It’s been a difficult season for the highly-thought-of prospect. Adapting to professional hockey can be a process, as it requires a great deal of maturity and a game that is strong in its details. It’s not something you can ask of any young player immediately, especially one with the frame of Joni Ikonen.
There was a wave of excitement when he was drafted in 2017. It carried him all the way into our Top 25 Under 25 series even, incredibly, surpassing Ryan Poehling as the top hope of the organization from the draft. Ikonen can make great plays happen when on top of his game.