Jarkko Immonen

History

Jarkko Immonen (not to be confused with the Dallas Stars draft pick of the same name) was originally a Toronto Maple Leafs 8th round draft pick in 2002 (254th overall). He was acquired in March 2004 as part of an exchange for defenseman Brian Leetch.

2005-06: After 4 seasons in the Finnish Elite League, Immonen came to play North American hockey for the 2005-06 season. The face-off specialist had an excellent season with the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack, registering 70 points in 74 games.

2006-07: Immonen was touted to be the frontrunner for a center position on the 2006-07 NHL team, however, he spent almost the entire season in Hartford with the AHL team. He played in 14 regular season games with the Rangers and scored 6 points, but he was not given much of an opportunity to show his skills at the highest level.

 

Talent Analysis

An excellent face-off man, Immonen is very creative player, with slow feet. Although he at times plays on an elite level, and reads the game very well on both offensive and defensive sides of the puck, at other times, his lackluster skating and inconsistent play hold him back.

Future

Immonen has the ability to become a second line center, but he must improve his skating and consistency in his own zone.  It is unlikely that Immonen will get a long-term NHL shot with the Rangers. Should he not be part of a trade to another organization, Immonen is likely to return to Europe.