the puck and can use smart small passing plays to create space for himself or his teammates. Although not being the biggest guy he is strong on the puck, especially along the boards, and he can beat his player in front of the net which helps him gain scoring chances. His work ethic on the forecheck is good, and he reacts and reads situations well, which can help him gain takeaways. Hameenaho's skating is definitely one of his weaker assets. Once he gets up to speed in transition he can beat you, but especially in this game he struggled in creating his own space in the offensive zone, mainly because of his lack of explosiveness. On the defensive end he seemed to be a bit eager to go for a counter-attack, which at times led to him being too deep in the neutral zone once his teammates were looking for a breakout pass. Hameenaho followed the puck a bit much too when defending, which led to him being outplayed at times. He has shown earlier this season that he can also produce on offence, and I think he can be a solid middle six winger if he improves his skating. He probably lacks the elite offensive tools and skating to be a first rounder, but I think he could very well go in the latter part of the second round, around picks 50-60. If he picks up his scoring pace during the second half of the season, he could very well improve his draft position, but I still don't think he'll quite get to first-round status.

October 2022

Hameenaho is a smart, versatile player who coaches can trust in just about every situation on the ice. Even though this game was only his fourth at the Liga level, he was playing with a whole lot of confidence and looked very comfortable on the ice. I was impressed with his passing, especially when crossing the blue line into the offensive zone. He utilized the space between the defenders stick and skates extremely well to distribute the puck to his linemates. He was very involved in the offense, where he was most prominent in setting his linemates up for scoring chances and battling for loose pucks. Hameenaho's defensive game was also at an adequate level, and he didn't look out of place at all. He wasn't able to create a whole lot of offense for himself - which his lack of shots also shows - but that is probably something he'll get better at when having some games under his belt at this level. His skating is on a decent level, but there definitely is room for improvement both in his straight-line speed and edgework. All-in-all, I still think Hameenaho is one of the better Finnish prospects in this draft and the fact that he looks very comfortable playing among men is something that is definitely going to gain some interest from NHL teams. I have him going around the middle of the third round at the moment. In order to have him higher on my list I would like to see him produce some more offensively, and most importantly create some offense for himself.

Spoiler: McKeen’s Hockey #84

A fairly under-the-radar prospect this season, Lenni Hämeenaho quietly put together a solid draft year. After playing just under a point-per-game in 2021-22 with Assat U20 in the U20 SM-sarja, the forward made the full-time jump to the Liga this season where he put up a respectable 21 points in 51 games, adding another four points in eight playoff games. He also dressed for Finland at the World Juniors, adding two points to his stat line this season.

The Finn plays an extremely mature, intelligent game, a large reason that he stuck in the Liga all season. He plays with confidence and a strong competitive edge. He's fearless in his play, jumping into traffic and board battles with or without the puck and regularly coming away with it. His skills are average, with a fine shot, good passing ability, and adequate puckhandling. Even his skating is in need of improvement, as he doesn't have much speed or agility in his toolkit.

There's a definite need for some skill development with Hämeenaho, but with his tenacity and his high hockey IQ, he's worth betting on. If he can elevate his toolkit, there's potential for him to become a strong, middle-six winger. Even if he can't take significant steps forward though, he's on a path to a bottom-six role and doesn't seem that far off from making that jump. Expect him to take a big step forward in the Liga next season and then he could be on his way overseas after that. - JB

Spoiler: Draft Pro #37

A smart winger with playmaking upside and a strong net-front game. An average skater with short strides and a hunched-over posture limiting his explosiveness. He lacks the dynamism and puck carrying speed in transition to be a difference maker. Strong on his skates, using his balance to protect the puck along the wall and in the corners. Keeps plays alive and prolongs the offense with his smart puck management on the cycle in the Ozone. Showcases some deft hands to stickhandle pucks around defenders and control the puck in small spaces. Shows a tendency to challenge defenders 1on1 but it usually ends up in him killing the rush opportunity. Has skilled short-range passing skills. Great playmaking instincts and vision to set his teammates up in the slot. Accurate distributor off his backhand. Displays excellent hockey smarts in his positioning and the habits in his game. He plays and gets the guts of the ice on the attack positioning himself either in between the dots for a one-timer or fighting for positioning in front of the crease. Possesses good one-timer mechanics on the powerplay. Drops his right knee to transfer his weight effectively and power through the shot. Quickly gets out to the point to block shooting lanes. His Dzone puck movement is an area to improve. Commits a lot of throwaway plays instead of finding a pass from his wing to cleanly exit the zone. His sound positioning, cycle game, and ability to make plays in small spaces give him a safe floor level. Has middle six playmaking potential. - JB

Smaht Skating:

#49 – Lenni Hämeenaho​

If the young Finn one day makes the NHL, no matter what his role you can be assured he will be a fan favourite. He is the kind of player that incites the old hockey cliché of “playing the right way”, and combines that with a high IQ in each zone as well as a good shot and a decent set of hands. This season he established himself as a good player at the pro level in Liiga – the Finnish top tier – and kept improving as the season went on. He is a North-South player who excels on the boards and is great at getting space around the net. While lacking the high-end skill to be a future top line player he is confident with the puck on his stick and a relentless fore-checker who is good at picking pockets in every zone. His skating is the main area that will need improvement in order to fulfill his potential, but if he can iron out the kinks there he is very likely to be at worst a good NHL bottom sixer, with the upside to play a complimentary role on a second line. (Alex Appleyard)

Final 2023 NHL Draft Rankings - Smaht Scouting

Check out Smaht Scouting's Final 2023 NHL Draft Ranking. They ranked their top 100 prospects and provides notes on each one.

smahtscouting.com

 

[NJDevs26]

I wonder if they tried to trade up...probably couldn't do so given they didn't have a third rounder either.

 

[glenwo2]

damn it. Beaten me to it.

I'm surprised they felt he was a first rounder, quite honestly.

 

[Devils731]

damn it. Beaten me to it.




I'm surprised they felt he was a first rounder, quite honestly.

His production is pretty strong. The difference between a guy ranked 30 and a guy ranked 60 on a team board shouldn’t be that big; so saying he was ranked in their first round may not be that meaningful.

 

[None Shall Pass]

I love that Dano is self-aware

 

[NJDevs26]

Sure you will Kenny

 

[Triumph]

His production is pretty strong. The difference between a guy ranked 30 and a guy ranked 60 on a team board shouldn’t be that big; so saying he was ranked in their first round may not be that meaningful.

Especially not when they likely have some guys who went in the 1st round as do not draft selections.

 

[My3Sons]

From other sites & Guides:

Spoiler: HockeyProspect.com Black Book #64

View attachment 723570View attachment 723571View attachment 723572View attachment 723573
Their rankings:View attachment 723588View attachment 723589
(They ended up tanking his skating pretty high, which confuses me lol.)

Spoiler: And HockeyProspects.com scouting reports

View attachment 723705View attachment 723704

View attachment 723703View attachment 723702

View attachment 723697View attachment 723698

Spoiler: Elite Prospects #61

View attachment 723606View attachment 723607View attachment 723608
View attachment 723609View attachment 723614View attachment 723616View attachment 723618

Spoiler: FC Hockey #73

View attachment 723636View attachment 723637

Spoiler: Plus some FCHockey scouting reports

Word on the street is he’s a versatile wing.
March 2023
View attachment 723680
View attachment 723681


January 2023
View attachment 723689View attachment 723690

January 2023
View attachment 723687View attachment 723688

October 2022
View attachment 723684View attachment 723685

Spoiler: McKeen’s Hockey #84

View attachment 723643View attachment 723644

Spoiler: Draft Pro #37

View attachment 723652View attachment 723653View attachment 723654

Smaht Skating:

Final 2023 NHL Draft Rankings - Smaht Scouting

Check out Smaht Scouting's Final 2023 NHL Draft Ranking. They ranked their top 100 prospects and provides notes on each one.

smahtscouting.com

Thanks for sharing those reports. He strikes me as the restaurant that gets a great write up by the paper (remember when those were a thing) for ambiance, quality flatware, comfortable chairs (which to be fair are rare at restaurants), attentive service, and a good value in the menu. Then in passing the reviewer mentions that the food was only average, but it's still a good place to go to.

 

[MasterofGrond]

Excited to be the official Lenni guy on the boards. Ride or die, baby.

 

[Xirik]

Excited to be the official Lenni guy on the boards. Ride or die, baby.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

From other sites & Guides:

Spoiler: HockeyProspect.com Black Book #64

View attachment 723570View attachment 723571View attachment 723572View attachment 723573
Their rankings:View attachment 723588View attachment 723589
(They ended up tanking his skating pretty high, which confuses me lol.)

Spoiler: And HockeyProspects.com scouting reports

View attachment 723705View attachment 723704

View attachment 723703View attachment 723702

View attachment 723697View attachment 723698

Spoiler: Elite Prospects #61

View attachment 723606View attachment 723607View attachment 723608
View attachment 723609View attachment 723614View attachment 723616View attachment 723618

Spoiler: FC Hockey #73

View attachment 723636View attachment 723637

Spoiler: Plus some FCHockey scouting reports

Word on the street is he’s a versatile wing.
March 2023
View attachment 723680
View attachment 723681


January 2023
View attachment 723689View attachment 723690

January 2023
View attachment 723687View attachment 723688

October 2022
View attachment 723684View attachment 723685

Spoiler: McKeen’s Hockey #84

View attachment 723643View attachment 723644

Spoiler: Draft Pro #37

View attachment 723652View attachment 723653View attachment 723654

Smaht Skating:

Final 2023 NHL Draft Rankings - Smaht Scouting

Check out Smaht Scouting's Final 2023 NHL Draft Ranking. They ranked their top 100 prospects and provides notes on each one.

smahtscouting.com

Jere Lehtinen

 

[The Wumpus]

Brylin 2

 

[Guadana]

Thanks for sharing those reports. He strikes me as the restaurant that gets a great write up by the paper (remember when those were a thing) for ambiance, quality flatware, comfortable chairs (which to be fair are rare at restaurants), attentive service, and a good value in the menu. Then in passing the reviewer mentions that the food was only average, but it's still a good place to go to.

I prefer to eat under the railroad bridge if food is tasty.

 

[MadDevil]

Sure you will Kenny

"Oh boy, look at how hard Hamandhoe works in the corner there."

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Well for one Elite is the only site listing him at 6'1", but since nitpicking is on the menu....

Ill trust IIHF over a fan-driven website. Hes 6' 184

Second - I stated from the very beginning were allergic to 'drafting size' in forwards and as far back as Nate Bastian being our last size-pick in the top-4 rounds.

Whether thats 5'11 or 6' doesnt matter, he isnt big - nobody would call Nico Hischier or Alex Holtz big either

I get youre enjoying this back and forth but I dont have time to play a war of words over an inch

Central scouting has him at 6’1” which is probably the most accurate unless they haven’t actually gotten to him to measure him themselves. IIHF is likely just taking the word of the teams themselves.

Drafting for size makes absolutely no sense. There 6’ guys who are much stronger, physical, and harder to play against than dome 6’4” guys.

lol it's not "about an inch"

We don't "always draft sub 6 ft forwards" and Lenni Hams isn't a sub 6 ft forward. The fact that you can't realize that and think it's over an inch (and then moving the goalposts and making it about 6'3" 235 rather than the initial sub 6ft comment) is just *chef's kiss*

I can see why he has these kinds of arguments every other day with his eight year old. Wonder which one of them is worse.

Also says at least it isn’t Salminen who just happens to be 6’3”

 

[Captain3rdLine]

I wonder if they tried to trade up...probably couldn't do so given they didn't have a third rounder either.

damn it. Beaten me to it.




I'm surprised they felt he was a first rounder, quite honestly.

Given how different teams draft lists tend to be I’m guessing a large percentage of 2nd round picks were ranked in the 1st round by teams that picked them. Wouldn’t be surprised if most were.

 

[RememberTheName]

I just finished watching basically every single piece of footage I could find of this guy on the internet. My conclusion: I like the pick.

I don't want to turn this place into an echo chamber but the first thing that stands out is his hockey sense. He reads the ice as good as anybody you'll see come through the draft, whether that is his positioning on the ice, his body positioning in tight and along the board, his passing reads, his one on one defending. You will rarely see a guy this polished in terms of knowing where to be at all times coming through the draft. Its easily his stand out trait.

I'll also address the elephant in the room: his skating. My conclusion: it's not that bad. Don't get me wrong, his straight-line speed is a bit slow, but I think it's a little overblown. I'm no skating expert, but as a whole, his technique looks solid, he can change directions relatively quickly, his edges look good. That gives me hope that he can improve. Anyone who compares this kid to Samu Salminen does not remember how bad Salminen's skating was. Lenni would absolutely dust Salminen. He is not even remotely close to being that bad. Salminen basically couldn't move around on the ice and he might have had the worst technique I have ever seen, it almost looked painful. I would be very surprised if we saw another player with that bad of skating come through the draft again. Lenni is a good enough skater, but because he has a solid foundation to build off of, I think he can improve his straight line speed a little bit to improve his odds of making the NHL and round out his overall game.

Lenni is a very raw player, but he has such a solid toolbox. He always knows what the right play is, but it is hard for him to make it sometimes because not only is he 18, but he is also playing in a men's league. You'll see him fumble some real solid passes, try to make passes that are great ideas, but he just doesn't have the skill yet to make. He tries to play physical in all the right situations, but he is just not strong enough yet to do it effectively a lot of the time. He gets himself into great positions in the offensive zone, but his teammates aren't necessarily skilled enough to read this a lot of the time. Basically, he always knows what to do, but he just can't do a lot of it yet because he's so young and still has a lot of runway left to develop. I'd say he possesses around an average shot and average passing as of the present day.

I will always say that by far the #1 most important trait for any player to have is hockey sense. That will forever be true and Lenni has that in spades. #2 is skating, and that's not there yet, but I believe the foundation is for him to improve over the next couple of years to improve his top end speed a bit more to round out the effectiveness of his game.

I was watching Lenni and I couldn't really come up with a good comparison, but I finally got one, and its by no means perfect, but I watch both of these players and I see a lot of similarities in the ways they approach each shift. One is vastly more skilled than the other at this point in time, and I am not saying that Lenni will ever be as good as this player, I am purely talking about style of play. The player that I feel I see the most when I watched Lenni was fellow Finn Anton Lundell. Both are slower, methodical players that are very efficient with their movements around the ice, have a really amazing hockey sense, and are really effective defensively all over the ice. Lundell definitely has the edge skill wise, but that's the style of player I see in Lenni if he can continue to improve.

I would be very surprised if Lenni was not a North American pro. Hell, I'd be really surprised if he didn't play in the NHL at some point. He is no doubt a pro-style player, if that makes sense. His game will continue to get more and more effective as he continues to play with better players. He is raw right now but the toolbox is there for him to become a really effective complimentary player in the NHL. To me, it looks like if he hits his ceiling, he could be the perfect 3rd line winger. Not the highest upside ever, but the type of player the Devils will need going forward to fill out their lineup as they continue to ride close to the cap ceiling.

I don't know who else was available at this pick. I'm only evaluating this based off of my recent viewings of Lenni. I think he is a great pick that is a great add to the organization in the future that has a lot of potential as long as he keeps developing the skills to compliment his elite hockey sense.

 

[devilsblood]

I just finished watching basically every single piece of footage I could find of this guy on the internet. My conclusion: I like the pick.

I don't want to turn this place into an echo chamber but the first thing that stands out is his hockey sense. He reads the ice as good as anybody you'll see come through the draft, whether that is his positioning on the ice, his body positioning in tight and along the board, his passing reads, his one on one defending. You will rarely see a guy this polished in terms of knowing where to be at all times coming through the draft. Its easily his stand out trait.

I'll also address the elephant in the room: his skating. My conclusion: it's not that bad. Don't get me wrong, his straight-line speed is a bit slow, but I think it's a little overblown. I'm no skating expert, but as a whole, his technique looks solid, he can change directions relatively quickly, his edges look good. That gives me hope that he can improve. Anyone who compares this kid to Samu Salminen does not remember how bad Salminen's skating was. Lenni would absolutely dust Salminen. He is not even remotely close to being that bad. Salminen basically couldn't move around on the ice and he might have had the worst technique I have ever seen, it almost looked painful. I would be very surprised if we saw another player with that bad of skating come through the draft again. Lenni is a good enough skater, but because he has a solid foundation to build off of, I think he can improve his straight line speed a little bit to improve his odds of making the NHL and round out his overall game.

Lenni is a very raw player, but he has such a solid toolbox. He always knows what the right play is, but it is hard for him to make it sometimes because not only is he 18, but he is also playing in a men's league. You'll see him fumble some real solid passes, try to make passes that are great ideas, but he just doesn't have the skill yet to make. He tries to play physical in all the right situations, but he is just not strong enough yet to do it effectively a lot of the time. He gets himself into great positions in the offensive zone, but his teammates aren't necessarily skilled enough to read this a lot of the time. Basically, he always knows what to do, but he just can't do a lot of it yet because he's so young and still has a lot of runway left to develop. I'd say he possesses around an average shot and average passing as of the present day.

I will always say that by far the #1 most important trait for any player to have is hockey sense. That will forever be true and Lenni has that in spades. #2 is skating, and that's not there yet, but I believe the foundation is for him to improve over the next couple of years to improve his top end speed a bit more to round out the effectiveness of his game.

I was watching Lenni and I couldn't really come up with a good comparison, but I finally got one, and its by no means perfect, but I watch both of these players and I see a lot of similarities in the ways they approach each shift. One is vastly more skilled than the other at this point in time, and I am not saying that Lenni will ever be as good as this player, I am purely talking about style of play. The player that I feel I see the most when I watched Lenni was fellow Finn Anton Lundell. Both are slower, methodical players that are very efficient with their movements around the ice, have a really amazing hockey sense, and are really effective defensively all over the ice. Lundell definitely has the edge skill wise, but that's the style of player I see in Lenni if he can continue to improve.

I would be very surprised if Lenni was not a North American pro. Hell, I'd be really surprised if he didn't play in the NHL at some point. He is no doubt a pro-style player, if that makes sense. His game will continue to get more and more effective as he continues to play with better players. He is raw right now but the toolbox is there for him to become a really effective complimentary player in the NHL. To me, it looks like if he hits his ceiling, he could be the perfect 3rd line winger. Not the highest upside ever, but the type of player the Devils will need going forward to fill out their lineup as they continue to ride close to the cap ceiling.

I don't know who else was available at this pick. I'm only evaluating this based off of my recent viewings of Lenni. I think he is a great pick that is a great add to the organization in the future that has a lot of potential as long as he keeps developing the skills to compliment his elite hockey sense.

My little bit of viewing also had me thinking his skating is not that bad. I thought his technique looked sloppy, skates flopping around, and hunched over, but like you I thought his edges looked good enough and I thought his speed and quicks held up fairly well.

And as you say this was all men's league stuff, so while he strikes me as a guy who wants to play physically his body is not there yet.

Don't really love the pick, because even though I don't think he is a terrible skater, I want really good skaters, but end of the day, he went right about where the consensus was, so it seems odd to hate on it.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

If the Devils took him this high, my guess is they think they can make something of his intelligence, or they like his tools more than the consensus. Hard to imagine they’d use their first pick of the draft on a player they didn’t think had any upside.

 

[Devs3cups]

I just finished watching basically every single piece of footage I could find of this guy on the internet. My conclusion: I like the pick.

I don't want to turn this place into an echo chamber but the first thing that stands out is his hockey sense. He reads the ice as good as anybody you'll see come through the draft, whether that is his positioning on the ice, his body positioning in tight and along the board, his passing reads, his one on one defending. You will rarely see a guy this polished in terms of knowing where to be at all times coming through the draft. Its easily his stand out trait.

I'll also address the elephant in the room: his skating. My conclusion: it's not that bad. Don't get me wrong, his straight-line speed is a bit slow, but I think it's a little overblown. I'm no skating expert, but as a whole, his technique looks solid, he can change directions relatively quickly, his edges look good. That gives me hope that he can improve. Anyone who compares this kid to Samu Salminen does not remember how bad Salminen's skating was. Lenni would absolutely dust Salminen. He is not even remotely close to being that bad. Salminen basically couldn't move around on the ice and he might have had the worst technique I have ever seen, it almost looked painful. I would be very surprised if we saw another player with that bad of skating come through the draft again. Lenni is a good enough skater, but because he has a solid foundation to build off of, I think he can improve his straight line speed a little bit to improve his odds of making the NHL and round out his overall game.

Lenni is a very raw player, but he has such a solid toolbox. He always knows what the right play is, but it is hard for him to make it sometimes because not only is he 18, but he is also playing in a men's league. You'll see him fumble some real solid passes, try to make passes that are great ideas, but he just doesn't have the skill yet to make. He tries to play physical in all the right situations, but he is just not strong enough yet to do it effectively a lot of the time. He gets himself into great positions in the offensive zone, but his teammates aren't necessarily skilled enough to read this a lot of the time. Basically, he always knows what to do, but he just can't do a lot of it yet because he's so young and still has a lot of runway left to develop. I'd say he possesses around an average shot and average passing as of the present day.

I will always say that by far the #1 most important trait for any player to have is hockey sense. That will forever be true and Lenni has that in spades. #2 is skating, and that's not there yet, but I believe the foundation is for him to improve over the next couple of years to improve his top end speed a bit more to round out the effectiveness of his game.

I was watching Lenni and I couldn't really come up with a good comparison, but I finally got one, and its by no means perfect, but I watch both of these players and I see a lot of similarities in the ways they approach each shift. One is vastly more skilled than the other at this point in time, and I am not saying that Lenni will ever be as good as this player, I am purely talking about style of play. The player that I feel I see the most when I watched Lenni was fellow Finn Anton Lundell. Both are slower, methodical players that are very efficient with their movements around the ice, have a really amazing hockey sense, and are really effective defensively all over the ice. Lundell definitely has the edge skill wise, but that's the style of player I see in Lenni if he can continue to improve.

I would be very surprised if Lenni was not a North American pro. Hell, I'd be really surprised if he didn't play in the NHL at some point. He is no doubt a pro-style player, if that makes sense. His game will continue to get more and more effective as he continues to play with better players. He is raw right now but the toolbox is there for him to become a really effective complimentary player in the NHL. To me, it looks like if he hits his ceiling, he could be the perfect 3rd line winger. Not the highest upside ever, but the type of player the Devils will need going forward to fill out their lineup as they continue to ride close to the cap ceiling.

I don't know who else was available at this pick. I'm only evaluating this based off of my recent viewings of Lenni. I think he is a great pick that is a great add to the organization in the future that has a lot of potential as long as he keeps developing the skills to compliment his elite hockey sense.

Great writeup! Thanks for this!

 

[Triumph]

All I'll say about his skating, not having watched him at all (yet), is that I imagine it would be really, really difficult for a terrible skater to do what he did in the SM-Liiga at age 18. That said, in the last decade we have seen what it looks like when a forward just can't skate well enough to make the league (Reid Boucher, maybe John Quenneville).

I'm hoping he comes over to NA in 2024-25.

 

[Guttersniped]

I love the Finnish energy Lenni has.

“Very excited to be Devils now”

this kid is so finnish haha, his english is really good though

“Be better at defensing”

Stop making me like you kid, I want grouse about this pick for a few more days.

 

[glenwo2]

Thanks for sharing those reports. He strikes me as the restaurant that gets a great write up by the paper (remember when those were a thing) for ambiance, quality flatware, comfortable chairs (which to be fair are rare at restaurants), attentive service, and a good value in the menu. Then in passing the reviewer mentions that the food was only average, but it's still a good place to go to.

I like "average".

It's safe, familiar, and nothing too crazy.

 

[Blender]

Hopefully they attach a skating coach to him, because the other tools seem to be there.