E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Jyrki Jokipakka #82

By Eldon MacDonald

82. Jyrki Jokipakka - “Jyka” - D - Finland

Wikicommons courtesy of Aleksi Stenberg, Tampere, Finland

Vitals: Size - 6’3”, 191 lb.; Shoots left; Born 20-Aug-91 - Tampere, FIN
Team: Ilves, Finnish elite League
2010-11 Stats: 48-1-8-9-18 +Finnish elite playoffs 5-0-0-0-0 + U20 - 6-1-2-3-4-(+5)

Rankings:
82 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
232 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (38th European skater)
Draft result:
195 - Dallas Stars

Who knew about Jyka and how could he have been bypassed twice in the draft??? Anyone, please put up your hand if you heard about him before the U20’s this year in Buffalo!!! After the U20, the secret was out as Jyka was probably the best undrafted player in the whole tournament or very close to it. At the U20, Jyka showed off his size and reach (6’3’’), hard skills (skating, passing, mobility) and soft skills (vision, positioning, reliability consistency) that make this late-bloomer a very good bet to play in the NHL very soon - he is just too big and too good not to make it. Jyka already plays against adults in the Finnish Elite League (SM-liiga) so a few pounds, a little work on the stickhandling et voilà, Jyka is one of your team’s starting 6 d-men, OK, maybe a few months in the AHL but not much more.