Based on the U18 Worlds, Kärmeniemi has a lot to learn. Currently he’s an undersized, defensively challenged defenseman with above average puck skills. I don’t think he was even close to being drafted.

As I said in my preview, I haven’t really scouted Pekkala at all and I didn’t actually expect him to be drafted. (But I do like numbers, even if they are inflated by playing with a granlund. I’ve been thinking about calculating league equivalencies for the Finnish leagues…)

Appreciated reading both your NHL draft previews and reviews. In fact, I wrote the HF articles to which you referred and appreciate the comments you had to make. Guess I was way off on Jyrkkio – my including him had more to do with what I perceived as talent and potential, and a general feeling that the younger group were not yet developed enough to be drafted – mainly since there were so few Finns taken in the 2007 and 2008 drafts.

I would also be interested in your opinion of Lauri Karmeniemi. In a number of the inquiries I received after posting my article, people felt that his exclusion was the biggest shortcoming of my list.

As for Tomi Pekkala – that was another “flaw” you and I have in common – with all other things considered, I too like numbers.

I’d also be interested to hear your opinions on the large number of Finnish players drafted in the CHL’s Import draft (I believe eleven) and how many of them you feel will be going to play there.

Kittos!