Remember last year when the Montreal Canadiens selected a big, powerful winger with scoring ability who had played his formative years in Finland? There is the possibility for a repeat in June. The difference is that Kasper Halttunen is neither Slovak nor will he be selected as the first overall player in the draft.
Birthplace: Helsinki, Finland
Date of birth: June 7, 2005
Shoots: Right
Position: Right Wing
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 207 lbs.
Team: HIFK (Liiga)
Last spring, a Team Canada powered by a certain phenom from North Vancouver were unexpectedly eliminated in the quarter-finals of the U18 World Junior Championships. Team Finland made a comeback which was as improbable as it was impressive, being down two goals with less than five minutes left to play.
The game-tying goal — which sent the game to the decisive overtime — was scored by a certain Kasper Halttunen. It was a breakout tournament for the young winger as he helped his country win an honourable bronze medal with his five points in six games. The fact that they ended up losing the semi-final to their ever superior Western rivals from Sweden, is something we don’t need to mention in this draft report.
After returning home to Finland, Halttunen chose to leave his previous team Jokerit for neighbouring HIFK. With Jokerit being in a strange type of limbo after leaving the KHL in April 2022, there was no clear path forward with his homegrown club anymore. HIFK could, on the other hand, offer a clear path from junior to Liiga as a stepping stone to the NHL, having previously developed first-rounders like Miro Heiskanen and Anton Lundell in the last decade alone.
Being a goal-per-game player in the Finnish U20-league this season, Halttunen has had a watch-and-learn type of season while playing with the men’s team in Liiga. Still unable to break that goose egg after 27 games — and with only one assist to his name — it is safe to say this hasn’t been the breakthrough season it could have been for Halttunen.
Instead, he has ended up in that weird limbo that can happen with rookie players who are too good to be playing junior hockey but are still adapting to the pace and physicality required to make an impact at the senior level.
Regardless, there are a lot of traits to like with young Kasper. Hence, why he has continued to be featured in HIFK’s Liiga lineup instead of getting sent down for a loan spell in the Finnish second tier, Mestis.
Where most prolific goal-scoring talent relies on one specific move to score, Halttunen possesses several ways to be an offensive threat. He can be a threat on the power play both in a shooting role where he can find space to release his heavy one-timer, and in the gritty areas in front of the net.
He does well to use his physicality as well, meaning that he has the potential to be an asset in more aspects than just playing the role of big, scoring winger. While not being the fastest skater on the ice, he still moves quite well for his size, especially when you factor in that he is one of the youngest players in the draft class.
Normally, it takes time for a big teenager to grow into his body and know how to use it, both in pace and physicality, but Halttunen has so far demonstrated impressive spatial awareness, especially when playing against his peers.
Preliminary Rankings
Dobber Prospects: #20
Elite Prospects: #49
FCHockey: #26
Hockey Prospect: #38
Hadi Kalakeche: #46
McKeen’s: #30
Bob McKenzie (TSN): #29
NHL Central Scouting: #9 (European skaters)
Corey Pronman (The Athletic): N/R in Top 34
Scott Wheeler (The Athletic): #33
It’s a widespread of margins for those who have Halttunen currently ranked and it will be intriguing to follow, as we move closer to the draft. Both analysts and teams can end up getting sold on his size, scoring ability and decent skating whilst looking at his impressive record in the junior league. Others could see a young and unfinished project who is still to make an impact on a level where he can’t rely on simply outmuscling his opponents.
If he reaches the top of his potential, Halttunen can turn into something resembling the Canadiens own Josh Anderson. A power forward with decent hands and a scoring touch. While Anderson’s skating is a standout trait, Halttunen is not on the same level. On the other hand, the fact that Big Andy was only a fourth-round selection back in his draft year just goes to show that the majority of a player’s development is still ahead of them when they get drafted.
Halttunen is the type of toolsy, traitsy player that both GMs and coaches love to stick their teeth in to see if they can provide the perfect environment for said player to reach his upside. A mystery box, if you will. The shot and size means that there are already
If Halttunen’s Liiga scoring drought makes him fall out of the first round, he could indeed turn into an intriguing option for a team like Montreal on the second day of the 2023 NHL Draft.
Anton Rasegård
