Recap: U18 Five Nations Tournament (Plymouth, MI)

SWEDEN

RHD Filip Westerlund (5’11, 165): Poised two-way blueliner with upper-body strength who can be leaned on for top-pairing situations. Westerlund is quick and agile with exceptional edge work, making him one of the better draft eligibles at not only beating pressure, but making a lightning quick transition from defense to offense. He can attack open ice in a variety of ways – with speed, hard stretch passes or methodical puck control. Westerlund can be flashy, at times to a fault, as he is prone to the occasional turnover. But the overall body of work is solid, especially when you factor in his solid one-on-one and positional play for a kid who oozes skill and playmaking. Westerlund, who has an average but accurate shot, is a power play quarterback and penalty killing option.

RW Lukas Elvenes (6’0, 167): Elvenes is one of Sweden’s better junior players and boasts an impressive international resume. He is a fast skater with excellent balance who gains the zone with speed and can stop on a dime to locate trailers or linemates bombing for the net. Elvenes is one player who earns the right to be called a two-way forward – he has a clear understanding of his role and knows the time and place to motor up ice. He wasn’t as productive at the Five Nations as he was for Sweden at the summer Ivan Hlinka tournament, but you got the sense that opposing teams were tightening up their defense every time he was on the ice. Elvenes has a very good shot with a quick release and will not hesitate to fire it through traffic. There are times when he’s used to play the point on the power play.

C Emil Bemstrom (5’10, 174): Bemstrom is a speedy, dual-threat center who can bury the puck as well as he can dish it. He has excellent vision and will utilize hard, accurate cross-ice passes to improve the quality of a scoring chance. His speed allows him to create time and space when the ice seems clogged, but he’s an even bigger threat in open ice – he rarely makes mistakes on odd-man rushes and will not telegraph his next move. Bemstrom controls the puck with speed through the neutral zone and uses accurate lead or drop passes if he senses a defender will vacate a lane. He may not look big, but he is strong enough to come away with pucks during one-on-one battles with bigger opponents. He is a relentless forechecker who finishes his checks and can win key faceoffs.

LW Isac Lundestrom (5’11, 176 – 2018 Draft): Lundestrom is a dynamic offensive player with legitimate top-six potential. He owns a quick release, an incredible set of hands and the ability to finish from in close even if travelling at top speed. The manner in which this youngster enters the zone can best be described as unruffled – a mincing machine of sticks, skates and bodies will not deter Lundestrom from not only gaining entry, but taking a direct path to the front of the net. He’s rough around the edges in terms of his overall game, specifically defensive zone coverage and choosing the hard right over the easy wrong. He scored twice against the Czechs in Sweden’s final game, including a highlight-reel game-winner in overtime in which he split the defense for a clear path to the net.

RW Filip Sveningsson (6’0, 172): Fast and aggressive goal-scoring forward who uses his speed and awareness to receive and finish high-percentage plays. Sveningsson likes to initiate contact and take the puck right to a defenseman and almost challenge him to steal the puck. The success rate of these tactics vary depending on the player, but Sveningsson proved that he can maneuver around some of the world’s top U18 defenders and fire off a heavy wrister from an acceptable range. He may come across as a finesse forward at first, and there are times when he seems one dimensional. Overall, however, we view Svenningson as a prospective two-way winger who will not shy away from the game’s physical requirements.

LHD Anton Bjorkman (5’11, 163): Bjorkman is one of Sweden’s top amateur defenseman who is entrusted with significant in-game situations. He can play on both the power play and on the penalty kill with effectiveness, but it’s the way he maintains a tight gap and wields an active stick while exuding the characteristics of a puck mover that makes us think his top-four upside is legitimate. Bjorkman is summoned for the tough assignments and plays poised under pressure, but he also possesses offensive capabilities such as making accurate home-run passes and skating the puck deep into the opposing zone. He is an above-average skater and owns a very good shot, and on occasion will drop down between the circles to maximize his shot opportunities.

FINLAND

LW Aarne Talvitie (5’10, 198): A feisty, hard-working winger who skates well and boasts a very good shot, especially off the pass. Talvitie played in Finland’s nominal top line and was used on the power play, where he drew a lot of attention while camped along the half wall. His shot is his bread and butter, but the bulk of the contest against Team USA was played in his own end so he didn’t create nor receive much room to showcase it. Talvitie is a smart player in the defensive zone, using quick feet and formidable upper-body strength to lean on puck possessors and finish them with clean checks. He’s a good passer who made tape-to-tape connections off the rush, but it was an otherwise quiet tournament (one goal and an assist in four games) for someone the Finns were expecting more from.

LW Santeri Hartikainen (6’1, 183): Hartikainen owned the left flank of Finland’s top line and was one of the few Finns who managed to put a dent or two into Team USA’s seemingly impregnable coverage. A big body with average speed who played on his off wing, Hartikainen worked extremely well with finesse linemates Jesse Ylonen and center Joni Ikonen during cycles during even strength, knowing exactly when and where to position himself to receive the puck cleanly. Hartikainen played fearless and was willing to receive punishment for establishing a foothold in the top of the crease, and it paid dividends when he buried a rebound while fading away.

LHD Olli Kaskinen (6’1, 194): Kaskinen had a busy night against the Americans, who owned the territorial edge and had multiple odd-man rushes. He was physical when he needed to be and maintained a pretty tight gap in one-on-one situations against speedsters like Logan Cockerill and Jacob Tortora, culminating each event with a solid rub out into the corner boards. I view him as a sound positional defender with poise who makes the right choices and uses above-average mobility to create time and space – but only as a last resort. He played sparingly on the power play but showed restraint and an active stick while manning the low slot during the penalty kill. Kaskinen has an average shot but snuck in a floater past Team USA goalie Dylan St. Cyr for his only point of the tournament.

G Lassi Lehtinen (5’11, 167): It’s been an up-and-down season for one of Finland’s less-heralded draft prospects, but make no mistake – Lehtinen produced an outstanding effort against the Americans in Plymouth. The ice wasn’t just tilted towards his crease…it was perpendicular, as Team USA poured a tournament-high 50 shots, including a half-dozen breakaways. But Lehtinen stood tall, keeping Finland tied or within a goal from start to finish. He doesn’t blanket the cage with an imposing silhouette, but he demonstrated a clear understanding of where the net was as he challenged shot after shot from well above his crease. Lehtinen’s rebound control and ability to track pucks during chaotic sequences of events was exceptional, and not once did we see him flinch while Team USA skaters tried to fake him out of position. He’s quick with his side-to-side movement, but looked vulnerable to shots towards the upper-half of the net. Game-to-game consistency was an issue prior to the tournament, so we won’t make him out to be Ken Dryden just yet.

RW Lauri Pajuniemi (5’10, 183): Pajuniemi is one of the better skill forwards on what looked like and turned out to be a thin Finnish roster. He didn’t have the greatest tournament stats-wise (one assist in four games), but he was strong on the puck and looked confident controlling it. He owns an excellent shot with a quick release, occasionally manning one of the points on the Finnish power play. Pajuniemi is very quick and does not get intimidated if a wall of opposing jerseys begins to collapse around him, and a strong command of his edges allows him to create room and look for options other than firing it on net. He has top-line upside thanks to an ability to remain dangerous and a threat any time he steps on the ice.

C Joni Ikonen (5’10, 159): Ikonen was excellent in all three zones despite taking a physical beating and spending a lot of time in his own low slot dealing with several bigger, stronger opponents. He is a strong puck carrier who can make high-percentage plays both off the rush and after finding loose pucks during board battles – things he displayed on one of Finland’s power play units. Ikonen is both fast and incredibly shifty, going full bore to hunt down pucks off the forecheck and stopping on a dime with his head up. I really liked his compete level and nonstop motor, but he also displayed a wicked wrist shot. He didn’t look out of place with Frolunda in Sweden’s SHL, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the North American flavor to his game gets him a long look from organizations from across the pond.

RW Jesse Ylonen (6’0, 161 – 2018 Draft): The son of former NHL’er Juha Ylonen, Jesse was all over the puck against the Americans and was Finland’s most dangerous forward. He has outstanding vision and is quick to find and connect with several targets within the offensive zone. Both he and linemate Joni Ikonen consistently took direct routes to the net with little regard for their own safety, and Team USA has a difficult time knocking either of them off the puck. Ylonen displayed superior edge work and balance, and his ability to maintain control of the puck in tight spaces isn’t limited to when the wall is to his back – he is lethal in and around the goal. His shot is good – not great – but he’s an excellent skater with breakaway speed who negated several icings.

C Erkka Seppala (5’9. 158): One of Finland’s better two-way forwards who showed quickness and physicality without ever taking a shift off. Seppala is a waterbug who loves to hit and apply panic-inducing pressure on the forecheck, but there isn’t a spot on the ice where he won’t look for the opportunity to finish a check. He showed above-average puck control on the rush, using his quickness and lateral movement to draw multiple defenders before slipping a neat lead pass to an onrushing linemate. He played on the penalty kill and won several key defensive-zone faceoffs, but I though he was miscast as a bottom-six player – Seppala was consistently accurate with his passes and didn’t make irrational decisions.

RHD Bernard Isiguzo (6’0, 209): Isiguzo was Finland’s most involved blueliner, firing four shots on goal and using his size and reach to keep American forwards to the outside. He is a calm, poised puck rusher with the entire sheet of ice in front of him, and will use subtle curls or sharp cuts to evade even the quickest of forecheckers. Isiguzo has above-average speed for a defenseman and will join the rush if necessary, and looked comfortable at the point on the power play. He ability to effectively read the play is hit or miss, and several of his pinches and/or step-ups were ill timed. Still, his size, mobility and offensive upside make him a solid late-round candidate.

CZECH REPUBLIC

LW Ondrej Machala (5’10, 185): Machala is a two-way speed-burner with endless skill who plays as close to a complete game as you can find in a teenager. He is extremely strong on the puck and is capable of making controlled, high-percentage plays while travelling at a high rate of speed. Machala uses his agility and understanding of play development to create time and space, but neither is a requirement to design scoring chances – he is poised under pressure and has first-step quickness to catch opponents flat-footed. Machala doesn’t have an elite shot, but he can fire it with accuracy, especially off the pass. He fights through checks but also likes to play assertive, at times with a chip on his shoulder. The more physical the game becomes, the more determined Machala seems to become. A staple on both the power play and penalty kill, he was the Czechs’ top player in each of my viewings.

RW Ostap Safin (6’4, 191): Safin is an excellent power forward prospect who plays with tenacity and confidence. His ability to control the puck on the move makes him seem unstoppable, especially when you consider how fast he covers ground for a big man. Safin is a powerful skater who uses his wingspan and lower body to shield the puck as he rumbles towards the net, but he’s skilled enough to make plays if a direct route to the net is sealed off. He has a very good shot, and his hand/eye coordination allows him to fire bouncing pucks on net. Naturally, Safin likes to play physical and camp in front of the net. However, he’s a smart goal scorer who understands when it’s time to slip away from the trenches and lend puck support or try to sneak into prime shooting areas.

LHD Dalimil Mikyska (6’2, 200): Mikyska is a skilled two-way defenseman with a strong grasp of what his responsibilities are in all three zones. He is a physical blueliner who finishes his checks and can assume a top-pairing role with aplomb for the way he reads plays and quickly covers up for the few mistakes he makes. Mikyska has very good first-step quickness and uses it to avoid forecheckers, firing off hard, accurate breakout passes without hesitation while gaining a foot or more of separation. You get the sense that he has eyes on both the side and back of his head, especially on the power play where his actions are timed and seemingly well-prepared. Mikyska has a powerful shot and plays the point on the power play, but he likes to dart into openings from the circles on down in order to increase the likelihood of success.

C Krystof Hrabik (6’3, 209 — 2018 Draft): A big-bodied shutdown center with developing skills to contribute among the top-six, Hrabik took and won most of the critical defensive-zone draws. He has good speed and controls the puck with his head up at all times, but creativity once he’s inside the zone is not something to expect. Hrabik has a hard, accurate shot and fire it off the rush, and he seems to favor shooting the puck far more than stopping and creating. His puck skills and skating are slightly above-average for someone considered to be a defensive-minded power forward, and the fact that he consistently uses his size to his advantage makes us think he can develop into something more.

LHD Radim Salda (6’1, 176): Salda is a hard-shooting puck mover who is always a threat to make and connect on a home run pass. He can play in any situation at even strength or on special teams thanks to the ability to maintain composure under pressure and anticipate where the puck will end up. He is very accurate with his shot, and will use it when it’s the obvious decision. Salda is a very good penalty killer, using physicality, an active stick and shot blocking to cut down on quality chances. He is tough to knock off the puck and can maintain control despite a feverish hounding from a trailing checker.

G Jiri Patera (6’2, 209): Patera possesses an NHL frame and displays a generally solid position. He is an excellent puck handler who can act as a third defensemen and will look up ice to catch opponents in a line change. While an average glove hand makes Patera susceptible to shots from the circles out than, his overall technique and positioning show promise, as he will challenge shooters well above the blue paint and retreat deliberately without giving away much, if anything. Patera tracks pucks extremely well and is quick enough to make initial saves from chances with a high degree of difficulty, but his post-save recovery is the area he needs to work on most.

C Jan Hladonik (5’8, 161): One of the top scorers in the Czech junior leagues, Hladonik is a top-line center capable of shouldering big minutes, especially late in games. An excellent straight-line skater with playmaking abilities, he is a constant threat on the ice and requires opponents to pay more attention to him than. Hladonik has quick feet and a solid understanding of play development, and controlling the puck in and around traffic helps him break through zone defenses. The power of his shot is above average but accurate, and he finds a way to score “dirty goals” from the tough areas around the net. Hladonik is average on faceoffs, but he kills penalties with an aggressive mindset and always looks for the chance to pick off a cross-ice pass and jet up ice.

RW Martin Kaut (6’1, 176 – 2018 Draft): Offensively-gifted two-way forward with very good speed and a knack for finding the open man. Kaut is one of Pardubice’s three prized prospects, with forward Filip Zadina (2018 Draft) and Ondrej Machala being the other. He is dominant at times, and uses exceptional footwork and lateral quickness to keep defenders off balance. Kaut is a gear-changer who does not telegraph his intentions, and he will attack open ice with decisiveness and skill. He owns a very hard shot that forces goalies to make tough saves and leave rebounds inside the low slot. Kaut is a very competitive player who anticipates well and will pay a high price for ensuring the puck goes where he wants. He is a reliable option on both the power play and on the penalty kill.

ROSTER

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