GÄLLIVARE, Sweden – With the World U17 Hockey Challenge ahead, and with our inaugural top-100 European youth ranking for the 2010 age group fresh in mind, we were excited to see how a three-game U17 series between Sweden and Finland would unfold.
The games were tight, physical, and somewhat chaotic summer hockey – but amidst all the noise, we also witnessed brilliant sequences from players on both sides of the Baltic Sea. The Swedes claimed two victories, but the Finnish 2010 age group – which struggled internationally last season – showed noticeable progress, closing the gap. Here’s what we saw.
Aamos Vahvaselkä, D, Finland (2028 NHL Draft)
In this recap, it is almost impossible to start anywhere other than with Aamos Vahvaselkä. The 5-foot-11 Finnish defenceman, who has joined Tappara, stood out in the opener by showcasing his vision and passing game, as stated in this game report.
“Using deceptive handling and subtle movements, he consistently invited pressure toward him before slipping a neat pass into the middle of the ice. Several times he created odd-man rushes this way, one of which directly resulted in a secondary assist. His breakout qualities shine through both his passing and dynamic skating – he is highly mobile, turning away from pressure to shake off his man before driving play forward, making him valuable in transition. On retrievals, he plays with real poise and intelligence, deliberately inviting and absorbing contact and then making the play. While this wasn't quite as dominant a performance as we’ve seen from him in similar settings previously, he still flashed plenty of high-end upside.” – August 30th, 2025
Vahvaselkä elevated his play even further in the following two games, distinguishing himself with high-end, if not elite, skating to create separation. He took initiative and generated chances, demonstrating his skill on the blue line by drawing defenders in, baiting right to go left, and accelerating off the wall into the slot. His ability to weaponize his footwork defensively makes his overall profile even more projectable. Heading into the 2028 NHL Draft, he looks like a potential first-round pick.
Eddie Wallin, C, Finland (2028 NHL Draft)
Finnish centre Eddie Wallin was another standout performer over the weekend with three goals, including an overtime winner. He blends speed with handling skill and an inside drive that allowed him to consistently create off the rush. His ability to adapt on the fly – exploiting coverage holes with in-motion receptions to change direction and accelerate – underlines his high-pace processing. The Kärpät forward’s trajectory is on a clear upward trend, and in many respects, he projects as a well-rounded, responsible, two-way centre with genuine offensive juice. While his listed 5-foot-10, 165-pound frame presents a minor detail for long-term projection, he appears to have grown – and if he maintains his current level of play, he sits as a potential first-round selection for the 2028 NHL Draft.
Isak Alvudd, F, Sweden (2028 NHL Draft)
Pushing even further in terms of true high-end moments was the winger Isak Alvudd. The 5-foot-9 Swede, ranked third in Europe among 2010-born players after last season, tallied five points (tied lead). The thing that consistently impresses is how he handles traffic when combining his high-level skills. Alvudd’s game is built on dynamic speed, fast-paced processing, and a hyper-sharp dual-threat element – qualities that were broken down in detail in a recent game report.
“…His assist was an absolute highlight that underlined several layers of high-end execution: after entering the slot, he received a pass in his skates, kicked the puck up to his stick, and, in one fluid motion while going through contact from both sides of him, fed Spelkvist with a perfect pass for a one-timer. His goal later in the game was another beauty; he accelerated through the neutral zone, took the pass, blew past his defender 1-on-1, and finished with ice-cool composure.” – August 30th, 2025
As noted in one of the game reports, Alvudd projects firmly as an A-grade prospect.
Bryan Salo, D, Finland (2028 NHL Draft)
With the puck, more Finnish defencemen stood out than Swedish blueliners. One of them was certainly Bryan Salo, the 5-foot-7 dynamic defenceman from JYP. He functions as a play-driving engine who flies across the ice, boasting extreme quickness and four-way mobility. His puck handling and processing speed allow him to react seamlessly to high-speed directional changes. For better or worse, there is constant action with Salo on the ice at both ends, as noted in one of the game reports:
“He handles pressure and direct contact well using his quick feet, employing a heel-to-heel posture along the boards to shield the puck and absorb hits. He features aggressive, challenging handling that can expose the puck at times – introducing an element of risk – but he consistently pushes play forward with his intense motor. He had his moments offensively, including one great sequence where he backed off the opposition's defencemen and dropped the puck, setting off a sequence that ended in the back of the net. However, his physical limitations stem from an obvious lack of size; even when properly positioned and proactively initiating contact, his small frame gives him a small contact area, making him relatively easy to beat in heavy battles or go around.” – August 30th, 2025
While his modest stature limits his overall NHL projection, his elite skating and high-end puck skills could very well carry him to a top European league down the line.
Ricky Helte, D, Sweden (2028 NHL Draft)
On the subject of puck-moving defencemen who made a difference for their team, Ricky Helte did that for Sweden. After seeing minimal ice time in the opener, he underscored his skill set by picking up three assists across the final two games. The Växjö Lakers blueliner brought composure on the puck to Sweden's back end, driving offence through his varied distribution arsenal. Helte also showed the ability to activate off the point and generate chances by funnelling pucks into the slot from down low, which directly yielded one of his assists. What could limit his overall NHL projection is his play in the defensive zone. While his hockey sense allows him to kill plays and break up passes – backed by a willingness to engage physically in battles – he can become over-passive, leaving too much space open. Tightening his gaps and improving his defensive mobility would go a long way toward rounding out his profile.
Valtti Mäenpää, F, Finland (2028 NHL Draft)
In the positive surprises category, Valtti Mäenpää shines the brightest. Compared to most Finnish forwards, Listed at 6-foot-1, 207 pounds. Mäenpää brings a different frame and level of power, and the Jokerit forward functioned as an offensive engine, leveraging aggressive footwork to consistently create off the rush. While his big frame can make him look a bit slow at times, he actually builds impressive top-end speed once he gathers momentum with crossovers. He refused to stay on the perimeter, repeatedly threatening by driving straight into the slot through a combination of size, reach, and deceptive handling. Adding better scanning habits upon receptions and during possessions would help him elevate his playmaking. With his heavy frame and power-forward element, he projects in many ways as a pick in the 2028 NHL Draft.
Melker Wersäll, C, Sweden (2028 NHL Draft)
Melker Wersäll, the 6-foot-0 winger, finished as the goal-scoring leader for the Swedish squad. Three of his tallies shared the common denominator of strong off-puck positioning on soft ice – one coming off a weak-side tap-in near the post, along with a pair of breakaway finishes where he was absolute composure. Aside from his scoring, we view positively how Wersäll utilized his physical advantage along the boards, providing value by pinning pucks deep. He also had several moments where he initiated contact to create space.
Viking Simon, C, Sweden (2028 NHL Draft)
Viking Simon, standing at 6-foot-1, shared the overall team scoring lead with one goal and four assists. He is another Swede who features a relatively large frame, paired with sharp hockey sense and functional puck handling. As noted in earlier reports, his stride frequency does not match the top skaters among his peers, but he compensates through smart route choices, efficient low-touch plays to push the play up the ice – and a physical dimension that he leveraged on multiple occasions.
Jose Tiilikainen, LW, Finland (2028 NHL Draft)
Speaking of high-volume producers, Jose Tiilikainen picked up right where he left off last season, leading the Finnish squad with four assists. He stood out with his playmaking ability, displaying strong habits by scanning, processing options early, and executing crisp, low-touch passes. Improving his game-to-game consistency and his ability to handle traffic, however, will be key to elevating his overall projection heading into the draft.
Joakim Dahl, F, Sweden (2028 NHL Draft)
In the closing game, Joakim Dahl showed exactly why he is considered one of Sweden's top forward talents. Alongside a two-goal performance, he showcased projectable tools across his skating, overall physicality, and puck handling, profiling as an NHL winger in the making. While the gap between his floor and ceiling remains noticeable at times, when Dahl is at his best, he is one of the headliners among his peers.
Honourable Mentions
Skilled Finnish defenceman Kaapo Honkaheimo (2028 NHL Draft), along with the Örebro duo of Milo Spelkvist (2028 NHL Draft) and Lucas Roynezon (2028 NHL Draft), stood out as effective playmakers in their own distinct ways. Finnish forward Veeti Virolainen (2028 NHL Draft) also made an impact, while Swedish blueliner Pelle Ytfeldt (2028 NHL Draft) proved immensely valuable with his steady defensive play.