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Joakim Kemell

Nashville Predators Assign Joakim Kemell To AHL

at CDT | by 6 Comments

One of the Nashville Predators’ best prospects is about to get his first taste of professional hockey in North America. Nashville today assigned 2022 first-round pick Joakim Kemell to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, per a tweet from the team’s affiliate.

Kemell, a right wing, spent the 2022-23 season on loan from Nashville to JYP in Liiga, the organization where he’s spent his entire junior and professional career so far. His offensive production took a step back from his draft year, though, scoring 15 points in 43 games after scoring 23 in 39 last year.

Things deteriorated for Kemell down the stretch, with his scoring growing more inconsistent as his ice time waned. He had a solid start to the campaign, going on a four-game point streak early on, but he couldn’t replicate his success throughout the season.

Now, he gets a chance to regain some confidence and some scoring touch in Milwaukee. He joins other notable Preds prospects, such as goalie Yaroslav Askarov and forward Egor Afanasyev, as the Admirals continue their stretch run.

Finland Announces Preliminary 2023 World Juniors Roster

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One of the most consistent teams in recent years at the World Junior Championships has announced its preliminary roster for the 2023 edition of the tournament. Finland released its preliminary 25-player roster of three goalies, eight defensemen, and 14 forwards.

Finland will need to cut two players from this list to get down to the maximum roster size of 23 players, which should be announced in the coming days. The tournament begins in 12 days on December 26. Finland’s full roster is as follows:

F Niko Huuhtanen (TBL 224th overall, 2021)
F Lenni Hämeenaho (2023 eligible)
F Konsta Kapanen (undrafted)
F Oliver Kapanen (MTL 64th overall, 2021)
F Aleksanteri Kaskimäki (STL 73rd overall, 2022)
F Joakim Kemell (NSH 17th overall, 2022)
F Ville Koivunen (CAR 51st overall, 2021)
F Brad Lambert (WPG 30th overall, 2022)
F Jere Lassila (undrafted)
F Verner Miettinen (undrafted)
F Jani Nyman (SEA 49th overall, 2022)
F Sami Päivärinta (undrafted)
F Topi Rönni (CGY 59th overall, 2022)
F Kalle Väisänen (NYR 106th overall, 2021)

D Kalle Ervasti (undrafted)
D Aleksi Heimosalmi (CAR 44th overall, 2021)
D Aron Kiviharju (2024 eligible)
D Aleksi Malinen (NYI 189th overall, 2021)
D Ville Ruotsalainen (undrafted)
D Otto Salin (LAK 148th overall, 2022)
D Jimi Suomi (undrafted)
D Topias Vilén (NJD 129th overall, 2021)

G Niklas Kokko (SEA 58th overall, 2022)
G Aku Koskenvuo (VAN 137th overall, 2021)
G Jani Lampinen (undrafted)

Kiviharju, who is still just 16 and not draft-eligible until 2024, will be a name to watch. Considering Finland will likely only cut one skater from this current roster, he stands a decent chance to make the team and show what he can do on the biggest junior international stage. He notched six assists in six games at last year’s under-18 tournament for Finland.

Nashville Predators Loan Joakim Kemell To Finnish Team

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Joakim Kemell was one of the brightest stars for Team Finland in their silver medal effort at the 2022 World Junior Championship. After the Nashville Predators drafted him 17th overall in 2022 and signed him to his entry-level contract earlier this summer, though, he’ll be headed back to JYP in the Finnish Liiga for another season next year, per the team.

As Kemell wasn’t drafted out of the Canadian Hockey League, he could, in theory, have suited up for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals next season if Nashville and Kemell believed that was the best solution for him. However, it appears all parties involved believe another season in his home country against some more seasoned players is the better option for Kemell.

An unexpected faller in the 2022 draft, Kemell showed why the teams that passed on him were wrong with 12 points in seven games at the World Juniors earlier this month. He had 23 points in 39 Liiga games last season with JYP as well, and he’ll be expected to play an increased top-six role next season.

Nashville Predators Sign Joakim Kemell

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And we have another entry-level deal announced tonight, this time for Nashville Predators first-rounder Joakim Kemell.

Kemell, 18, was the 17th overall pick at the 2022 draft and the first pick of the Predators’ six-player 2022 draft class. A product of Finnish club JYP Jyvaskyla, Kemell made headlines this season for his blazingly fast start to the Liiga season. Kemell was scoring at an unheard-of rate but eventually slowed down as the season wore on. Kemell finished with 15 goals and 23 points in 39 points, a very impressive total for a draft-eligible prospect who was just 17 years old for most of the season.

Kemell’s best weapon in his offensive toolbox is his shot. He can pick apart goaltenders who dare to leave areas of the net open for him to target and is aggressive in using his shot as often as possible. There are some worries about his shot selection and tendency to stay on the perimeter of play, but those issues should improve as he matures and gains more experience in professional hockey.

By signing this entry-level deal, the Predators have unlocked a host of options for Kemell’s development path next season. They could let him compete for a spot on the team in training camp, and potentially even let him stay in the Predators’ organization in North America if they deem that the best option for his development. They’d also have the option of loaning him back to Liiga where he would in all likelihood take on a bigger role on one of Liiga’s youngest teams.

Whatever path they choose, bringing Kemell into the fold in Nashville has provided the team with an immediate boost to the quality of their prospect pool, which had declined in recent years. Kemell has the chance to be an impact top-six winger and now that he’s signed with the team it’ll be up to the Predators’ development staff as well as Kemell himself to determine if he lives up to the hype.

Finland Announces Preliminary Rosters For 2022 WJC

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While the focus is on the Stanley Cup Final right now, fans will have some more hockey to watch later this summer, when the rescheduled World Junior Championship takes place in August. The event, which was postponed from its normal late-December timeslot because of a COVID-19 outbreak, will kick off on August 9 in Edmonton, Alberta.

All of the same players are eligible for the event, even if they have since turned 20, meaning there is a much bigger pool of talent to pick from this year. That’s led to Finland naming a preliminary roster and a challenger roster, which will battle at a camp this summer according to Lassi Alanen of Elite Prospects.

The main roster:

G Leevi Merilainen
G Rasmus Korhonen
G Juha Jatkola

D Matias Rajaniemi
D Ruben Rafkin
D Ville Ottavainen
D Joni Jurmo
D Eemil Viro
D Topi Niemela
D Kasper Puutio
D Petteri Nurmi
D Aleksi Heimosalmi
D Rami Maatta

F Samuel Helenius
F Roni Hirvonen
F Oliver Kapanen
F Ville Koivunen
F Juuso Maenpaa
F Aatu Raty
F Joakim Kemell
F Kalle Vaisanen
F Brad Lambert
F Kasper Simontaival
F Joel Maatta
F Roby Jarventie
F Elias Koponen
F Eetu Liukas
F Roni Karvinen

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