Import picks could change Greyhounds dynamic

It can be a crapshoot at times but the Soo Greyhounds hope to have hit it big at the 2017 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft on Wednesday.

With Swedish defenceman Gustav Bouramman turning pro and Finnish forward Otto Makinen staying in Finland to play next season, the Greyhounds selected a pair of players Wednesday, including defenceman Rasmus Sandin of Sweden and centre Rasmus Kupari of Finland.

Sandin spent the 2016-17 season with Brynas IF J20 of the SuperElit league where eh scored three goals and 18 points in 36 games while also serving as captain of Team Sweden at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Sault Ste. Marie in the fall where he assisted on two goals in six games.

“He’s a good puck-moving defenceman,” Raftis said of the Swedish blueliner. “He played a ton at the Under-17 tournament (in the fall) and was a big reason for their success.

Independent scouting service HockeyProspect.com called Sandin “a two-way defenseman that can play on both the penalty kill and power play units. He does a good job in his zone. He is solid one-on-one with a good active stick. He can make a good first pass out of his zone, his passes are crisp and accurate, but he didn’t show great creativity in the offensive zone. We would like to see him improve his footwork, as speedy forwards can beat him on the outside. We would also like to see him make quicker decisions with the puck. Overall, skating is an aspect he will need to improve, as he is a bit slow at retrieving pucks in his zone as well. He plays a smart and efficient game at both ends of the ice, with no real flashes.”

Kupari split 43 games in 2016-17 between Karpat’s U18 and U17. He scored 12 goals and 19 assists with Karpat. With Team Finland at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Kupari picked up an assist in five games while in seven games at the Under-18 tournament in the spring he had three assists.

“He started (the season) a little bit slower but had an excellent Under-18 tournament and really came on and opened some eyes at the end of the year,” Raftis said.

HockeyProspect called Kupari “a good offensive player who can play on the wing or at center. His puck skills are tremendous. He likes to keep pucks and challenge opponents with his skills and speed. He has a tall and lanky frame; he can generate some real good speed down the wing and uses a great burst to beat defensemen wide. He likes to dangle, and usually does it really well

Raftis credited the play of both players locally in the Under-17 tournament in the fall.

“It was great to get live looks at both guys,” Raftis said. “They were both impactful players.”

Raftis said the Greyhounds looked to select players who would have a quicker adjustment when getting into the lineup.

“Our approach heading into the draft, picking at 52 and 112 was, with the group we have returning, we wanted guys who could come in and be guys that are going to push our guys and make things difficult,” Raftis said. “There isn’t really space at the moment for players who have to be sheltered or anything along those lines.”

Raftis would also say “we felt like it was better chasing some higher end players.”

In speaking of the skill level of both players, Raftis said the pair will draw interest from NHL scouts and with the Greyhounds ability to develop players in recent years, that could be a bonus in convincing Sandin and Kupari to commit.

“Both players are under contracts in Europe so it’s going to be a situation where we’re going to have to work at it this summer and promote our program,” Raftis said. “If we can get both players into our lineup, it’s definitely going to change the dynamic.”