The Winnipeg Jets chose defenseman Ville Heinola 20th overall at the 2019 NHL Draft.
Ville Heinola
Position: Defense
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 181 lbs
Age: 18
Club: Lukko (Liiga)
Nationality: Finnish
| GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 2 | 12 | 14 |
(Stats courtesy: EliteProspects.com)
Only three European skaters were ranked higher than Heinola on NHL Central Scouting's final list, and The Athletic's Corey Pronman had the blue-liner slotted in at No. 28 overall on his draft board in May.
In addition to notching nearly half a point per game in his first year in Finland's top league, Heinola helped his home nation capture gold at the 2019 World Junior Championship. He also represented his country at the 2019 Under-18 worlds and the 2017 Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
Heinola produced nine points in as many games for Lukko's junior squad in 2018-19 before being promoted to the big club.
What they're saying
"Heinola is a calm, poised puck-moving defenseman who generates clean exits and entries with his vision, and makes plays on the man advantage," Pronman wrote in May. "He’s fine defensively due to his positional play, despite not being the biggest defender. However, he has limitations that may hinder him as he progresses.
"His size is obvious but his skating is also a minor concern. His stride breaks down when he gets going in a straight line, which is worrisome in a 5-foot-11 defender. I like his edges a lot, with Heinola showing a powerful burst on his first few steps to balance out the stride issue somewhat."
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