The first round of the ice hockey NHL booking event will be held early on Thursday Finnish time. Urheilu’s NHL reporter Tommi Seppälä lists the most interesting names of the booking event.
The NHL’s annual booking event takes place on Thursday and Friday in Nashville, USA. We have a very interesting and high-quality booking event at hand, which will most likely include many of tomorrow’s star players.
The first round is early Thursday Finnish time, the rest of the bookings are made early Friday Finnish time.
Although the age group of those born in 2005 is considered exceptionally talented, according to Finns, it is not a special vintage. It is very likely that no Finnish player’s name will be announced in the first round. It is difficult to give a clear expectation of a long NHL career to any Finnish player given the opportunity.
Connor Bedard
Connor Bedard is a generational talent and an exceptional individual who is expected to walk straight into the elite even at the NHL level. The sports community widely believes that a talent like the Canadian striker has not been seen at a booking event since by Auston Matthews (2016). Bedard, who hails from the Vancouver area, scored an incredible 143 (71+72) power points in 57 games in the junior league WHL.
At the Under-20 World Championships, seven matches produced a record number of 9+14.
A world-class shot already, in addition to which the player has a game head and a tough character. Skating and technical skills are already at an excellent level. The overall package is believed to be immediately ready for the NHL level.
Will end up with the Chicago organization holding the first round of booking.
Matvei Mitskov
Russian striker Matvei Mitskov is the hottest name of the event behind Bedard. Already in 2021, he scored 12 hits in 7 matches at the Under-18 World Cup. Is a contracted player of SKA in Russia, but played on loan for the season in Sochi, where he recorded 9+11 performances in 27 matches. The average points per match was the best in KHL history for under-19s.
On the other side of the coin, the character of the player speaks. For example, Washington’s Russian player observer Andrei Nikolishin stated that he has never met a player who treats people with such disrespect. In 2020, Mitškov got into a fight with his teammate in the national team. Luonnepuo has been estimated to have lowered the Russian’s ranking in the eyes of clubs.
However, such views should not be taken too seriously. If the NHL clubs see an exceptional individual in the Russian, which he undoubtedly is judging by the reports, they will not leave him unbooked. The bigger problem is the contract with SKA valid until the summer of 2026.
Which one will Kekäläinen choose? Adam FantilliLeo Carlsson
Jarmo Kekäläinen Columbus, led by
Adam Fantilli played in the American college league and had a sensational season, being chosen as the league’s best player as a rookie. Only Jack Eichel and Paul Kariya had previously received the same honor as a newcomer.
Leo Carlsson instead played in Örebro SHL at an excellent level. In 44 matches, there were handsome performances of 10+15 and 1+8 in the playoffs as well.
In terms of performance, the Swede hit the counter with the fifth best balance of all time in the SHL for reserve age players.
Both Fantilli and Carlsson are players who could play themselves in the NHL this coming season. On the other hand, behind the duo comes one of the most successful seasons in the United States Development Program (USNTDP). Will Smith, a center forward as well. The previously mentioned Mitškov may also fall into Kekäläinen’s lap.
Big choices, but with a fair degree of certainty, a high-quality NHL player of tomorrow will fall into your lap.
Kasper Halttunen
Finns don’t have a particularly high-quality or deep age group. Switched from Jokers to HIFK a year ago Kasper Halttunen was previously heavily involved in the first round evaluations, but the finished season lowered the power forward’s shares. In the league, he played well in many places, but his performances (0+1) faltered – in the A-juniors, Halttunen was in the wrong league in terms of his development.
Halttunen may still be the first Finnish booking of the event. In the best case scenario, the power forward talent with a good shot could go in the latter part of the first round, but it is more likely that his name will be announced on Friday in the second round of the opportunity.
Lenny Hämeenaho
Aces I flew at Hämeenaho has a sharp game head and he can challenge even for Halttunen’s number one title. Hämeenaho played a good league season, scoring 9+12 in the regular season, and the net swung three times in the playoffs as well. So Hämeenaho succeeded in what Halttus missed: making a result in the men’s series.
Game watchers have surely noticed this.
Skating is still a big job for the attacker from Kajaani, and it lowers his ranking in the evaluations. It is probably a second-round pick, but could you push even ahead of Halttunen?