New Jersey Devils: How Good Can Aarne Talvitie Actually Be?
By Nick Villano
The New Jersey Devils seem to have another sixth-round gem in Aarne Talvitie. How high can this player actually get?
It seems New Jersey Devils general manager Ray Shero has done it again. After Jesper Bratt‘s unlikely rise to the NHL as a sixth-round pick last season, it seems like that round found another future Devils star.
Right now, Aarne Talvitie is lighting up the World Juniors Showcase for Team Finland. He’s been so good, NHL.com named him one of the best players at this week’s Summer Showcase. He, along with Ty Smith, both made the list as Devils prospects.
Not only is Talvitie leading his team every night, but he’s also playing captain, showing his ability to be the man to look to in the clutch.
It seems like after Talvitie was left off last year’s World Juniors Championship roster, he’s been motivated to get better ever since.
Talvitie was a monster last season for his Jr. A SM-liiga team. He scored 34 goals in 41 games, leading his team. His scoring prowess was much more than anyone could have expected when Shero drafted him with the 160th overall pick.
The major question now becomes how high is this kid’s ceiling? He’s just 19 years old, so it’s hard to tell how high this kid can get. He’s heading to Penn State next season to play hockey in the Big Ten. That is a very good conference to play in, and should show how far his skills can go. Playing against the likes of Michigan, Notre Dame and Ohio State.
This upcoming season will say a lot as to what Talvitie can be for the Devils. He’ll play against Quinn Hughes, a top prospect in the Canucks organization, and Tanner Laczynski, not the same top prospect but a very good player in the Flyers organization.
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Talvitie already plays a really good two-way game. That’s usually what keeps great scorers from making the jump to the NHL. When thinking about playing defense or stick handling on the highest levels, even the best scorers can be intimidated. Since Talvitie can do that naturally, it will help him make the NHL as early as next season.
Right now, Talvitie could probably make an impact on the Devils. He’s still a little small (just under 200 lbs at 5’10), but the Devils have been good at making small forwards work in their system. However, one season playing for the Nittany Lions will do him good.
As long as the Devils can sign Talvitie, expect him to make the team as soon as next season. His scoring ability can help him score 15 goals right away, which could really help the Devils depth. Who knows what the future holds, but Talvitie really has the skill to be a 30 goal scorer. Especially with the young talent already on the Devils roster, he can grow without pressure. That can help a skilled forward with European roots. When you have Nico Hischier, Bratt, and more as bigger named prospects on the team already, he can focus on playing his game.