Russell Morgan
9. Kasper Simontaival – 20 y/o – F – 2020 Round 3 #66 overall
Previous ranking: NR
One of my favorite players to watch in the LA Kings’ prospect pool comes in at number nine, and that is Kasper Simontaival. There might not be a player in the organization with more skill around the net than the Kings’ 2020 third-rounder out of Tampere, Finland.
A teammate of fellow Kings’ prospect Samuel Helenius in the last two World Juniors, Simontaival plays much bigger than his 5’9″ frame. If you’ve heard the term “nose for the net,” that’s Kasper. He possesses an uncanny ability to hunt down loose pucks in the slot and utilize his skillset to beat defenders in close proximity.
Tony Ferrari The Hockey News
“The shifty, undersized winger was a pivotal part of Finland’s World Junior Championship team this summer, helping them to a silver medal with seven points in seven games. He should take a big step in the Liiga this upcoming season, and he’s been on fire as of late, putting up a point per game in his last five after going scoreless in his first five. He has all of the skill offensively you could ask for, it will be about rounding out and maturing his game this year. “
JFresh Hockey’s Prospect Card
Simontaival’s second appearance in the U20 World Juniors for Finland was just as successful as his first. In 14 total games combining both the 2020 and 2021 tournaments, he’s scored a total of 14 points (seven goals and seven assists).
I’m very excited to see the type of player Simontaival can become. Many scouts I have talked to believe he has all the tools to develop into a middle-six scoring winger in the NHL. Of course, he’ll have to adapt from the open play he’s currently experiencing in Europe playing for KalPa in the Liiga to a much tighter checking game in North America when he eventually makes a move across the pond.