He’s the other Rasmus.
Okay, there’s no comparison to be made between the consensus top pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, Rasmus Dahlin, and Finn Rasmus Kupari.
But Kupari is a shifty, skilled, playmaker who plays centre, and there aren’t a lot of those types available in Round 1 of the upcoming draft.
We’ll tell you everything there is to like about his game, but here’s a video to whet your appetite.
Team: Karpat, Finnish Liiga
Position: C
Shoots: Right
Age: 18
From: Kotka, Finland
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 163 pounds
SIZE DOESN’T MATTER
Coming in under six feet and less than 170 pounds the obvious concern is that Kupari might be a few years away from filling out an NHL jersey.
But the experience he gained playing against men in Finland’s top circuit has given him a sense of how to use his slight stature to his advantage.
Kupari scored six goals and had 14 points in 39 games with Karpat this season, which is a solid showing for a rookie in a low-scoring league.
“I didn’t get too much ice time, so it was a little bit smaller role,” Kupari told Joe Yerdon of NHL.com at the World Junior Championship in January. “But they’re tight games and pretty big guys, so it’s hard to play there. It’s important to get ice time so sometimes I play with juniors or in the second-highest league in Finland.”
“They’re stronger than me,” Kupari said of the men in Liiga. “It’s a good challenge for me every game. I’m a fast skater so I can challenge the big guys with my skating.”
SHADES OF AHO
You know you’re doing something right if you’re being compared to Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho.
Peter Harling of dobberhockey.com says that Kupari reminds him of Aho with his slick playmaking and strong skating.
“Kupari is a highly skilled, playmaking centre,” Harling adds. “He is undersized, but is a strong skater with a high hockey IQ and hockey sense that makes him a dangerous offensive player and a reliable defensive player.”
LIT UP THE HLINKA
Kupari’s draft year started with a bang, when he scored two goals and added five assists in four games with Team Finland at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Tournament.
That showing was strong enough to lead to a promotion to the U-20 team at the World Junior Championship, where he was held pointless in five games.
But not scoring at the WJC is nothing to be concerned about, as Kupari was one of the youngest players on the team.
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