Mikael Granlund
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Birthday:
1992-02-26 |
Position:
C |
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Eligible for draft:
2010 |
Shoots:
Left |
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Drafted:
2010 |
Height:
5-10 |
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Acquired:
1st round (9th overall), 2010 |
Weight:
179 lbs. |
Prospect Talent Score
Probability of Success
- B
History
2008-09: Played for Karpat in the Finnish Junior "A" league. In 35 games, Granlund scored 21 goals and 36 assists for 57 points. Played for Finland at both the U-20 and U-18 World Junior Championships. In 6 games at the U-20, Granlund scored 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points. At the U-18 tournament, he scored 2 goals and added 11 assists for 13 points.
2009-10: Played for HIFK in Finland's top league. In 43 games, Granlund scored 13 goals and added 27 assists for 40 points. Granlund scored 1 goal and notched 5 assists in 6 playoff games. Granlund once again represented Finland at both the U-20 and U-18 World Junior Championships. In 6 games at the U-20, Granlund scored 1 goal and added 6 assists for 7 points. At the U-18, he netted 4 goals and added 9 assists for 13 points in 6 games.
2010-11: Granlund's highlight reel goal for Finland at the 2011 IIHF World Championship was perhaps the most memorable moment in a season in which he won championships in Finland's SM-Liiga and with Team Finland. Granlund skated in 39 games in his second season with HIFK in the SM-Liiga – missing time due to a concussion. Playing alongside former NHLer Ville Peltonen, he scored 8 goals with 28 assists and was +6 with 14 PMs. In 15 playoff games he scored 5 goals with 11 assists and was +2 with 4 PMs as HIFK won the Kanada Cup. Granlund was unable to play in the 2011 U20 World Junior Championship in January but played for Finland's mens national team as a 19-year old. In nine games he scored 2 goals with 7 assists and Finland defeated Sweden to win its first world title since 1995.
2011-12: Granlund was the leading scorer for HIFK Helsinki in Finland's SM-Liiga as a 19-year-old and represented Finland in the 2012 IIHF World Championship and U20 World Junior Championship tournaments. He scored 20 goals with 31 assists and was plus-20 with 18 penalty minutes in 45 regular season games and was minus-two with 2 assists in four playoff games for HIFK. Skating for the host team Finland at the World Championship, he scored 1 goal with 4 assists in five games. Finland finished fourth; falling to the Czech Republic in the bronze medal game. Finland was also fourth at the WJC and Granlund was tied with Sweden's Max Friberg (ANA) for second among all scorers with 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists) in seven games. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Wild in May 2012.
Talent Analysis
A superlative playmaker and puckhandler, Granlund's upside seems to be that of an NHL All-Star.
Future
Granlund is playing out his contract with HIFK of the Finnish Elite League and is a league-leader in points, despite missing time to captain the Finnish World Junior Squad. At the close of the SM-Liiga season, he will likely sign his entry-level deal with the Wild and be ready to join the team for the 2012-13 season.
