We continue our list with one of the more controversial U25 Panthers - a 2017 draft pick that turned heads in the WHL this past season, and hopes to continue to do so in Finland in 2018-19.
Position: Center
Age: 19
Team: Kärpät (Liiga)
Drafted in 2017, 2nd Round (40th Overall)
Early in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft, the Florida Panthers selected a speedy, diminutive Finnish center playing out of the WHL named Aleksi Heponiemi. Coming off an 86-point season (28G/58A) for the Swift Current Broncos in 72 games, there was no questioning Heponiemi’s skill.