Ever since the New Jersey Devils drafted Lenni Hameenaho in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft, he has been one of the most interesting prospects in their system. He has flashed a lot of potential over his past couple of seasons in Liiga and has risen the Devils' prospect rankings. With such a strong showing in Europe, many were interested in how he would perform in his first season in North America.
This season was set to be the first major test of his career. So far, he has passed his first test with flying colors. In 32 games this season, he has racked up nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points. His goal and point totals currently lead the Comets. This is great for Hameenaho development and shows his future is very bright. But how does this season affect his future role in the NHL?
As mentioned before, Hammeenaho has been one of the most talked-about prospects in the Devils' system. Daily Faceoff ranked him as the fourth overall prospect in their system going into the season. His rise through the ranks has been unexpected. Pucks and Pitchforks ranked him a little higher, placing him third, just ahead of defenseman Seamus Casey.
Sure, he was a high draft pick, but he was seen as more of a project, and his ceiling was not very high. Many thought it would take time for him to develop into a solid NHL forward.
Lenni Hammeenaho has defined everyone expectations
A large reason for his rise has been his ability to win battles for the puck. He has excellent net front presence and has been dangerous along the boards. This has allowed him to create many scoring chances for his team and has given him a high point total. He also has a very high hockey IQ and feel for the game. He's been able to read plays and get himself in position to either put the puck in the back of the net or set up his teammates to score.
This has turned Hameenaho from a future bottom-six winger to a potential top-line forward if everything goes right. The biggest test many had for him was how he would perform in North America. Is he a player who can adjust to the speed and physicality of the North American game, or would he regress when he gets to the pro game? So far, he's proven he can hang in the professional game and should continue to grow.
This season has turned him from that high-floor, low-ceiling player to a player with a ton of upside. Hameenaho has made it clear that he can prove his game and be a much better player than previously expected. Instead of being a guy who becomes a bottom-six forward, he could be someone who grows into a top-line player. Time will tell, but with how he's done so far, the sky feels like the sky is the limit with him.
Although we will not know the type of player Hameenaho is until he gets to the NHL, Devils fans should be exicted. We could be looking back on him as one of the steals of the 2023 draft.