After having his NHL rights expire and heading back to Finland, Miettinen skated for two team’s in the professional Liiga, scoring nine goals and adding five assists in 31 games. Taken in the sixth round of the 2020 draft, Miettinen played four seasons for St. Cloud University in the NCAA, and had very decent numbers for a player who could have had promise as a complimentary middle six scorer. Instead, he has elected to return to Finland, and one can suppose he may decide to continue his hockey career there. He isn’t worth holding onto as a bet to be fantasy relevant at this stage.

Toronto has decided to let Miettinen’s rights expire and he has signed a deal with KalPa in Liiga. The 2020 sixth-round pick scored 53 goals and 118 points in 146 NCAA contests since being drafted but that was not enough to earn an NHL contract with the Maple Leafs.

In his junior year at St. Cloud State, Miettinen bounced back from a stagnant sophomore season. The Finnish winger scored 12 goals, his best NCAA output to date, and 36 points in 41 games, which ranked him fourth in team scoring. However, the real development has come early in his senior year. Miettinen has been on fire to start his final run in college hockey, as he has already potted six goals and 10 points through his first ten games. Although his age does factor into his rise in production, the fact that he has shown positive development throughout the last two seasons is promising. It’s unclear whether or not the Maple Leafs will choose to sign him to an entry-level contract at year’s end, but for a team that needs to rely on their cheap young talent to supplement their top-end stars, I do not see Toronto walking away from Miettinen.

Following a stellar freshman season at St. Cloud State that saw him tie for a share of the team lead in scoring with 24 points in 31 games, Miettinen’s production stagnated in his sophomore year and he managed one fewer point in six more games during the 2021-22 season. Despite scoring one fewer goal than the previous season, he did increase his shots on goal output from 2.8 per game as a freshman to 3.2 per game as a sophomore so there may have been some poor shooting luck at play. Miettinen is set to return to St. Cloud state for his junior season and will be expected to play a prominent role for the Huskies.

Miettinen has been named the NCHC Rookie of the Year, to the conference All-Rookie team, and the All-NCHC Second Team. He absolutely deserved the award given his immediate impact and consistent production.

In his rookie NCAA campaign, Miettinen is his team’s nominee for the Hobey Baker award. He is a longshot but this is a testament to how quickly the Finn has adapted to college hockey and how consistently dangerous he has been. He has racked up 9 goals and 21 points in 19 games played (leading his team in both categories), is averaging over 2.5 SOG/game, and has yet to take a penalty. Half his tallies have come with the man-advantage where he has shown top-level finishing ability when he can get tight to the crease. His decision to come to North America is paying off so far, as is the Leafs’ decision to take a flyer on the falling prospect in the draft.

Miettinen has begun his NCAA career and is off to a strong start. Through 8 games he has tallied 3 goals and 7 points (good for 2nd on the squad), and averaging nearly 3 SOG/game. Considering the new home, new system, and new ice size, this immediate success is obviously a great indicator of Mietinnen’s adaptability. His ability to finish from tight quarters has been on display more than once, and he has been promoted to the top PP unit working at the edge of the crease.

The Maple Leafs have drafted Miettinen in the 6th round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. This was far lower than most pre-draft rankings predicted, undoubtedly due to his very small size at 5’9″ and 157 lbs. The small winger has taken an unusual route in his career, opting to move to the NCAA rather than turn pro in Finland where he has played Junior hockey up until 2020. He dominated the Jr. A level, and depending on how the pandemic affects his North American career, may now be stepping to a higher level of play against more mature peers. A high upside, high waiting time prospect.

Miettinen broke the U18 scoring record in Jr. SM-liiga last season, and his 61 points in 48 games were fourth best in the league. This season, Miettinen’s 34 goals and 63 points in 45 games lead the league by a wide margin, and his points-per-game average is also the best in the league. And he’s doing all of that while carrying a weak team that doesn’t have much talent around him. Miettinen is clearly too good for the junior league but he was forced to spend another year there so that he can maintain his NCAA eligibility because he’s going to St. Cloud State University next season. Because he plays in the junior league, he wasn’t really even considered for the World Juniors team, and because he’s one of the oldest players in this draft class, he’s not eligible for the U18 Worlds anymore either, so Miettinen’s exposure at the international level will be very limited.

>> Interview: 2020 NHL Draft Prospect Veeti Miettinen

Miettinen is obviously a very talented offensive player. He has great hands which allow him to dangle in tight spaces very well. He is also a very smart player who can make creative plays for himself and for others as well. Even though he is a good playmaker, he’s more of a goal-scorer at heart. He has an excellent wrist shot which he can release quickly and accurately. He can also change the angle of the shot to make it even more difficult for the goalie. Miettinen is also a very good skater who gets high marks in both speed and quickness. What often gets overlooked is his play without the puck. Miettinen is a puck-hound who is always trying to steal the puck and cause turnovers. Although not a true two-way player, he is a reliable player defensively and more than capable of killing penalties. His strengths are definitely more in an offensive role but he has shown he can do a decent job playing a defensive role as well.

It is difficult to project where Miettinen gets drafted in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft but he definitely has all the tools needed to become an NHL player and his offensive skills give him top-six upside. Because he’s taking the NCAA route, the team that drafts him may have to wait three to four years before he even plays in the AHL. But Miettinen is definitely a player who is worth the wait.