Canadian forward Connor Bedard has even been known to define the power relations of the entire hockey NHL for years. The Finns were left without reservations in the first round.
Riku Porvari,
Samu Saatsi
The NHL ice hockey club Chicago Blackhawks booked a Canadian forward as the first booking of the series’ annual booking event by Connor Bedard.
As expected, the name of the Canadian, who will soon turn 18, was called first in Nashville, USA. Bedard is considered one of the greatest talents of his generation. Also Urheilu’s NHL reporter Tommi Seppälän According to Bedard, the number one booking was completely expected.
– We are talking about the kind of generational talent that could not be passed once and for all, Seppälä says.
Bedard, who played for the Regina team in the Canadian WHL series, completed an unimaginable 143 (71+72) power points in just 57 games in the season that ended. In the playoffs, there were 10+10 extras in only seven matches.
Read also: Who will top Connor Bedard? Soon, a draw will be held that could determine the power relations of the entire NHL for years
The Swedish defenseman selected by the Anaheim Ducks was the second in the top three with the Canadian forward Leo Carlsson and third, a Canadian forward selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets Adam Fantilli.
In the season that ended, Carlsson played 57 matches in the Swedish premier league for Örebro, including the playoffs. In that time, he knocked out the powers of 11+23=34. Seppälä estimates that Carlsson’s second booking was a bit of a surprise, because it was believed in advance that Fantilli would be booked second.
– He then fell third to Columbus and GM Jarmo Kekäläinen. Kekäläinen will probably be very happy to take Fantill, who played a sensational season in the American University League.
Fantilli played in the university league NCAA in the University of Michigan team and hit 30+35=65 in 36 games.
In the first round, four Russian players were booked: Dmitry Simashev (6th Reserve Arizona), Matvei Mitskov (7. Philadephia), Danil But (12. Arizona) and Mikhail Gulyaev (31st Colorado).
The NHL has been criticized for allowing Russians to play, and in addition, they are openly used in the league’s marketing. For example, the president of Russia Vladimir Putin with the Washington Capitals on good terms Alexander Ovechkin is one of the NHL’s attractions.
According to Seppälä, neither Russia nor the players who support the state administration make the needle of the NHL’s moral compass vibrate.
– The NHL doesn’t care, it’s been seen so many times now with Ovechkin, for example. There is no pressure from the league on the clubs, but they just coldly evaluate that player.
Seppälä says that Russia’s war of aggression has not been a problem in the NHL before, and it will not be a problem at this point either.
– The NHL doesn’t care. They are not interested in anything but business.
Finns were not booked in the first round
Not a single Finnish player was selected in the entire opening round of the NHL draft. The last time this happened was in the summer of 2021 and before that in the summer of 2009.
According to Seppälä, this age group was not special enough for Finland, although otherwise the age group is tough.
– Finland’s number one name was Kasper Halttunen, and he didn’t have such a good season at Helsinki IFK. He played quite well, but the effects were actually completely in the barrel. All in all, we didn’t have enough tough players in this age group.
The booking ceremony continues in the second round this evening Finnish time. Would Halttunen become the top names in the second round? Seppälä says that it is more difficult to predict the second round than the opening round. Halttunen can be either among the first or at the end of the second round.
– It’s not good to forget either Fly to Hämeenahoa, which can be close to Halttu or even pass by. Hämeenaho played a good season in Pori Äss in the SM league, even though there are still big shortcomings on the skating side.
In HIFK, Halttunen managed to collect only one assist point in 27 main league matches. Hämeenaho again played 59 matches in Ässi, including the playoffs, and finished with 12+13=25.