Julius Miettinen : In-Depth Scouting Report

Julius Miettinen is a 6’3, 207 lbs Finnish center who played in the WHL this season with the Everett Silvertips. With a harvest slightly higher than one point per game, it is above all his identity and his profile which is attractive to NHL scouts.

His hockey intelligence is very developed and for me, there is no better demonstration in his case than with his sense of anticipation. I would be willing to argue that he has the best anticipation in the entire draft. He always seems to know where the puck is going to end up and he demonstrates flawless timing. For such a big guy, he generates a very good level of power in his first strides and this is what allows him to win his races for the puck over short distances. I have to give an honorable mention about his motor and his commitment on the ice, he doesn’t let any puck leave the opponent’s territory.

It’s truly unique to watch him operate on the ice on occasion, he sometimes skates in the opposite direction of where the play seems to be going and you wonder what he’s doing, but he had perfectly calculated that his teammate was going to win his race for the puck and then sent the puck to him.

This sense of anticipation goes a long way in elevating Miettinen’s defensive game to one of the best of his cohort. He predicts exactly where the puck will end up and makes sure to be first on it. It is particularly behind his own net that we observe him being opportunistic on loose pucks.

The most brilliant aspect of his defensive game is his information gathering and spatial recognition. This is something that can be observed relatively easily in an offensive context, how a player can change his plan of attack when faced with an opening that is closing or simply with the speed of execution. But believe me, it’s beautiful to see Miettinen change his route after having adequately judged the situation and the elements on the ice. I really liked a sequence when there was less than a minute left in the 3rd period and the score was tied. One of Miettinen’s defenseman was in a battle in the corner of the defensive zone and for some reason, the winger assigned to support him seemed to be frozen on the ice. In a single fraction of a second, Miettinen noticed the lack of support from his defender and rushed to support him to prevent the other team from coming out of the corner with the puck.

When we see Miettinen on the ice, he stands out from the other players, his size is truly imposing, and this is not just a question of looks, it is tangibly observed when we watch him work with his stick. He is very good at lifting his opponents’ sticks even if they seem to place a lot of weight on their stick.

To conclude this aspect, the work ethic of the big Finn on backcheck is formidable. He skates fiercely.

Something truly unique about Miettinen is that a lot of his offense originates from defensive play. It is often mentioned that offense starts from offense, but when such a statement is offered, it is generally to highlight the importance of a good breakout pass or transition game from defensemen. This is not referring to forwards making an impact at both ends of the ice in the space of just a few seconds. I won’t spend too much time on how Miettinen manages to get hold of the puck in the defensive zone, but what follows is fascinating. He will throw a bomb to one of his teammates who is stationed two lines further and then, who will come in support to recover a loose puck in the corner? You guessed it, Julius Miettinen himself. Once again, I’m going to allude to his motor, because it’s clearly not something usual to see such an imposing figure never stop moving his feet on the ice. He is regularly the first player of his line on the forecheck and then is the first player of his line in backcheck.

The strongest identity trait of the number 17 is probably the benefits brought to his team by his imposing presence in front of the goalkeepers. He is extremely difficult to dislodge from this location and as soon as the puck falls into the goalie’s blue-paint and the defender looks for the puck, believing he has contained Miettinen, the latter jumps on it, like a predator on his prey, to score. He imposes himself in this critical space and does not budge, no matter how much his opponents try to bully him. He’s definitely not afraid to pay the price. He is very good at following the goalkeeper’s movements and always stays in front of him to obstruct his view. What I like is that he also has the offensive instinct to follow the play, and as soon as the defenseman tasked with covering him lets go of him even for a moment, Miettinen separates from his coverer and offers himself as a passing-option at the goalmouth. He is very dangerous.

Miettinen really makes this place his office. It is by being very close to the net that we notice a large number of his offensive flashes, both when distributing the puck and when trying to score. While stationed at the goalmouth, he can execute one-touch passes in the slot as well as passes to the other side, on his backhand while turning around for a grade A scoring chance. He can also push the defender away with his frame and take a shot, craftly, with the stick between his legs.

One of the things that makes me fall in love with the Helsinki native is how much his opponents hate him. The main reason is, I believe, due to the fact that no one manages to dislodge him from the front of the net, no matter how many crosschecks he receives, and no matter the malice behind these crosschecks. You’d swear he could eat that for breakfast. The lack of reaction on his part seems to make his rivals lose their minds.

At the same time, it’s not the most surprising thing, because Miettinen seems to have a shit-disturber side to him. He is often seen laughing in the faces of opponents who try to bully him, taunting rivals after scoring and even pushing away with his skate the stick that has fallen on the ice of an opposing player who tries to recover it.

The big Finn seems to like it when the intensity of the games reaches an extra level, he who can distribute good hits also.

Each season, the public fascination with the smaller players seems to shine brighter to the point where there seems to be a form of denial towards the unique contribution of the bigger players. Many arguments have already been made regarding Miettinen, but something important when looking at prospects is to pay close attention to their opposition to see if they change their approaches based on these players. In the case of Miettinen this is tangibly observed when the opposing defenders have to go and recover a loose puck in the corner and Miettinen is chasing them. Afraid of being crushed against the boards, they slow down and try to initiate contact with Miettinen prematurely to avoid being hit, this plays to the advantage of the big Finn while he only has to avoid his opponent who seems to ignore the puck to grab it.

As a skater, I believe there is still room for improvement and I am optimistic that there will be progress. He is at his best in acceleration over short distances. I believe there is a good level of power in his strides, but that his top speed could reach a higher level. His upper body moves a lot when he skates without the puck and I believe that with strengthening in the gym he will be able to correct the little things that are holding his skating back.

As for his shooting, there are not many opportunities to observe it, because he doesn’t have a shooter’s mentality, content instead to pass to a teammate and head straight to the net, but at all times he is one to watch because he excels at creating space in the slot or near the net. His release is quick and he wastes no time in shooting.

One subtle thing I like about the rare times we see him take shots from a distance is that he manages to get his shots to the net. Casually, this is a quality.

Much praise has been heaped on his intelligence without the puck, including the speed of his information processing. As a puck distributor, the same observation is being made. The puck is never on his stick for more than a fraction of a second, having already spotted his target beforehand. Like most of his individual skills, I believe there is still potential to be exploited in him, because he demonstrates good vision.

Miettinen’s brief puck possessions lead me to talk about his hands. The rare times he displays it, we can observe a good level of control. He is capable of dangling defensemen in one-on-one situations. He doesn’t yet have the identity of the player to lead the charge in possession, of the puck but if he can gain a little confidence and start to amalgamate all of his qualities together, we could be looking at quite the hockey player.

In conclusion, Miettinen is a player for whom I have a strong appreciation. If I had seen him make more plays with the puck, it’s possible I would have ranked him a few ranks higher. He projects more as a 3rd line player, though, as funny as it may seem, I think he could become a sort of special teams specialist. It’s an outdated concept that I never really believed in, because for me, you can’t give critical tasks to a player who doesn’t see much ice at even strength. But considering Miettinen excels in the faceoff circles and opposing teams have no answers for his presence in net, I firmly believe he could be a power play weapon in this role. Personally, I hope that he will finish his junior internship on Canadian soil and that he will stay two more years with the Silvertips. His robust, high-tempo style of play is designed for North American hockey. Also, he will have more opportunities to develop his individual skills by playing big minutes in junior, rather than finding himself in a professional lineup in Europe.

Video Analysis :