Hameenaho was selected in the second-round, 58th overall.
NASHVILLE, T.N. -- The highly anticipated 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft is in the books. The New Jersey Devils added five players to their organization on June 29, the second and final day of the draft.
New Jersey had a first-round pick (26th overall), but it went to the San Jose Sharks as part of the trade package for Timo Meier, which meant their first pick would be in the second round.
With their first selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Devils selected Lenni Hameenaho from the Porin Assat of Liiga (Finland).
EliteProspects 2023 NHL Draft Guide: There's no doubt about Hameenaho's best quality being his intelligence. He's an extremely smart off-puck player at both ends of the rink. He finds quiet ice and pockets of space in the offensive zone, popping in and out of the slot, anticipating possible passing lanes and rebound opportunities.
Hameenaho signed a three-year Liiga contract with Assat in April 2022. His current team is based in Pori, Finland, the hometown of Devils' forward Erik Haula. During the 2022-23 season, the 18-year-old appeared in 51 games and registered 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists). The right-winger was expected to go in the first round, with some ranking him as a top 10 European skater.
After being selected, Hameenaho met with Devils' team reporter Sam Kasan and spoke about his game.
"I'm a smart player. I'm best with the puck in the offensive side," he said. "I like (to have) the puck and create scoring chances for myself and my linemates. I want to most improve my skating, explosiveness, first step."
When asked which NHL players he looks up to, Hameenaho said David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins. It's unclear if he will attend the Devils' development camp next week, but when asked about it said, "Of course, I would like to be there."