This week’s Prospect Roundup features a look at Emmitt Finnie’s scoring for the Kamloops Blazers, as well as notes on Jan Bednar, Jared McIsaac, William Wallinder, Shai Buium and Maximilian Kilpinen.
This week’s Prospect Roundup features a look at Emmitt Finnie’s scoring for the Kamloops Blazers, as well as notes on Jan Bednar, Jared McIsaac, William Wallinder, Shai Buium and Maximilian Kilpinen.
This article was updated Feb. 22, 2024, at 12:35 p.m., to include a photograph of Emmitt Finnie courtesy of the Kamloops Blazers.
Emmitt Finnie left nothing on the table.
In a fitting end to an 11-game point streak, the Kamloops Blazers forward and Red Wings 2023 seventh-rounder emptied the tank by scoring four goals in a 7-3 win over Kelowna on Feb. 11. The effort earned him WHL Player of the Week honors, a feather in Finnie’s cap since that’s usually a title that over-agers or top prospects earn. It also shows why Finnie is an intriguing prospect in Detroit’s pipeline.
“(Finnie is) all over the puck right now,” Kamloops associate head coach Don Hay told Blazers reporter Marty Hastings. “He’s really skating, using his speed to his advantage, getting on top of people and stealing a lot of pucks. If he doesn’t have it, he’ll find a way to go and get it.”
Since his four-goal game, Finnie hasn’t scored in three back-to-back-to-back outings (oh, the beauty of major junior scheduling). However, he remains Kamloops’ leading scorer with 47 points in 48 games during a season that has far eclipsed his career high. During his 11-game heater, he scored 23 of them.
Scoring so much is an encouraging sign for Finnie, although his game doesn’t center around filling the net. He’s a battler more so than a skill player, using his forecheck to hunt for possessions. His 6-foot-1 and 183-pound stature lends itself to such a play style. In the case of his hot streak, he found a way to cash in on the opportunities his forecheck generates.
This illustrates the potential of Finnie. He’s been able to kindle his scoring touch in spurts, though that has to be consistent for him to make an impact at the next level. Considering he’s a seventh-round pick, it makes sense that Finnie has more room to grow, but his hot streak is an encouraging sign that he’s making progress.
The situation in Kamloops lends itself to Finnie’s production jump. As older forwards left the program — namely, Logan Stankoven — Finnie’s role has grown. With increased ice time, as well as the leadership opportunities of being an alternate captain, Finnie could continue stacking on top of what seems to be a breakout year. At just 18, he still has more time to develop in the WHL, and his path could continue in Grand Rapids if Detroit likes what it sees.
Around the Prospect Pool
Jan Bednar
From a statistical sense, goaltender Jan Bednar is still rounding out his game in Toledo in the last year of an AHL contract he signed with Grand Rapids. For a Walleye team that has struggled with goaltending since Sebastian Cossa went to the Griffins, Bednar’s .888 save percentage and 2.97 goals against average both lead the goaltending room. Interestingly enough, some of his best performances have come under higher shot volume. However, there’s more to be desired from a goaltender who pairs size and mobility like Bednar. With his draft rights expiring this offseason, Detroit will have a decision to make regarding his long term future.
Shai Buium
Top 2024 prospect Zeev Buium might be the brother getting all the attention over in Denver, but defenseman Shai Buium is having a career season playing alongside UDFA Boston Buckberger (heck of a name). He broke his career high in goals (7), assists (19), points (26) and plus-minus (21) so far, while also coming in at a career low eight penalty minutes thus far. A 2021 second-round pick, Buium is often a forgotten prospect among a stacked cupboard of blueliners. However, it’s hard to miss the success he’s finding this season.
Jared McIsaac
Speaking of that crowded group of blue line prospects, Jared McIsaac is now on loan with HC Ambrì-Piotta in the Swiss National League. The move gets McIsaac into game action after only getting into 15 games for Grand Rapids. McIsaac has had an injury-hindered career thus far despite being a highly-touted second-rounder in 2018. If he can get into more games, perhaps he can catch up on his development.
William Wallinder
OK, we’ve got a lot of updates on defensemen in this Prospect Roundup. For all the attention paid to Simon Edvinsson, there’s another Swedish blueliner who’s making big strides for the Griffins. William Wallinder has five assists in his past seven games after snapping an 11-game scoreless streak. For a do-it-all defenseman whose puck carrying can help generate offense, getting some payoff for his efforts probably felt good.
Maximilian Kilpinen
Maximilian Kilpinen is lighting up the Swedish juniors, scoring five points in his past five games and 11 in the past 10. Playing alongside 2024 prospect Lucas Pettersson, Kilpinen’s production has risen to a career-high of 39 points in 37 games. Those numbers are great, but the next step for Kilpinen is to use that production at a higher level by earning a call-up to Modo’s men’s club.
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