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Vancouver possibility Toni Utunen is really a smooth skating Finnish defencemen whom does not set up points that are many
Finland defenceman Toni Utunen (left) leans on Sweden winger and fellow Vancouver Canucks possibility Nils Hoglander during the Finland Sweden bronze medal game at the 2020 globe juniors in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on Jan. 5, 2020. AP Photo/Petr David Josek.We’re fourteen days far from the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The Vancouver Canucks don’t have a choose through to the round that is third. Because they plan the draft we’re evaluating at the very top 10 leads within the system, starting today at No. 10 with Toni Utunen.
The Canucks have actually struck house runs within the very first round in the last few years, but a high 10 list means looking at significantly more than the players whom must allow it to be, due to the fact most useful groups find players within the sides of this draft. Is Toni Utunen among those guys? With all the Canucks’ current blue line corps full of veterans, you will find most most most likely areas in the future available when you look at the next few periods. Let’s take a good look at this smooth skating Finn.
TONI UTUNEN (#10 possibility)
Being a 14 yr old, playing against player 2 yrs older, Toni Utunen ended up being nearly a spot per player. He’s perhaps not scored at that rate since. There’s a caveat that is big, though: Utunen kept going within age brackets, constantly having fun with the older children. At age 15, he skated for Tappara’s Under 18 group. Aged 16, he had been on Tappara’s junior squad that is top. A few of their teammates had been set to make 20. The year that is next switched expert, skating 11 times for the senior Tappara squad into the Liiga (Finland’s elite league) as well as being loaned off to LeKi when you look at the 2nd tier Mestis league for 28 games.
Utunen showed adequate to draw the eyes regarding the Canucks. He’s never scored like he did as he first hit their teenagers, however it’s clear the skill that drove him towards the web then though has aided him refine their protective game. If you’re perhaps not planning to score against older players, you’re planning to need to be extremely proficient at stopping them if you’re likely to hang in there. During the 2019 World Juniors, he played on Finland’s pairing that is first defensive alongside Henri Jokiharju, helping lead the Finns to silver. (The fancy Jokiharju just completed up their NHL season that is second.)
That exact exact same period, Utunen became an everyday when you look at the Tappara lineup, even though he didn’t play a lot that is whole.
At the 2020 World Juniors, he wore an вЂA’ for the world that is finnish squad but once more struggled to obtain much ice time for Tappara. In reality, their playing time diminished after he came back through the globes ironically the defenceman Tappara acquired mid period and whom pressed Utunen down seriously to eighth in the level chart was former Canucks defenceman Adam Polasek.
“Of course, that will have now been an option that is interesting” their representative Jarmo Kork stated via text message about whether he’d have actually checked to try out for the Utica Comets in 2020 21, as opposed to another period with Tappara, in a schedule where in actuality the COVID 19 pandemic does not take place. “But he could be attempting to concentrate on the future period, which begins week that is next. He desires to grow into an improved player later on, so he could one play into the NHL, that will be their dream. day”
Dobber Prospects’ Cam Robinson has watched a lot of Utunen during the last couple of years and called the young Finn the “consummate protective defender.” Toni Utunen of Finland celebrates utilizing the championship trophy after defeating america 3 2 within the silver medal game of this 2019 globe junior hockey championship at Rogers Arena on Jan. 5, 2019. Rich Lam / Getty graphics files.The role he employs now could be one of many constant, be home more kind. He performs this by effectively using their stick and space control to thwart oncoming threats. Despite perhaps perhaps not being the biggest player on the market, he manoeuvres and angles well down low and may manage the leading associated with the web also,” said Robinson. “You will periodically see him leap in to the play and flash several of those former (offensive) characteristics, but don’t ever expect it. He plays a safe and efficient design that should provide it self well to North American pro hockey. However it shall additionally prohibit him from playing way too high up any lineups.”
Finnish leads author Miika Arponen concurred in what works in Utunen’s game. Exact exact Same elements continue to be here that have been their skills as he ended up being drafted: his effortless skating, protective understanding and also the no danger puck managing, but he’sn’t actually gone ahead in virtually any aspect recently,” said Arponen. Having said that, Utunen’s reputation that is growing a Mr. trustworthy could express a plateau, he warned.
“ He has been offered a way to simply take a spot that is permanent Tappara’s defence but to date he’sn’t had the opportunity to put up into it. And unfortuitously predicated on pre period games it appears become instance once again in 2010 as he could be projected to function as the 7th defenceman for Tappara once again.”
Utunen appears set to relax and play out of the 12 months into the Liiga then might make a jump into the United states Hockey League for 2021 22. He will have to signal an agreement first, of course. Include it all up plus in a hypothetical future where he’s in a position to turn things up a notch, win the trust of this coaches at Tappara this year, then soar greater again once he’s joined Utica the following year, placing himself on program for NHL consideration, it still appears Utunen’s high end during the NHL degree is being a sixth or defenceman that is seventh.
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