Kähkönen's Draft Stock: Can He Rebound?

0:00It's April 17th. This is NHL News Today, AI-powered updates on your team. I'm Cory with the story. Villigeau K. Cohnin, the 17-year-old finished forward from Vontá, born February 19, 2008, stands 5-10-100, 81 pounds, shoots right, plays center or right wing. He's eligible for the 20-26 NHL draft, splitting time this season between HIFK's under-20 team in the U-20 SM-Sarja, and a taste of the pro league. In 24 under-20 games, he knocked six goals in 13 assists for 19 points, solid playmaking at a point every 1.3, games or so. Early on, this kid was hyped as a top attacker in his age group, fearless, skilled, versatile, even alternate captain at under-18 level by age, 15. He grabbed medals in juniors, like a U-16 SM title and U-18 silver. But his offensive spike kind of flattened moving to under-20's full time.

1:01No big growth in size or shop power against bigger peers. Scouts note his games heavy on vision and passes, light on finishing worked in juniors, but exposed in three league of games, with one assist and a minus four rating. Finish Shurkels had him fourth among peers preseason, but now he's off major boards just to see rating on NHL Central Scouting's pre-limelist, early buzz faded to late-round talk or maybe undrafted. His strengths shine though, two-way smarts, defensive reliability, 42 international caps as alternate captain multiple times, plus a leaguea. Contract through 2027 with HIFK, a pipeline for NHL talent. Finland's under-18 worlds roster includes him next month in Slovakia, April 22nd to May 2nd, a big pre-draft stage to flip the script. If K-Kunin boosts that shot, adds size and grabs pro-minutes under coach Oli Jokinin next year, he could project as a bottom-six center with penalty-killed chops.

2:01HIFK's betting on it. The real test hits in 2026-27 leaguea action.