Big Finnish defender with improved skating and puck handling skills. For a big guy, he has good mobility, on-ice recognition and game speed (head, hands and motion), and you don't knock him off the puck easily. He processes really well, and is effective defensively; his reach and feet help close the gaps when the play turns back around with him defending. Why he catches your eye is his excellent passing skills, out of his end and the PP and just about everywhere else, as he displays hard and accurate tape to tape passes, due to his ability to quickly see, and react on the sheet
Reads the ice well, and if he can get a bit more muscle and add some jam should have a shot to develop.
—Bill Placzek—
