Yesterday, we discussed extensively the expected second overall pick for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. As we round the corner, we continue our focus on players the Kings could be picking from round two onwards.
Last season, Los Angeles picked a couple of blueliners out of Europe. There are some more enticing Europeans who could be picked early on Wednesday.
JONI JURMO
Vitals
Date of Birth: April 19, 2002
Height: 6’4
Weight: 198 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Defense
2019-20 Season
Jurmo spent the entirety of his 2019-20 season with the Jokerit organization in Finland – most of that time with the U-20 Jr. A team. In 43 appearances, he picked up 28 points (5 G, 23 A).
Pekka the Litter
In 2018-19, the lanky blueliner was the recipient of the Pekka Marjamäki Award, given to the best defenseman in the U-18 SM-Sarja. Henri Jokiharju (2015) and Olli Juolevi (2014) also received this award.
A Four-ce Internationally
Last season, Jurmo had limited international play when he represented Finland. In only four games with the U-20 team, he tallied six points (3 G, 3 A). The 1.5 point-per-game pace eclipsed all Finland defensemen, as the next one was 2019 first-round pick Ville Heinola’s clip of 0.64.
Far From Finnished
The Finnish blueliner is scheduled to stay overseas for another season, as he is slated to play for JYP. He has not been drafted by any CHL junior teams, suggesting Europe will at least be his developmental path for now.
Rankings by Independent Scouting Services
Last Word On Hockey, 71st. “Jurmo’s smooth-skating, size, and offensive ability are all traits that should intrigue NHL teams going forward. There is some concern about the level of competition that he faced and that his numbers, while good, did not dominate against that competition. The Finnish under-20 league is good, but it is not quite at the level of the CHL. Add in some questions about his defensive play and his ceiling is probably as a second pair defender. His game is reminiscent of Nick Leddy, however, this is a stylistic comparison only and not one based on skill and ability.”
Future Considerations, 53rd. They summarize him as a gentle giant, but they commend his ability to skate so well despite his size.
Hockey Prospect, 53rd. They see him as a typical boom-or-bust prospect. He skates very well for his size and likes to carry the puck, but there are questions about his hockey sense and decision making.
See For Yourself
Will Scouching has a channel in which he breaks down the player’s qualities. This isn’t the same highlight reel, but it offers an analysis of the player with supplemental video.
Final Comments
Blake and Yannetti have a lot of draft capital going into day two. The organization has expectations of being more competitive in the upcoming seasons, so they may be more receptive to go swing-for-the-fences on a player like Jurmo.
Mobile players with great size, skating ability, and a hunger to carry the puck are hard to come by. A player who struggles with hockey sense benefits from structured systems, as structure minimizes the amount of individual processing.
The rangy Finn may very well be one of those prospects who benefits from the professional game more than playing in juniors, which could factor in the developmental path a drafting team advises for him.
NOTE: Davis Green was the lead contributor in the gathering of information used in this article. You can find him on Twitter @davisgreen_.
