RW Kasper Halttunen - London Knights , OHL (2023, 36th, SJS)

[illone84]

I do rather see Halttunen getting drafted to playoff team like Colorado, Dallas, Toronto, Florida, Seattle etc.
Than some rebuilding purgatory hell like Arizona, Buffalo, Anaheim, Columbus etc.

Dallas or Colorado would be sweet!

 

[Jukurit]

1 point in 14 games sure looks pretty bad.
But now his on-ice shooting percentage is down to 2%, which is obviously very low. Very unlucky.
Halttunen isn't anything amazing, but I think he's been much better than his poor point totals show.
HIFK is also still the lowest scoring team in Liiga.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Scored his 1st goal in HIFK today's spengler cup game vs Swedish SHL team Örebro.
Video of the goal comes later ( when i found it )

 

[Jukurit]

Scored his 1st goal in HIFK today's spengler cup game vs Swedish SHL team Örebro.
Video of the goal comes later ( when i found it )

I found it for you.

 

[Jukurit]

1 point in 18 games in Liiga.
Draft stock

 

[Jukurit]

Now 1 point in 24 games.
I haven't watched HIFK games in a while. Can anybody comment on how Halttunen has been playing? Should he get loaned to Mestis for like 5 games or something to maybe get some scoring going?

His on-ice shooting percentage just keeps going down and now it's 1.3%. Hilariously unlucky.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Now 1 point in 24 games.
I haven't watched HIFK games in a while. Can anybody comment on how Halttunen has been playing? Should he get loaned to Mestis for like 5 games or something to maybe get some scoring going?

His on-ice shooting percentage just keeps going down and now it's 1.3%. Hilariously unlucky.

Unlucky? or is it just because he just isn't ready for this level of competition?

 

[Jukurit]

Unlucky? or is it just because he just isn't ready for this level of competition?

I watched his games earlier and he looked pretty good. He also has 31 shots on goal with 0 goals. Clearly he's getting chances but nothing is going in.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

 

[Jukurit]

Halttunen has 18 goals, 6 assists and 24 points in 21 games in U20 Sm-sarja. At least he can score goals there. But that low assist amount is terrible. Does his playmaking suck? Also had 0 points in 3 playoff games which is also bad. I'm just stat watching but his point production in U20 Sm-sarja wasn't very impressive.

 

[Jukurit]

Halttunen loaned to Kiekko-Vantaa in Mestis (Finnish second tier)

 

[Grinner]

I'm a swooning for Halttunen.
SJ awaits

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

Halttunen has 18 goals, 6 assists and 24 points in 21 games in U20 Sm-sarja. At least he can score goals there. But that low assist amount is terrible. Does his playmaking suck? Also had 0 points in 3 playoff games which is also bad. I'm just stat watching but his point production in U20 Sm-sarja wasn't very impressive.

I generally don't regard statistics as the be all (my opinion on Halltunen is he's not a top 50 prospect regardless), but I have to admit, that assist total would be a red flag I'd be investigating deeply if I did like Halltunen. Don't know if that sentence made sense.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Halttunen loaned to Kiekko-Vantaa in Mestis (Finnish second tier)

What a f*** Salmelainen?
This move should've been done months ago
when Halttunen got exposed of that he's not SM liiga ready yet.

Halttunen needs to be absolutely best Finnish player in U18 WJC's
if he seriously wants to become drafted first 2 rounds.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

I generally don't regard statistics as the be all (my opinion on Halltunen is he's not a top 50 prospect regardless), but I have to admit, that assist total would be a red flag I'd be investigating deeply if I did like Halltunen. Don't know if that sentence made sense.

As much it hurts my HIFK heart you're right.
Halttunen should've played either in Mestis or OHL ( London Knights ) his draft season.

I afraid that HIFK has once again screwed up another NHL level prospect
not named Granlund, Husso, Lankinen, Heiskanen, Lundell.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

As much it hurts my HIFK heart you're right.
Halttunen should've played either in Mestis or OHL ( London Knights ) his draft season.

I afraid that HIFK has once again screwed up another NHL level prospect
not named Granlund, Husso, Lankinen, Heiskanen, Lundell.

Do you think Halttunen is an NHL level prospect though? He doesn’t really seem to have much skill or solid tools. I just don’t see how the team itself is the problem with Halttunen but I have only seen him a few times in the Liiga.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Him and Stramel might have had the biggest stock drops.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Do you think Halttunen is an NHL level prospect though? He doesn’t really seem to have much skill or solid tools. I just don’t see how the team itself is the problem with Halttunen but I have only seen him a few times in the Liiga.

It doesn't matter what i think about Kasper Hattunen as a HIFK fan.
But i say this.

Halttunen was one of the best Finnish forwards 2022 U18 WJC's.
One big reason why Halttunen struggled this sseason into HIFK's SM liiga team
was bad line-combinations and chemistry with teammates.
Also HIFK's serious lack of center depth was a factor.

Halttunen is scoring oriented power forward who's entire game lives on scoring.
Tobias Salmelainen has screwed up so much into this season in HIFK
so it is about a time to question his position as HIFK's general-manager.

Ville Peltonen who's HIFK's head coach
has worked with young players in his early coaching career when he was coaching director in HIFK juniors.
So he knows how to handle younger players Peltonen also is one biggest legends in Finnish hockey
and he's most succeed Finnish hockey player international tournaments
when you look medals what he has won in his player career.

HIFK should've loaned Halttunen to mestis
immediately when they noticed that he isn't SM liiga ready.

Why they didn't do it?
I don't know so don't ask more.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

 

[LDN]

If his agent was smart he would have been playing for the London Knights.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

If his agent was smart he would have been playing for the London Knights.

Do you understand that 17 yrs old is underage in Finland?
We have different culture etc things in here what Canada has.

Halttunen wanted to stay to in HIFK and his parents agreed.

 

[Jukurit]

Halttunen on lineup against Tappara in Liiga playoff game today. Listed on 3rd line.

 

[Jukurit]

Nothing to report about Halttunen's first playoff game. Almost completely invisible. Other young guys on HIFK team (Hirvonen, Teissala, Salin, Kaskimäki) looked a lot better than him.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

U18 WJC's starts today so it is time for Halttunen to prove what type player he is
and is he NHL prospect at all or is he only good SM liiga / euro player

Halttunen's draft season has been huge disappointment so if this tournament
follows same curve what Halttunen has showed in SM liiga then he can forget that 1st round pick.

Halttunen is wearing C in U18 Team Finland so now he cannot be just one of the guys.
He also needs to be a leader now when he's captain so show that are you TOP prospect
who's going to play NHL one day or are you just a prospect who's going to play in Europe instead of NHL.

 

[Jukurit]

Hopefully Halttunen plays better than he did in Hlinka.