[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Finnish Edition, Vol. 7):

C/LW Eetu Orpana (6'1",194lbs)
Tappara (U20): 32gp/ 8g/ 12a/ 20pts, +7, 10 PIM

Eetu Orpana (ranked #64 for EU Skaters) is a smart center who plays a responsible defensive game. His minutes for Tappara (who are 12th out of 18 teams, but 8th in goals-for) fluctuate wildly, from 4th-line minutes, all the way up to 20+, but he's usually in the bottom-6. Orpana travelled with the Finnish team to last summer's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, but he never got the opportunity to suit up for a game. Orpana contributes well to his team with his up-tempo checking ability, facilitated by his top-notch awareness in his own zone, and by his immaculate positioning. He employs an active stick to disrupt plays, pick off passes, and clog lanes, and he is a trusted penalty-killer, as well as a proficient faceoff performer. He supports his D down low, always puts in a solid workrate, and though he isn't the most physical player, he will rub an opponent out along the boards, or lay a hit when needed to dislodge the puck. Orpana reads the game well, and has solid IQ and vision, which makes his production this year quite disappointing.

Orpana is a good skater with above-average speed, but isn't getting the most out of his stride, as it's a bit short and choppy with a need for more extension. Still, he moves well and has pretty good acceleration, with strong edges that enable him to sidestep checks, and outmaneuver attackers. Though he hasn't shown himself to be the most creative or dynamic playmaker, he is more of a pass-first player than a goal-scorer, with good distribution skill to thread the needle through small spaces in traffic to teammates in high-danger. He seems to stick to short passes, and he likes making plays from below the goal-line to the slot. He forechecks hard to remove time and space from puck-carriers, and will go the net in search of rebounds, or to set up the screen; he battles hard for position, takes the required abuse, and has sharp hand-eye coordination to tip shots. He's not a huge scoring threat right now though, and he needs to develop more power and accuracy in his shot. Orpana provides his team with energy, sets an example by always hustling hard, and never gives up on a play- giving second, and third efforts. He's intense, engaged, and hard-working.

Orpana handles well enough, but he needs to learn how to better protect the puck, as he seems to sometimes be controlling too far out from his feet, and fails to angle the puck out of the reach of his opponents' sticks, or shield it well enough with his body. This leads to his pocket being picked at times, and the puck is often poked off of his stick. Though I believe he has better offensive skills than his numbers show, he could carve out a career as a bottom-6 defensive center if he improves his puck skills, and keeps developing his offensive game. If he gets drafted, look for him in later rounds.