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Finnish 2004 draft review
Written by: Pekka Lampinen on 07/31/2004 
The total number of Finns drafted took a nose dive in 2003 to 12. The record set in 2001 of 29 won't be broken in the foreseeable future as the country is finally drained of older talent. The total of 15 reached this year is only fair at best.
First round
Lauri Tukonen, RW, 11th overall (Los Angeles)
Tukonen ended up falling near the bottom of the range of where he was predicted to go, and that is probably a good thing for him as the expectations set on him remain moderate. The Kings organization is eager and willing to bring in young talent. Hopefully he can avoid the injury bug that seemed to plague the organization.
The decision to pick Tukonen involved some dramatics as the team was expected to choose the goalie Marek Schwarz should he still be available. Obtaining Tukonen's rights instead of addressing a glaring organizational need indicates that they obviously have a lot of confidence in him.
Tukonen together with Jesse Joensuu (2006) represents the hope of future national teams, he is a forward prospect who must pan out for them to be competitive.
Petteri Nokelainen, LW, 16th overall (NY Islanders)
Left outside the first round in many rankings, Nokelainen went very quickly on the first day. Flashiness can get you plenty of attention in the media, but a rock solid two-way game impresses the NHL staffs, and that’s what Nokelainen brings. The Isles should never need to regret picking him even if they had traded higher up to secure his rights. The organization has had notable turnover in the lower offensive lines and that is likely to continue, so Nokelainen stands a good chance of cracking the lineup when the time is right.
Lauri Korpikoski, LW, 19th overall (NY Rangers)
Korpikoski didn't appear on the radar until the Five Nations tournament in February. Once he had given his hype another great boost in the U18 World Championships there was no stopping it, and it kept on growing even after the season was over. In the end the Rangers picked him perhaps a little too early in the draft. He does have the advertised talent, but compared to the achievements of other Finns he has to beat the odds in order to become as good as expected. The Rangers have not been know to have much patience rebuilding, and may have positions already filled before Korpikoski is ready. But he is well-rounded forward and could end up in pretty much any role in the NHL.
Second round
No picks
Third round
Sami Lepisto, D, 66th overall (Washington)
An opt-out in 2003, Lepisto would not have been picked anyway. This changed at the 2004 World Junior Championships where he was the very best defenseman. His hype peaked soon after the tournament and cooled a bit in the spring. However, the inertia was too strong as by draft day people were focusing mostly on his deficiencies. The beginning of the third round is not far off his real potential, though. The Capitals should be a good organization for him as the rebuilding project can be expected to take quite a long time, enough for Lepisto to arrive.
Fourth round
Aki Seitsonen, RW, 118th overall (Calgary)
So far Seitsonen's decision to make the jump to the WHL has paid off. He was projected to go at best in the second round, but a weaker postseason performance bumped his turn down to Day 2. Seitsonen is a mature and extremely versatile player, which will make his transition to the NHL relatively easy regardless of the organization.
Fifth round
Pasi Salonen, LW, 138th overall (Washington)
A projected first round pick long ago, Salonen's development has slowed down in the past two years and the middle of the draft is where he was expected to end up. Having failed to reach a World Junior Championship roster spot among players 18 months older than him, he lost his best opportunity to display his talent in 2003-04. The Capitals acquired a great deal of potential in the form of the skilled and feisty winger, and the organization is as good a place for Salonen to build a future in as any.
Janne Niskala, D, 147th overall (Nashville)
Even though a national team regular back in his junior years, Niskala was long considered to be a hopelessly incomplete package of talent. In 2003-04 he put it all together and left NHL teams no chance to ignore him. At the age of 22 and with only one solid season behind him, he should still remain in Finland for a year. If any, the team with Kimmo Timonen and Marek Zidlicky in the lineup will be receptive to an older and smallish skilled defenseman.
Sixth round
Lennart Petrell, RW, 190 overall (Columbus)
The loose cannon of Finland's World Junior Championship team, Petrell certainly caught the attention of several scouts, and in hindsight him getting picked looked fairly certain. He was not a junior national team regular until 2003-04 when his offensive game flourished with the HIFK juniors. Although the Blue Jackets organization appears suitable for Petrell at first, a stronger team could probably better afford a flashy and somewhat inconsistent checker, whereas a weaker one needs defensive specialists.
Karri Ramo, G, 191st overall (Tampa Bay)
Ramo's best and perhaps only chance to be picked was to make the U18 World Championships, and he delivered at the right time. As a pretty big and quick butterfly goalie, the tools he possesses impressed the Stanley Cup champions and now Ramo provides them with goaltending depth.
Seventh round
Petri Kontiola, C, 196th overall (Chicago)
Kontiola was a small-name junior in the Tappara organization until 2003-04. He gathered a good deal of professional games under his belt and earned a spot in the World Junior Championships, where he led the defense from his position in the center of the third line. The Hawks were surely not the only organization he impressed. Kontiola's potential is limited, but he is likely to become a serviceable player.
Miikka Tuomainen, RW, 204th overall (Atlanta)
Tuomainen has had some growing pains and has been part of the age group's national team core. A big banger with some finishing skills was certain to be drafted, and now he is to have his mind set on Georgia. There has been a lot of turnover in the Thrashers third and fourth lines, and Tuomainen hopes to take advantage of that when he is ready.
Eighth round
Pekka Rinne, G, 258th overall (Nashville)
The Predators sent their scouts all the way near the Arctic Circle and then picked the second-string goalie there. Rinne backed up Niklas Backstrom in Karpat and has only size and four more years to develop, yet that was enough to convince the Predators of his superior potential and usefulness. Rinne needs an all-around improvement in his talent and may be looking into that in the United States soon.
Ninth round
Marko Anttila, RW, 260th overall (Chicago)
Blake Wheeler may have been off the board as a pick, but Marko Anttila really is something else. Chances are that no one present at the draft except those affiliated with the Hawks' Finnish scout Sakari Pietila had ever heard of Anttila. Players are not drafted into the NHL from the third tier Finnish league, but now the fourth tier has their man. The 19-year-old, 6'7" giant tore up the league and his talent has been nearly impossible to gauge accurately due to the level of competition. Anttila will now hunt for a spot in the top Jr A league with Ilves. He is a real longshot to make the NHL.
Valtteri Tenkanen, C, 264th overall (Los Angeles)
Tenkanen is a leader among his peers. His somewhat mediocre skills kept him from being picked in 2003, but now he got his due. Being drafted by the Kings granted him a rather unique experience, to play alongside Sidney Crosby at the prospect camp. The duo dazzled observing eyes, so Tenkanen already sent his stock way up. A somewhat similar player in Esa Pirnes has adapted well to NHL hockey with the Kings, so Tenkanen's future looks very bright for a hot-off-the-press ninth round pick.
Janne Pesonen, RW, 269th overall (Anaheim)
A breakout and the rookie of the year honors in SM-Liiga were certain to get some attention. Pesonen is a smallish speedster not all that different from Joonas Vihko, another Ducks pick in 2002. Pesonen is an easily maintainable pick who can be left to develop in Finland for a good number of years as he has plenty of room for improvement. Fans should adopt the same point of view: something will become of him or not. The tools are nice, though.
Not selected in 2004
Ahlqvist lost the U18 WC roster spot and the most important showcasing opportunity to Karri Ramo, and with it a draft pick. His rights were worth a fourth round pick, yet scouts missed their chance. He did appear in the Viking Cup and Finnish Jr A finals. The only possible knock on Ahlqvist is that he doesn't play a clear butterfly style.
Twenty-six years old and one of the best in Europe, Backstrom could have been shrugged off on the grounds that no one needs an older goalie in today's buyer's market, but nothing justifies the Oilers' decision to pick 25-year-old Bjorn Bjurling over Backstrom or Bjurling's fellow countryman Daniel Henriksson. (Also, see Pekka Rinne)
Nurmi missed his first chance at a draft pick in 2003 and was now unexpectedly ignored again. Four points as an underager in the World Junior Championships is a feat matched by few, yet that wasn't enough. Without a top-notch skill his potential was deemed unimpressive.
Mikko Kuukka
In 2003, Kuukka, a mature and talented two-way defenseman in Ilves juniors, was headed for a first day pick. Players often move to the WHL in order to become more NHL ready and to earn a good draft pick, but right now the decision or at least the timing seems to have been wrong. He left the base of development he had in Finland behind and couldn't improve his skills enough while having to concentrate on learning new kind of hockey. His stock kept dropping along spring season and ended up taking the final plunge on draft day as Kuukka wasn't picked at all. Still, that is just the first chance lost.
Tuomas Gardstrom
When it comes to stay-at-home defensemen with a good frame, mediocrity often translates into well-roundedness and a bright future, but Gardstrom's mobility was battered by judgmental looks. He is the most suitable for the NHL of all the age group's European-based defensemen.
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