nivek_wahs
06-28-2007, 08:26 AM
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=6cdfefc9-0c28-4400-8147-0be593bd5fc4
Blades have strong Finnish in import draft
Cory Wolfe, The StarPhoenix
Published: Thursday, June 28, 2007
Finnish defenceman Jyri Niemi didn't break a sweat until after Wednesday's Canadian Hockey League import draft.
The Saskatoon Blades picked him 13th overall and he celebrated in true Finnish style.
"We are having a sauna night," Niemi declared from Lahti, Finland, where he is teaching hockey school.
Niemi, 17, played junior in Finland last season with HPK Hameenlinna. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound skater is eligible for next year's NHL draft.
"He's a big, strong kid who has all kinds of potential and we look forward to having him," said Blades coach-GM Lorne Molleken.
With their second-round pick, 66th overall, the Blades chose Slovakian forward Robert Brandis. The 6-foot-1 winger turns 19 in September.
Molleken and his staff focused much of their pre-draft efforts on Finland, though. Blades scout Don Toporowski did some networking through his son, Shayne, who has played the past four seasons in Finland. Those connections led the Blades to Niemi.
Craig Oster, Niemi's Toronto-based agent, said his client has committed to joining the Blades later this summer. First, Niemi will represent Finland at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial (formerly the Junior World Cup) from Aug. 14-18 in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
"I know Jyri well because we've represented him for almost two years," said Oster. "He's an outstanding young man and a really good character guy. His English is excellent already.
"He's had it in his mind for over a year now that he wanted to come over and play junior."
Niemi instantly becomes one of the biggest defencemen on the Blades' roster. Mitch Berg, 16, also stands 6-foot-3.
"He's a mobile guy for somebody his size and he makes really smart decisions with the puck," said Oster. "He doesn't do anything fancy and I don't expect him to be an overly prolific offensive guy, but he shoots the puck well and makes strong decisions."
In 35 regular-season games with Hameenlinna, Niemi registered six goals, three assists and 72 penalty minutes. He added four points and 14 penalty minutes in eight playoff games.
"I'm a defenceman who likes to keep the puck, but still play a physical game," said Niemi.
In that sense, he's not unlike some of his countrymen. His favourite players include Pittsburgh Penguins agitator Jarkko Ruutu and former NHLer Raimo Helminen, who remains a popular player in Finland's top pro league.
Oster cautioned that Niemi will need time to adjust to his new hockey hangout.
"I don't think he'll come in next year and be a huge impact player, just because he's 17 and there aren't many 17-year-olds that are impact players, whether they're from Canada or Europe," said Oster. "Yet as he matures and understands the North American style of play, I think he can be a very, very good player."
Niemi is the first Finn to be drafted by the Blades since 1997, when Petja Pietilainen joined the club. Pietilainen played two seasons with Saskatoon.
Brandis, meanwhile, collected 32 points in 47 games with a Slovakian junior team.
"We don't know a lot about him," said Blades assistant GM Jarrod Brodsky. "A European scout for one of the NHL teams really liked this kid, so we're sort going off of that."
Brandis's age and size should allow him to compete for a job on one of the Blades' top two lines, added Brodsky.
ICE CHIPS: The Prince Albert Raiders used the 19th overall pick to select 17-year-old Czech D Tomas Voracek. The 6-foot-2, 198-pounder registered 11 points in 38 games with his Vitkovice junior team. Prince Albert traded up to get Kelowna's second-round pick, 64th overall, and selected 19-year-old German C Maxamilian Brandl.
cwolfe@sp.canwest.com
Blades have strong Finnish in import draft
Cory Wolfe, The StarPhoenix
Published: Thursday, June 28, 2007
Finnish defenceman Jyri Niemi didn't break a sweat until after Wednesday's Canadian Hockey League import draft.
The Saskatoon Blades picked him 13th overall and he celebrated in true Finnish style.
"We are having a sauna night," Niemi declared from Lahti, Finland, where he is teaching hockey school.
Niemi, 17, played junior in Finland last season with HPK Hameenlinna. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound skater is eligible for next year's NHL draft.
"He's a big, strong kid who has all kinds of potential and we look forward to having him," said Blades coach-GM Lorne Molleken.
With their second-round pick, 66th overall, the Blades chose Slovakian forward Robert Brandis. The 6-foot-1 winger turns 19 in September.
Molleken and his staff focused much of their pre-draft efforts on Finland, though. Blades scout Don Toporowski did some networking through his son, Shayne, who has played the past four seasons in Finland. Those connections led the Blades to Niemi.
Craig Oster, Niemi's Toronto-based agent, said his client has committed to joining the Blades later this summer. First, Niemi will represent Finland at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial (formerly the Junior World Cup) from Aug. 14-18 in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
"I know Jyri well because we've represented him for almost two years," said Oster. "He's an outstanding young man and a really good character guy. His English is excellent already.
"He's had it in his mind for over a year now that he wanted to come over and play junior."
Niemi instantly becomes one of the biggest defencemen on the Blades' roster. Mitch Berg, 16, also stands 6-foot-3.
"He's a mobile guy for somebody his size and he makes really smart decisions with the puck," said Oster. "He doesn't do anything fancy and I don't expect him to be an overly prolific offensive guy, but he shoots the puck well and makes strong decisions."
In 35 regular-season games with Hameenlinna, Niemi registered six goals, three assists and 72 penalty minutes. He added four points and 14 penalty minutes in eight playoff games.
"I'm a defenceman who likes to keep the puck, but still play a physical game," said Niemi.
In that sense, he's not unlike some of his countrymen. His favourite players include Pittsburgh Penguins agitator Jarkko Ruutu and former NHLer Raimo Helminen, who remains a popular player in Finland's top pro league.
Oster cautioned that Niemi will need time to adjust to his new hockey hangout.
"I don't think he'll come in next year and be a huge impact player, just because he's 17 and there aren't many 17-year-olds that are impact players, whether they're from Canada or Europe," said Oster. "Yet as he matures and understands the North American style of play, I think he can be a very, very good player."
Niemi is the first Finn to be drafted by the Blades since 1997, when Petja Pietilainen joined the club. Pietilainen played two seasons with Saskatoon.
Brandis, meanwhile, collected 32 points in 47 games with a Slovakian junior team.
"We don't know a lot about him," said Blades assistant GM Jarrod Brodsky. "A European scout for one of the NHL teams really liked this kid, so we're sort going off of that."
Brandis's age and size should allow him to compete for a job on one of the Blades' top two lines, added Brodsky.
ICE CHIPS: The Prince Albert Raiders used the 19th overall pick to select 17-year-old Czech D Tomas Voracek. The 6-foot-2, 198-pounder registered 11 points in 38 games with his Vitkovice junior team. Prince Albert traded up to get Kelowna's second-round pick, 64th overall, and selected 19-year-old German C Maxamilian Brandl.
cwolfe@sp.canwest.com