Kraken 2024 draft profile: Aron Kiviharju
By Jayd Serdy, edited by Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - Aron Kiviharju played for a handful of teams this year, including the Hifka Liiga, and Finland’s U18, U20 and U18 WJC teams. Over all of those teams he has played in 20 games with a total of 10 points (2 goals, 8 assists.) He suffered from a knee injury after the first seven games with the Hifka that had him out for over six months.
Kiviharju has been tough to evaluate due to his injury, but he has been described as “A breakout wizard who controls the game from the backend” by Elite Prospects. He put up historical numbers during the 2022-23 season within the Finnish juniors and was Finland’s best blueliner in his first U18s in 2022.
Aron’s biggest strength is his puck-moving and transition play, as he is very deceptive when he breaks out. He excels at giving false cues to his opponents with his body language and uses the middle lane whenever possible. His biggest fallback is his physical limitations from his injury, as he’s started to resort to more simple plays and allows other players to take over where he would have taken a clear advantage in the past. His hockey IQ and ability to move the puck does give him an upper-hand so if he makes it to the NHL it is likely that he will be a second or third-pairing.
“Despite making his debut in the Liiga at just 16 years old, his development has encountered some setbacks. He’s been battling some injuries and having some difficulties in translating his offensive game to the Liiga level. It’s fair to point out that he hasn’t gotten a lot of power play deployment that could have helped him elevate his offensive game. Despite these challenges, Kiviharju’s strengths remain evident. He thinks the game on a level only few can. He anticipates plays exceptionally well and makes smart decisions with and without the puck. He’s a great passer and has showcased strong, deceptive playmaking skills on the blueline on a junior level. His defensive game relies heavily on his stick work, and the physical side of the game is something he really needs to work on. That said, it’s a rare occurrence that a defenseman can play significant Liiga minutes in his draft year, so it’s safe to say the potential is imminent.”
Essentials to know
RANKING: 8th European Skater (Central Scouting)
POSITION: Defense
AMATEUR CLUB: Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
HEIGHT: 5’10”
WEIGHT: 172
SHOOTS: L
COUNTRY: Finland
2023-24 STATS: 20 GP, 2 G, 8 A, 10 PTS, -2, 6 PIM
What’s next?
The 2024 NHL draft will take place at the end of the month of June, as it spans from the 28th of the month through the 29th as it will take place in Las Vegas at the “Sphere.” This will be the 62nd entry draft in the history of the National Hockey League, and the fourth draft class that our Seattle Kraken will welcome into their prospect pool following some strong classes dating back to their inaugural year when they got Matty Beniers and Ryker Evans with their first two selections ever. With a top ten pick this season following a year that didn’t go how they thought it would given the playoff success in 2022-23, the Kraken have the opportunity to “reload” in a sense as they’ll look to bring in some serious offensive firepower via free agency or the trade market while also having a high pick that has the chance to be a major impact player at the NHL level at some point in the semi-near future.
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Check out our previous Seattle Kraken articles here.
Check out our previous articles with writing by Jayd Serdy here.
Cover photo by Rena Laverty
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