We all know about the Carolina Hurricanes young players that have stood out this season like Pesce, Slavin, Hanifin, and DiGiuseppe. But what about the other great prospects that we’ve heard so much about, like Sebastian Aho?
The Hurricanes General Manager Ron Francis has done a good job of amassing an arsenal of prospects in the past couple of years. Some of those youngsters have been performing very well and making a name for themselves at the lower levels. Sebastian Aho is a perfect example of that.
Sebastian Aho- 35th Overall 2015 Draft – Winger, Karpat Oulu (Finnish Elite League)
Sebastian Aho is a competitive winger with outstanding puck-handling skills and keen hockey sense. His creativity is especially evident in the offensive zone. Additionally his two way play is indicative of his maturity at a young age and will allow him to fit nicely into Head Coach Bill Peters’ defense first system.
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Like so many European players Aho’s draft projections were all over the place. One extreme prediction had him going as early as the late first round, while others had him as low as the middle of the third round. European prospects are tricky as they have spent their entire lives playing a much less physical brand of hockey on larger sheets of ice.
In the season prior to the draft, Aho posted 4 goals and 9 assists for 13 points in 30 games in the Finnish Elite League. While this may sound underwhelming, Aho was just 17 years old playing against full grown men. Aho attended Hurricanes training camp prior to the season as a long shot to make the roster. The organization decided it was best for his development to play at least another year in his native Finland. Since then Aho has been outstanding.
While he was at the Hurricanes training camp he did leave us this gem:
Sebastian potted a team best 20 goals and 45 points this season playing for Karpat, his hometown team in Finland. He had the 9th best point production in the league while playing significantly less games than the rest of the scoring leaders. Aho scored a point per game, which was good for second in the league in that category; also making him the first under-19 player in the Finnish Elite League to score at this pace since 1984.
Perhaps most notably, the young Finn has impressed in International play. Aho’s breakout performance was at the World Junior Championships this year as part of the Finnish U-20 team. Serving as an alternate captain, Aho posted 5 goals and 14 points in just 7 games en route to the gold medal. The only player touting higher scoring numbers in that tournament was Aho’s line-mate, Jesse Puljujärvi, who is expected to go top 5 in this summer’s NHL Entry Draft. In addition to Sebastian’s impressive scoring he was praised at the tournament for his cerebral hockey sense and two-way play.
Aho’s outstanding production since being drafted by Carolina is very exciting for a team that lacks an elite scoring punch. For reference, the Canes 2.39 goals per game is 27th in the league. With the departure of Eric Staal and Kris Versteeg General Manager Ron Francis will be looking to add more offensive firepower to his roster before the puck drops in the 2016-17 NHL season. What does this mean for Aho? For the 18-year-old, this is an opportunity.
Aho has stated that his biggest goal is to play in the National Hockey League. He has a realistic chance to crack the Hurricanes top 9 this fall. His outstanding play in the Finnish Elite league and in International play indicate that the young prospect is ready to make the jump to more physical North American hockey next season.
Aho stands at 5’11” and weighs in at around 175 pounds, making him somewhat undersized. However, he is only 18 and his strength will be a primary focus as he transitions to North America. While Sebastian’s chances of making the NHL roster next season may be a toss up, he has a very good chance to crack the AHL Charlotte Checkers lineup.
The last thing that Aho needs is to be rushed into the NHL prematurely like Elias Lindholm was. Aho shows significant promise, put patience may be key. For example, 2011 second round selection Victor Rask was given plenty of time to transition from Sweden to North America; he is now one of Carolina’s most promising young forwards.
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Many who have watched Aho’s game progress believe that he is ready for professional hockey in North America. While it would be exciting to see Sebastian Aho in PNC Arena next season, the front office may decide that playing in the AHL (or even back in Europe) is best for his future development.
Sebastian Aho is one of the most promising young prospects in the Hurricanes pipeline. His exceptional offensive skill and creativity make him a valuable asset in the modern NHL. Hurricanes fans should be very excited about his future in Carolina.