RW Lenni Hämeenaho - Ässät U20, U20 SM-sarja (2023, 58th, NJD)

[MichaelFarrell]

I’ve only had limited viewings of this player so Assat fans can correct me if I’m off-base.

I think he’s a pretty safe pick. I don’t think he’ll be a real line-driver or high point producing player but there is always a job for players that play have his skill set. Hämeenaho projects as a complimentary up and down the lineup type winger. His strengths lie in his play along the boards and his skating. He moves really well and shows excellent stick work along the boards and in front of the net. He has really good compete and as previously stated is not afraid to go into the dirty areas against fully grown adult competition.

He shows flashes of good stick handling ability, but that won’t be his game. He has decent size but isn’t all that physical. That might change as he builds more muscle but he does use his frame effectively.

I’m not sure how much offensive upside Hämeenaho has overall but he’s been able to produce in the Liiga as an 18 year old. I think there is some skill there but I think ultimately he’ll be a bottom-six two-way forward that could contribute on a skill line by going to the dirty areas and playing in front of the net. I think his floor is pretty high.

 

[Juzmo]

Has scored a goal in each of his last three games which makes it 9 in his last 26 after going his first 18 Liiga-games without one.

 

[Juzmo]

Liiga season for him now done.

In the playoff-qualifier against TPS some solid hustle, few posts, and a pretty neat block:



Then in the series against a top-2 Liiga team Ilves was one of the top guys for the team. Considering everything with him, the team, the 11 games in the last 18 days, etc. a more than impressive finish to the season for him on a personal level.







The team had its limits, especially when it comes to scoring and the powerplay, but in the end battled its way to a 7th place finish after some mighty dark years.

 

[Jukurit]

Hämeenaho has pretty good offensive skill set but nothing there really stands out. Pretty good hands, shot, passing and offensive hockey IQ. I don't think his offensive upside is very high. His draft year production is quite good in Liiga but he's also November born player, so older than most other draft eligible players. Probably gets drafted somewhere in 2nd round.

 

[TheFinnishScout]

Hämeenaho has pretty good offensive skill set but nothing there really stands out. Pretty good hands, shot, passing and offensive hockey IQ. I don't think his offensive upside is very high. His draft year production is quite good in Liiga but he's also November born player, so older than most other draft eligible players. Probably gets drafted somewhere in 2nd round.

In my opinion, he is very good at playing near the net. The timings are good and he is suitably cheeky. He has improved throughout the season and his role has also grown. Skating is currently the biggest development target. I think he will go at the end of the first round or the beginning of the second round.

 

[barriers]

 

[Frk It]

Measured in at 6’1” 185 lbs at the combine.

 

[mattihp]

Measured in at 6’1” 185 lbs at the combine.

Weight is most probably correct, height always is half an inch to an inch too tall.

 

[biturbo19]

In my opinion, he is very good at playing near the net. The timings are good and he is suitably cheeky. He has improved throughout the season and his role has also grown. Skating is currently the biggest development target. I think he will go at the end of the first round or the beginning of the second round.

As someone's who is obviously familiar with his game, how would you compare Hameenaho to Patric Hornqvist? Reading descriptions like this and just watching various highlights...it feels like an extremely similar profile to me. Is that at all accurate?

 

[TheFinnishScout]

As someone's who is obviously familiar with his game, how would you compare Hameenaho to Patric Hornqvist? Reading descriptions like this and just watching various highlights...it feels like an extremely similar profile to me. Is that at all accurate?

Admittedly, they have a lot in common, but there is a significant difference in personality. Hämeenaho is not the team's leading player mentally in the same way as Hornqvist is.

I see Hämeenaho as perhaps a slightly more versatile player. Hämeenaho's shooting skills are underrated. Hämeenaho is not as good near the net as Hornqvist,

Of course, it must be noted that we are comparing a young player with an experienced player who has already seen everything.

 

[MasterMatt25]

Any chance he goes late 1st?

 

[Hinterland]

Any chance he goes late 1st?

I would draft him in the 1st round but I guess it's unlikely it actually happens. It's perfectly possible though. Central scouting listed him 8th among European skaters, ahead of guys like Dvorak, Halttunen, Willander, Lindstein, Simashev, Gulyayev, But etc. From my experience, Central scouting is usually better at evaluating European prospects than almost all independent scouting firms out there who are mostly focussed on North America. NHL teams don't always follow the "advice" of Central scouting though.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Any chance he goes late 1st?

I don't think so, personally.

 

[MMC]

Welcome to New Jersey

 

[Xirik]

 

[Leopain]

Makes you wonder why they didn't trade up, then

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Makes you wonder why they didn't trade up, then

Didn't really have the picks for it. Their next pick was a 4th.

 

[Xirik]

Makes you wonder why they didn't trade up, then

With what? the 58th pick and the UFA rights to Graves?

 

[Jukurit]

 

[Sticktape]

Is the WJSS available to stream anywhere?

 

[Forge]

Wjss has been a good one for him

 

[Devs3cups]

Finishes the showcase as the leading scorer with 2 goals and 5 assists, for 7 points in 4 games. Good showcase for him.

WJSS Box Scores & Stats

teamusa.usahockey.com

To see the showcase stats, press on the menu and go to “players”.

 

[RememberTheName]

I've posted this a lot on the Devils board but his approach to the game and each shift reminds me of a winger version of Anton Lundell. Methodical, efficient, highly intelligent hockey players with deceptive levels of skill. Not the fastest skaters ever but because of both their strong hockey sense and their willingness to give 100% every single shift they are always in the right position across all 200 ft of the ice.

People complain about his top end speed, but when you have someone who gives as much effort as he does and is as efficient with his movements as he is, his top end speed is going to be way less important than people realize.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Didn't love the pick when NJ made it. I generally don't like the philosophy of taking big guys who struggle with skating. I had similar gripes with the Samu Salminen pick last year.

But Lenni has been exceptional the last few weeks. I am really intrigued by his IQ and positioning. He anticipates the play very well and always seems to be in the right place at the right time. I don't think it will take a ton of work on his skating to get him to be a high level prospect.

He does everything else right, all the details are already taken care of. I am very happy to have been wrong about him. And the best part is that NJ doesn't need to even think about him for the next three seasons. They have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to <25 NHL players/prospect forwards. They can afford to be patient with him and let Lenni develop at his own pace.

 

[Juzmo]

Scored 3 goals and 3 assists in 5 games (3+2 in the last 3gp) in preseason, and looked mighty impressive overall. Has noticeably worked on the overall physical side of his game (emphasis on explosiveness based on a liiga.fi interview last week), and things have continued to click with linemate Jan-Mikael Järvinen.

The points and a few other highlights from the last three games:









New coach has a bit of a more active/mobile game plan and we'll see how that one goes, but for one the powerplay looks improved to previous seasons. So yeah still preseason and we'll see how things develop once their season starts tomorrow, but the consensus expectation among the fans right now is that he'll be the top scorer on the team.

edit. Quick video of his points from last season: