Silvertips rookie Miettinen trending up ahead of the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
The booming voice of Julius Miettinen often rings from the Silvertips dressing room down the hall to head coach Dennis Williams’ office.
There’s certainly been a lot for the Finnish forward to cheer about in recent weeks, but it’s a far cry from the quiet young man who flew in at the start of the season.
“I don’t think a lot of people realize how big the adjustment is when those players come over here,” Williams said. “He came in and was kind of quiet the first 10 games or so, I think only had a couple of points. I really think he just stuck with it. He kept his nose to the grindstone. He just kept working every day and coming in for more video and more discussions and he’s finally caught up to the North American style of hockey and the adjustment of being away from home.”
After putting up a respectable 15 points in his first 27 WHL games, Miettinen has erupted for 11 goals and eight assists in his past 14 outings.
His 34 points have him sitting fourth in the WHL rookie scoring race.
The 6-foot-3, 207-pound forward has become a menacing net-front presence with a deceptive element to his game.
“When you become a threat like that where you’re not only a big body, being able to protect the puck and grind down your opponents but be able to deliver and dish that puck and find the open players I think becomes a double threat for him,” Williams added. “The things he’s good at now is an innate ability that’s very hard to teach. He’s got the vision. He’s got the hands, Some guys that are players can work on that for years and they never make that play for the backdoor pass or score that goal, but in Jules’ case, he has those intangibles already.”
Miettinen will take his talents and growing confidence to the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Moncton, N.B. later this month.
Prior to the start of the season, NHL Central Scouting assigned the talented youngster a ‘C’ rating, projecting him as a potential fourth or fifth-round pick.
With his recent play, Williams wouldn’t be surprised if Miettinen has made a case to creep up the rankings.
But he’s also impressed with the level of emotional buy-in and comfort the import has shown.
“I’ve seen it more and more in the last few months how much he has shown his emotions for the team for winning,” Williams said. “I think a lot of times, when you get into your draft year a lot of players put a lot of emphasis just on themselves and want to be drafted and their tunnel vision is just, ‘I’ve gotta get points. I gotta get drafted’. When Dominik Rymon played for Czechia (winning Bronze against Finland at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship) I’ve never heard a guy cheer so loud and he’s got friends probably on Finland- but that’s his teammate. He’s genuinely happy for players after games who maybe get the first goal or two goals or a point and he may not have any. I think what he’s starting to realize is that team success will help lead to his individual success.”
Miettinen has represented Finland six times on the international stage, most recently scoring once in five matches en route to a fourth-place finish at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Basha, Andrew – Medicine Hat Tigers – Calgary, Alta. – 5’11” – 184 – LW
Catton, Berkly – Spokane Chiefs – Saskatoon, Sask. – 5’11” – 170 – C
Curran, Maxmilian – Tri-City Americans – Prague, Czechia – 6’3” – 179 – C
Howe, Tanner – Regina Pats – Prince Albert, Sask. – 5’10” – 182 – LW
Iginla, Tij – Kelowna Rockets – Lake Country, B.C. – 6’0” – 186 – C
Jecho, Adam – Edmonton Oil Kings – Zlin, Czechia – 6’5” – 201 – C
Josephson, Ollie – Red Deer Rebels – Victoria, B.C. – 6’0” – 185 C
Lindstrom, Cayden – Medicine Hat Tigers – Chetwynd, B.C. – 6’3” – 210 – C
Miettinen, Julius – Everett Silvertips – Helsinki, Finland – 6’3” – 205 – C
Parascak, Terik – Prince George Cougars – Lethbridge, Alta. – 6’0” – 176 – RW
Ritchie, Ryder – Prince Albert Raiders – Kelowna, B.C. – 6’0” – 175 – RW
Wetsch, Carson – Calgary Hitmen – Vancouver, B.C. – 6’0” – 187 – RW
Brunicke, Harrison – Kamloops Blazers – Calgary, Alta. – 6’2” – 185 – RD
Elick, Charlie – Brandon Wheat Kings – Calgary, Alta. – 6’3” – 200 – RD
Roberts, Colton – Vancouver Giants – Maple Ridge, B.C. – 6’4” – 198 – RD
Yakemchuk, Carter – Calgary Hitmen – Calgary, Alta. – 6’3” – 190 – RD
Cowan, Dawson – Spokane Chiefs – Warren, Man. – 6’2” – 185 – G
Matecha, Lukas – Tri-City Americans – Pardubice, Czechia – 6’3” – 194 – G
The 40 players will be assigned to either Team Red or Team White in the new year, while captains and alternates for both squads will also be announced in January.
The 2024 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game will mark the 28th edition of this showcase and it will represent the first time that the event has taken place in the province of New Brunswick.
Of the 40 CHL players to compete at the 2023 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game in Langley, B.C., 37 went on to be selected in the 2023 NHL Draft, including Connor Bedard (Regina Pats), who was chosen first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks.
Since the event was first introduced in 1996, it has featured 16 players who were later selected first overall in the NHL Draft, including Bedard (2023), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011) and Chris Phillips (1996).
The 2024 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game airs live on TSN, TSN.ca, the TSN app, and RDS on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 (4:30 p.m. MT). With a limited number of tickets available, fans are encouraged to act quickly to secure their seat for the 2024 Kubota CHL / NHL Top Prospects Game in Moncton by visiting ticketmaster.ca.
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