Vancouver Canucks: 5 Late-Round Options for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft
Round 3 — C Janne Kuokkanen (Karpat U20, Jr. A SM Liiga)
Ranked #27 by NHL Central Scouting (European skaters)
Janne Kuokkanen is a talented scorer from Finland, who currently plays for the under-20 team of Kärpät Oulu in the Finnish Jr. A SM Liiga. He is a big riser who could eventually end up being selected in the second round. If not, the Canucks should gladly pick him in the third round.
At 6-foot-1 and 179, Kuokkanen possesses good NHL size. His standout attributes, however, are his hockey sense and understanding of the game. He always seems a little bit ahead of the game and always seems to know where the puck will go next. That allows him to create scoring chances for himself as well as his teammates.
Kuokkanen is an agile skater with smooth hands and a powerful pass. He knows how to set up plays and how to finish them himself. In 30 games for Kärpät this season, he has 13 goals and 30 assists. Kuokkanen also made his professional debut in a game for Kajaanin Hokki in Finland’s second-highest professional league, where he recorded a goal and an assist.
The left-handed centre started to draw attention in North America with his outstanding performances at the international level. Last season, he had two goals and five points in six games at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. He played a total of 22 games for Finland’s under-17 team that season and recorded eight goals and 17 points. This season, he had six assists in five games at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.
Potential: Top-Six Forward
Draft Range: 40-80
Next: Round 4