Joona Saarelainen

Not the biggest or fastest player, but displays excellent hockey sense, very slick hands and stick handling skills. He's a traditional playmaking centre with excellent vision and fine passing touch. Consistently a dangerous threat and natural finisher from the circles in. Has a great motor and never stops moving his feet.  Creates nice looks and feeds with cross ice passes through traffic, setting up teammates. can control pucks at top speed and draw them to him, before dishing the puck with either side of his blade. In the recent Five Nations tournament he lit up the ice with six goals (of their team's 12 goals) in four games, all in a variety of ways. Has a fast release on deceptive shots, using defenders as screens, and changes his release point well. Makes great little dekes in tight to pull goalers out of position, can roofs the puck quickly. 

                                                                        --Bill Płaczek--