Top 5 center prospects in 2018 NHL Draft
By Nick McAdam
3. Rasmus Kupari
Right in the range of Thomas in terms of draft positioning is Kupari from Finland’s pro league, the Liiga. Despite Thomas posting the numbers in the OHL, Kupari is catching the eyes of scouts across the globe with his abilities in a professional league at such a young age.
Kupari is a small center in size that plays as if he is over six feet tall. A very long reach from the Finn enables Kupari to control the puck in clogged areas throughout the neutral zone. Kupari is also great at finishing down low and in very tight areas.
Something always seems to happen when the puck is on his stick. Kupari can drive towards the crease or play conservatively with passes to his teammates. He likes to get open from the high-slot and drive towards the front of the cage to create his scoring chances.
The member of Liiga giants Karpat never gives up on a play even if it looks to be dead. Kupari will always try to finish a play in the offensive zone even if it looks like nothing is going to come from it. The natural drive to produce for his team at a high level has increased is value in this draft.
In a very interesting comment from Kupari’s teammate Mikko Manner, he had to say that “he is a mix of Jesse Puljujärvi and Sebastian Aho,” two high-projected talents in the modern NHL.
Rasmus Kupari told @AliGoWeed he's going to play in Finland another 2 years cause it's better for his development #nhldraft2018
— Igor Eronko (@IgorEronko) April 28, 2018
It’s quite the praise from such a young talent. Kupari looks to be heading back to Finland next season to gather some more experience. This past campaign, Kupari notched 14 goals and 22 assists in all competitions both internationally and domestically.