Julius Miettinen is a prospect that I've seen a lot of conflicting opinions on.
He's been projected anywhere from a mid-first round pick to a third or fourth round guy.
Miettinen is a big Finnish center standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 207-pounds.
He's a go-to-the-net type of player and he did well in his first year in North America putting up 31 goals and 67 points in 66 games in the WHL.
The Finn has sort of become a subjective talent where some scouts like his size and toolkit and others aren't huge fans of his pace of play or lack of a defining skill.
“I like him,” a scout told The Hockey News. “I was impressed with how he adjusted to the North American game.”
“I just don’t see a dynamic element,” another scout told The Hockey News. “He finds the soft spots, and he has a pretty good touch around the net, in that home-plate area. He’s really strong on his skates, and he gives an honest effort.”
What are the experts saying?
Steven Ellis (Daily Faceoff): "The Silvertips star plugged away at a point-per-game pace all season long, his first in North America. He’s big at 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds, and he’s not afraid to use his frame any time he can. Miettinen protects well, skates solidly and is difficult to take the puck off of. His season started slowly, but once he got more comfortable in his new environment, he started to really look good."
Corey Pronman (The Athletic): "A big center who can skate and provide some secondary offense."