3. Lenni Hameenaho
Assat Pori
Lenni Hameenaho has been really good at times this season. He’s one point away from his point total from last season with Assat of Liiga (the Finnish league) with eight fewer games. He’s playing a tougher style of hockey, as well. Hameenaho has some Devils fans really excited for his game.
Hameenaho’s style does bring some substance, and he looks like an NHL player. He can make a break for the puck, and he has elite instincts for a guy his age. His hockey IQ is off the charts, and it makes up for his lack of skate speed. He’s not the most talented guy in a locker room, but he does more with his toolbelt than anyone.
The Devils are going to love this guy. He’s everything they hoped Chase Stillman would be. He gets to dirty areas and refuses to lose a board battle when he has a say in the matter. The 20-year-old can go end-to-end and score a goal when his team needs it, or he can lay his shoulder into a guy and knock him to the ice.
He has a limited ceiling, but he seems like the type of prospect that could get to his ceiling in the NHL. Nobody is expecting him to be in the top six, but if he can play a Jay Pandolfo/John Madden style of hockey, no Devils fan or front office associate will complain.