As I continue profiling prospects eligible for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, I’m doing my best to operate outside of the projected first round to provide a deeper look at this year’s class. When the draft eventually comes, I’ll profile several prospects available at each pick for Nashville, and many of them may come from these preliminary pieces.
The next step in my series will cover Finnish defender Topi Niemelä.
Previous profiles of entry draft prospects can be found above, as well as my initial top-31 ranking of eligible prospects.
Topi Niemelä - D
Kärpät [Liiga] - 18 - Oulu, Finland
After growing up in the same club as Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne, Niemelä enjoyed impressive success as a 17-year old defender in the Liiga, playing in 43 games and recording seven total points—good for seventh among all U20 defenders in the league.