Atte Tuliara had an excellent, consistent season for HIFK U20, helping him to earn a college commitment to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for the 2017-2018 season. In 45 games, the 1998 born defenseman scored eight goals and 18 assists to finish 6th on his team in points. Those are really good numbers for the blueliner who just completed his first U20 season. However, his overall impact on HIFK’s play was even more significant on many nights. I can’t think of many prospects who improved as much as Tuliara did during the past season.
Tuliara might be a relatively unknown prospect at the moment, however, he has displayed great amount of offensive potential. A confident, smart blueliner, he skates well with the puck and likes to jump into the attack to create more offense. Possesses good quickness and top speed given his 6’2 frame. Also has a quick slap shot that is accurate, consistently forcing goalies to make saves. The shot power is very impressive. In addition to the offensive firepower he brings on the ice, Tuliara is aware and reliable without the puck. Anticipates the developing play well, plus is able tie his man and use his stick well to defend the slot effectively. His strong footwork helped him to keep up defensively with some quick forwards at the U20 level. He is not overly physical but his proactive, solid defensive game was a positive in my viewings of HIFK U20. If Tuliara keeps getting better in all three zones, he will have a very successful NCAA career at RPI.