A 17-year old Joel Armia has started his SM-liiga career by storm; 5gp 2g+2a=4p. He's eligible in 2011 NHL Draft and is starting to look like a likely first round pick.
Looks like a pretty good prospect for sure. He made the Under-17 WHC all star team with five goals and three assists in five games last year and had two goals and four assists in four games at the Ivan Hlinka this year. I assume he'll continue his strong international career as a member of the Under 20 Finnish team this year in Buffalo?
It is just amazing how quickly this guy has developed. One year ago he played in U18, now he plays in SM-liiga. Last spring I was concerned about his skating and didn't believe that he would make it to SM-liiga because of that. He looked slow with juniors. Now he's doing just fine against men!
He has size and skill and he can use both. He hits when he has the chance and his shot is very good for someone at his age (not in the level of Pulkkinen though).
Yesterday he was amazing. The best player on ice for sure! I was impressed by him before he got any points. In the end he got three including great pass and huge goal. It also seemed that Armia is quickly becoming new favorite player for the fans.
If he continues like this, he will be chosen to WJC and after that he might be Finland's next first round pick.
If he continues like this, he will be chosen to WJC and after that he might be Finland's next first round pick.
If he continues playing like he has for the five first games and continues getting icetime in the 1-2 lines he will be Finland's next first rounder (I would seriously doupt 30 other youngsters would have more interest than Armia at that point after a solid year in SM-liiga from this 17-year old, 6'4 tall attacker with great skills and a right-handed shot), we would only have to worry about how high would he go in the first round.
Yes. He's actually originally from the Espoo Blues organisation(Jäähonka, to be precise) but decided early on to move to NA because of hockey. I guess his dad is possibly American/Canadian?
Apparently he's off to a very solid start with Chicoutimi in the Q.
As of Armia, I expect him to be a serious contender for Pulkkinen in the race of the rookie of the year. He has all the tools to be a great player and that's something very special in Finland these days...
I was going to make thread about Armia but you did first!
I believe he will be in U20 WJC team. Huge size, sniper, right, soft hands... Let's hype like mid first rounder and see Armia going in 4th round like Pulkkinen
I believe he will be in U20 WJC team. Huge size, sniper, right, soft hands... Let's hype like mid first rounder and see Armia going in 4th round like Pulkkinen
I really think the injury Pulkkinen suffored the year just before the draft was the big factor why he fell in it, even though to us Finns the hugeness of the drop was almost pretty funny. It would be just mind-boggling, if he would stay healthy the whole season and continues his good play and just being solid in SM-liiga and A-juniors (knock on wood) and still would fall like crazy. Well anything is possible in the draft.
Another Finnish '11 Draft-prospect to watch this season is JyP goalie Samu Perhonen. Central scouting's director of European scouting Göran Stubb seems to be very high on this kid.
Born in march -93, he has good size (6'03) and has started the season with JYP U20-team very well.
Another Finnish '11 Draft-prospect to watch this season is JyP goalie Samu Perhonen. Central scouting's director of European scouting Göran Stubb seems to be very high on this kid.
Born in march -93, he has good size (6'03) and has started the season with JYP U20-team very well.
It's good to see Perhonen (great name for a butterfly goalie ) doing so well after the difficult season he had last year. The kid definately has potential; great size, awareness and quickness.
It'll be interesting to see which goalies will be chosen to U18 National team for the upcoming 4 nations tournament next month. Ullberg's status as a number one goaltender might be in danger by the good start that Perhonen and Edelmann have had.
It'll be interesting to see which goalies will be chosen to U18 National team for the upcoming 4 nations tournament next month. Ullberg's status as a number one goaltender might be in danger by the good start that Perhonen and Edelmann have had.
Name
DOB
H.
lbs.
L/R
Team
GPI
GAA
Pct
Mikael Edelmann
01-JUN-93
6'0
154
L
Tappara Jr.A
5
1.79
0.939
Samu Perhonen
07-MAR-93
6'3
161
L
JYP Jr.A
6
2.86
0.911
Richard Ullberg
16-JUL-93
6'3
176
L
HIFK Jr.A
2
3.53
0.857
As a Jokerit fan I'm rooting for Kaskisuo, even though it's quite clear he won't make it...
Joel will have a bright future. He has a great size and compared to for example Jesse Joensuu better overall skill set. It has been a positive surprise that he has claimed a spot in the league team roster at this young age.
It is good that Finland is back on the track on producing bigger players. We had a period when people thought that Saku Koivu is the prototype of future hockey player and teams started to favor stamina over size/strength. Jesper Kokkonen is another name to keep in mind.
It is good that Finland is back on the track on producing bigger players. We had a period when people thought that Saku Koivu is the prototype of future hockey player and teams started to favor stamina over size/strength. Jesper Kokkonen is another name to keep in mind.
I know that Kokkonen is big and he was MVP of the Pohjola camp but he's not that promising anymore. He has played only 5 game in A-juniors and got one goal. Also 4 game in U18 tournament in finnish jersey and 0 points.
I love this! Not long ago we were desperate because Finland wasn't producing any good youngsters and now all of a sudden we have bunch of kids doing great in men's games; Armia, Granlund, Pulkkinen, Rajala, Rask, Vatanen... but wait! Is that a good thing? Or does it just mean that SM-liiga sucks?
) doing so well after the difficult season he had last year. The kid definately has potential; great size, awareness and quickness. 
