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

Hisch13r

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May 16, 2012
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Doesn’t get a pt on the 2nd goal but I think his movement in front of the net froze the goalie. Lenni was battling in front of the net and the puck came to a guy at the top of the left circle. They started walking down the wall with it and Lenni spun off the D covering him to get open back door. Lenni’s teammate with the puck then threw one towards the net. I think the goalie was anticipating it being a backdoor pass to Lenni. Instead it ended up being a really bad 5 hole goal

 
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Hisch13r

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May 16, 2012
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Creates a 2 on 1 rush in OT where they’re stopped. He came away with the puck off a scramble at his own net front. For some reason 2 guys followed Lenni go behind his own net. Lenni and Jarvinen off to the races on a 2 on 1. Lenni sends it over to Jarvinen and it’s stopped
 

Juzmo

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Nov 17, 2009
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Creates a 2 on 1 rush in OT where they’re stopped. He came away with the puck off a scramble at his own net front. For some reason 2 guys followed Lenni go behind his own net. Lenni and Jarvinen off to the races on a 2 on 1. Lenni sends it over to Jarvinen and it’s stopped
Actually that was defenseman Joona Riekkinen with him on that one. The guy who right after scored his 10th goal in 271 Liiga games from Järvinen's pass, while Lenni was there on the ice on the fourth goal also.
 

devilsblood

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Mar 10, 2010
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Lenni goal!

A long pass from Järvinen to the front of the net. Puck trickles to the goal-line from Lenni's shot through the goalie and he puts it in from there.


Edit. Another angle
Nice burst of speed at the red line. Looks bigger then the 6' 173lb listed on hockey db. I know it's the finnish league, but he's the biggest guy on the ice for his team by a stretch.

Playing net front on the PP in another highlight above. Which at 19 is noteworthy for a guy who wasn't necessarily noted as a "power forward" pre draft.

And the speed was definitely not on the predraft/postdraft scouting report.
 

Jersey Fan 12

Positive Vibes
Nov 20, 2006
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So yeah some pre-season thoughts so far:

- Before yesterday Lenni was playing on the 2nd line with Fabre and Tiivola, with Järvinen's former linemate Palola getting a good look on the 1st line. Neither looked good so Lenni went back with Järvinen and Erholtz yesterday*, and looked better imo. One would assume the military service did also have a part with Lenni's poor play (happens quite a bit with other guys), and it still might take a little time to get fully going.

*also playing with them today

- The 2nd pp unit that Lenni is on has felt like the one with less predictability with more options and potential(edit*). The league said it is aiming to cut down on the holding and interference with rule changes for the upcoming season, and at least so far there's been a whole lotta penalties in the pre-season. We'll see how the PP will work with some new people being more in charge with that.

*But things are changing around with that a bunch still it seems, so yeah...

- At this point with a grain of salt: Seemingly new head coach Jarno Pikkarainen (no relation to Ilkka/Kasper) has a bit less of a structured and more of an overall active/hustling playing system with strong forecheck compared to last season. More confident in saying that he really seems like a good leader and locker-room guy.

- About the team around Lenni: good winger depth (some injury risk with a few), somewhat thin at center (with some potential) after Järvinen, solid defense (with the offense of it being a bit of a question mark), and the top goalie in the league (with the team still looking to move last years back-up)

- Team predicted to be around the 10th spot in the reg. season. 11 of their first 18 games are at home.

- Number of teams have gone up from 15 to 16. Top-4 go straight into the playoffs, 5th-12th play a series against each other to make up the other 4.



Pre-season still. After today's practice game vs TPS there's still one on the 4th and 5th.

For Ässät the reg. season starts on the 14th of September.

Can't help wondering if there is something to see in Erholtz as a UFA. He's in his sixth season and will be 25 when camp starts next summer.

But is he just putting up numbers because he's playing with Hameenaho or would he be a relatively inexpensive free agent worth pursuing?
 

Bearr

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Dec 31, 2015
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Can't help wondering if there is something to see in Erholtz as a UFA. He's in his sixth season and will be 25 when camp starts next summer.

But is he just putting up numbers because he's playing with Hameenaho or would he be a relatively inexpensive free agent worth pursuing?

Nah, he's putting up points because of Järvinen, but is an important part of that line in terms of grinding, space creation and overall two-way play.

Could definitely see him as a potential bottom sixer if he can keep up with the physical side of NA. He's quite athletic and an eager hitter as well, but you never know beforehand how big the transition across the pond is to some.
 

Juzmo

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Nov 17, 2009
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Nice burst of speed at the red line. Looks bigger then the 6' 173lb listed on hockey db. I know it's the finnish league, but he's the biggest guy on the ice for his team by a stretch.

Playing net front on the PP in another highlight above. Which at 19 is noteworthy for a guy who wasn't necessarily noted as a "power forward" pre draft.

And the speed was definitely not on the predraft/postdraft scouting report.
The Liiga site & EliteProspects have him at 6'1 185lb. On the taller side on the team with the current goalie duo, three regulars, and the 6'7 irregular 4th line guy being above him. And yeah definitely holding his own with the physical side of things.

Can't help wondering if there is something to see in Erholtz as a UFA. He's in his sixth season and will be 25 when camp starts next summer.

But is he just putting up numbers because he's playing with Hameenaho or would he be a relatively inexpensive free agent worth pursuing?
Obviously Lenni being more consistently involved in addition to Järvinen playing on the level he is are helping, with also him having some PP results early on. Though if he were to have a big year (maybe with an extra scoring touch he's lacked some before) with then for example a nice finish in the WC* giving NA a go could be possible to try to become a good 4th liner. Not sure if on the Devils though.

*Has gotten some national team games in the EHT tournament before, and from what I remember looked good there on the bottom six as a hustling and grinding energy guy.
 

Juzmo

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Nov 17, 2009
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Lenni goal!

Linemates rob the puck behind the net and pass it to a Lenni all alone in front early in the game to make it 1-0. Had a real good opportunity a bit before also.

Yesterday had his opportunities, but not too too much to report. Feel like something about his role on the PP need some kind of tweaking, but we'll see...
 

Juzmo

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Nov 17, 2009
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Lenni goal!

In front with 3min to go to make it 3-1. Erholtz grinding the puck, & Järvinen great pass like so often.

10 shots taken so far this game, ending up with 12.

Fun fact: First reg. win vs KooKoo (an average team) in almost 6 years.

Edit. Also ended up with the second assist on the EN-goal. Good game.
 
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