Newest Greyhound 'mature and reliable'

The Soo Greyhounds will have a new foreign-born player in the mix when training camp opens in late-August.

The team participated in the Canadian Hockey League’s annual Import Draft on Tuesday, selecting Finnish centre Otto Makinen with its lone pick.

Makinen, 18, spent the 2015-16 season with Tappara in Finland’s U20 league where he posted 11 goals and 30 points in 47 games.

“He’s coming from a great international background,” said Greyhounds General Manager Kyle Raftis. “He thinks of the game at a high level. He plays a great 200-foot game. He’s hard on pucks. He’s got good size and he gives us some flexibility at centre.”

Independent scouting service HockeyProspect.com called Makinen a “mature and reliable centre.”

The scouting report went on to say that the former member of Finland’s team at the World Under-18 tournament is strong on the penalty kill and in the faceoff circle.

Makinen won a gold medal with Finland at the U18 World Championship in Grand Forks, North Dakota in April where he chipped in with a goal and two points in seven games.

“He has always played big roles (in international tournaments),” Raftis said. “He plays a ton for that group.”

While some teams have trouble convincing players selected in the Import Draft to report, Finnish-based reporter Miika Arponen reported via Twitter that Makinen is planning on playing in the CHL next season.

Raftis confirmed the news, adding that being passed over in the NHL Entry Draft may serve as an added incentive to coming over.

“In brief conversations with him and his agent, he was disappointed that he wasn’t selected and he’s looking to come over here and have an impact,” Raftis said. “He has a pro contract right now and if he’s looking to come over here, it’s for a reason.

“He wants to learn the North American style of game and the way he plays is going to fit in nicely with our group,” Raftis added.

With the selection of Makinen, it officially spells the end of Russian forward Makar Tokarev’s time with the team after one season as a Greyhounds.

With Gustav Bouramman still in the mix as the Greyhounds other import player, the team passed on its second pick in the draft.

The Western Hockey League’s Kootenay Ice held the top pick in the draft and selected Russian centre Klim Kostin.

Guelph was the first OHL team to pick and selected defenceman Dmitri Samorukov of Russia.

****

OHL NOTEBOOK

The Ontario Hockey League summer trade period closes this week as the calendar changes to July but that didn’t stop some teams from making some major moves.

The Windsor Spitfires made headlines as the team prepares to host the 2017 MasterCard Memorial Cup next May.

Over the weekend the team acquired forward Anaheim Ducks prospect Julius Nattinen from the Barrie Colts.

The deal saw the Spitfires send young defenceman Kyle Auger to the Colts along with a second round pick (originally Guelph’s) and a fourth round pick (originally Flint’s) in the 2017 draft.

The Spitfires also receive a 12^th round pick in 2017 in the deal.

Nattinen, who won a gold medal with Finland at the 2016 World Junior Hockey Championship, scored 22 goals and 71 points in 52 games with the Colts.

The Mississauga Steelheads were also in on the dealing after acquiring Vili Saarijarvi, a Detroit Red Wings prospect, from the Flint Firebirds in exchange for Everett Clark, a second round pick (originally Sudbury’s) in 2017 and a fifth round pick in 2019. A conditional second round pick in 2023 is also part of the deal.

Saarijarvi was a teammate of Nattinen’s at the World Juniors and finished the season with 12 goals and 43 points in 59 games.