When I sat down to do an early check on Finland’s 2026 draft class, I started with the Oscar Hemming buzz. His move to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) means we have to wait for fresh tape on his progress, so I went back to my Hlinka notes, and one name stood out.
Juho Piiparinen is a 17-year-old, right-shot defenseman already playing with Tappara’s senior group and seeing power-play (PP) time. When I considered which NHL teams should select him, two came to mind for the same simple reasons. The Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings both need help on the right side and have the picks to draft him late in the first or early in the second round. Here’s a look at where Piiparinen is today, and why the Blackhawks and Red Wings should keep him on their draft list.
Why Piiparinen?
Two reasons. First, demand for right-handed defensemen (RHD) is high around the league. Second, Piiparinen isn’t just a projection; he’s getting early looks with Tappara’s men’s group. In the Aug. 20 friendly vs. Mestis club Pyry, Piiparinen drew the primary assist on a power-play goal. That’s a small but meaningful usage clue. Tappara’s match report and stats sheet list him in the lineup and on that scoring play.
Related: 2026 Draft-Eligible Standouts at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Tappara’s preseason slate also included Jokerit on Aug. 22 and HPK on Sept. 4, reinforcing that he might be considered in the senior mix, not just U20. For a 17-year-old, that is a big deal. A common trend among NHL-level Finnish players is that they often join the adult league (Liiga) at a young age, rather than being assigned to the U18 or U20 teams, similar to Piiparinen’s current career path.
Player Snapshot
Name: Juho Piiparinen
DOB: Aug. 10, 2008 (17 years old)
Shoots: Right
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 203 pounds
Club: Tappara (Liiga/U20)
Contract: Through 2026–27 (Tappara)
Draft: 2026 eligible (first-time)
Quick Take on Piiparinen
The right shooter has a pro frame and makes calm puck decisions. Piiparinen’s calling card is retrieval, early shoulder check, small fake to open a lane, and a firm first pass through the middle. His rush defending shows tight gaps and a good stick, with selective physical stops. His offense today looks like PP2 distribution rather than PP1 creation.
What We Learned at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Multiple scouting outlets had a similar take: Piiparinen is a mobile, space-eating defender whose bread and butter is defensive-zone play, with poise and efficiency under pressure. Daily Faceoff, in their Day 1 coverage, noted that he was a fluid skater, while FC Hockey posted several game reports citing he played heavy minutes in all situations. McKeen’s preview also framed him as a trusted, composed defender likely to shoulder the penalty kill/late-game workload.
Related: Finland at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup – A Fourth-Place Finish With Lessons Learned
Tournament line: 0-3-3 in five games (per scouting databases). The point total is modest; the value is in transitions and denial sequences, numbers that line up for what teams looking for RHD prospects will be keeping an eye on.
What We’re Seeing Post-Hlinka Gretzky (Preseason)
Aug. 20 — Pyry vs. Tappara (friendly): Piiparinen notched a PP helper on Emil Järventie’s goal
Usage takeaway: Good exposure on the PP.
Aug. 22 — Tappara vs. Jokerit (preseason event): part of Tappara’s senior preseason schedule. Usage takeaway: Repeated senior-group looks.
Sept. 4 — HPK vs. Tappara (friendly): Listed on league and score sites (Tappara won 3–2).
Usage takeaway: Ongoing trust through camp.
Six Category Scorecard Post-Hlinka Gretzky
Grades on a 1–9 scale; Forward weights applied (Skating 20% / Shooting 20% / Passing 15% / Handling 15% / Sense 20% / Physical 10%). A breakdown of the grading system can be found here.
Category
Weight
Score
Evidence note
Skating
20%
7.2
Smooth stride and width coverage. First three steps out of pivots still developing under heat.
Shooting
15%
6.6
Low tippable shot from the point. Looks more like PP2 trigger support than a finisher.
Passing
20%
7.6
Retrieval planning, middle-lane exits, firm first pass through traffic.
Handling
10%
6.9
Clean collects and small fakes. Not a high deke volume player at the blue.
Sense
20%
7.5
Early gap reads, switch timing, PK awareness, late shift composure.
Physical
15%
7.3
Strong pins and box outs. Selective contact that ends cycles without chasing hits.
Weighted total 7.24 out of 9
Letter grade B+
Where Piiparinen can improve and grow: Earn real Liiga minutes beyond a seventh-defenseman look, gain PP2 trust, and create exits that hold versus men.
Draft Range & Timeline
Draft ranking today: Safest projection is 15th–25th overall.
Timeline: Two-year runway is realistic: Draft in 2026 → one more year in Finland → NHL auditions in 2028-29, with an earlier arrival possible if Liiga minutes spike this season.
Chicago Blackhawks Detroit Red Wings (The Hockey Writers)
Piiparinen Must Find His Fit
Both the Blackhawks and Red Wings have roster arcs that line up with a steady two-to-three year runway for a top defensive prospect, which fits a 17-year-old who can bring clean exits, entry denial, and penalty-kill value before he sees any time on the second unit PP. Chicago’s pace benefits from a calm first pass, while Detroit’s structure rewards dependable in-zone play.
Team-Specific Fit: Chicago Blackhawks
Why the Blackhawks should care: Chicago just added a second 2026 first-round asset via the Seth Jones trade with the Florida Panthers (conditional; slides to 2027 if Panthers don’t own their 2026 first). That flexibility will let them address handedness and style in a player without forcing the top of the board.
Fit on the depth chart: With the right side evolving and young left defensemen already in place, Piiparinen’s game, zone denial, first-pass reliability, steady PK, make him a “glue RHD” archetype that complements Chicago’s skill pieces.
Draft capital math (2026): Chicago currently lists two first-rounders (their own and Florida’s) and multiple seconds. That’s ammo to select in the teens/20s or trade up if Piiparinen lands in the mid-first tier.
What Hawks fans are saying: On HFBoards, fans discussing the 2026 class repeatedly flag big, mobile RHD as a priority. Piiparinen shows up in those conversations as a size/defense/poise match.
Team-Specific Fit: Detroit Red Wings
Why Red Wings should care: The fan base has been vocal about a steady, skating-first defender in the teens/20s being “exactly what this team needs”; an on-brand profile for Piiparinen if Detroit is picking in the middle of the first round.
Fit on the depth chart: Detroit’s blue line has leaned into rangy, composed movers under general manager Steve Yzerman. Piiparinen projects as a second-pair RHD who can eat PK minutes and stabilize high-skill partners.
Draft capital math (2026): Detroit owns its 2026 first- and second-round picks at the moment; they moved their 2026 fourth-rounder in the John Gibson trade. That keeps the trade-up door ajar if he rises into the teens.
What Wings fans are saying: Red Wings HFBoards threads highlight the desire for defensive-zone winners with NHL feet. Piiparinen surfaces in those lists and discussion dumps (the “Yzermometer” jokes are already flying).
How He Helps — and How Soon
Year 1 after draft (2026-27): Top-four Liiga minutes, heavy PK, spot PP2, track exit success rate vs. men.
Year 2 (2027-28): North American transition (American Hockey League or 3rd-pair NHL looks) with a PK role.
Year 3 (2028-29): Full-time NHL second- to third-pair defenseman who could see use if the NHL team is looking to get players into the mix rather than developing younger players for a long term rebuild; usage resembles a minute-eating, mistakes-averse matchup piece who frees puck-movers.
Piiparinen’s Draft Stock
Piiparinen is the type of right-shot defender who can help NHL teams win within two or three years after they are drafted. The translation markers are already there: controlled exits, early gap kills, and steady PK reads, with enough blue-line poise to grow into seeing more use on the second PP unit.
If his preseason Liiga usage holds and he can move the puck under men’s pressure as he did at the Hlinka Cup, expect to see Piiparinen ranked in the late-first to early-second round. The Blackhawks and Red Wings should keep him circled as a realistic target whose timing and role fit both rosters’ arcs. Drop your thoughts below on where you would take him and which clip changed your mind.
