When Topi Niemela was drafted by the Leafs in the 2020 draft, the big selling point on him was his defense. The Leafs even said they thought he had the best defensive instincts in the whole draft. Now that might be some exaggerated praise, but the main point is that what will get him to the NHL will be his defensive play. He’s a very good skater, but offense has never been one of his biggest strengths. He can make simple passes and plays, but you won’t see him pull off some end to end rushes or quarterback a powerplay.
Boxing Day FTB: Topi Niemela shining at World Junior Championship
