Born: 2003-03-01
Team: TPS
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
Height / Weight: 5-10 / 154
UPDATE: JULY 2, 2021
Suomi recently signed a three-year contract with TPS in the Liiga. Although he has been training with the Liiga team, I would expect him to spend another season in the U20 SM-sarja, playing in a big role to be prepared for the men’s league. Suomi is an intriguing defenseman whose biggest strength is without a doubt his skating. He is a smooth skater, light on his skates and moves well laterally. His edge work is very good and he has an ability to escape from pressure. He can be a factor offensively because of his speed and mobility. He also has good puck skills and is a competent puck carrier. Right now the biggest challenge for Suomi is his defensive game. He is a former forward and it shows in his lack of defensive prowess. He can be caught out of position on a rather regular basis. His gap control is an occasional issue as he can be overly passive from time to time. I wouldn’t call him a perimeter player but I would like to see him go into the greasy areas more often. However, his skating prowess is evident and he has the potential to be an offensive defenseman at the pro level. He still has ways to go but I would use a pick on him in late rounds of the 2021 NHL Draft. I think his strong offensive skills and high-end skating ability would make him a good long-term project.
REPORT: HC NOKIA @ BLUES U16, FEBRUARY 3, 2019
Suomi is an excellent skater with agility and crisp mobility: he can fly on the ice. He had two assists in this game and he was the best defenseman both teams considered. He was light on his feet and could change direction quickly, escaping from pressure with relative ease. He was quick to pucks. Skating definitely looks like his biggest strength – if anything, he could work on lengthening his stride. He showed nice vision of the game, creative instincts, smooth hands and fast-twitch skill. However, occasionally his passing could have been more precise on zone exit attempts, as he missed the target on multiple occasions. He defended well with his stick and positioning rather than with his body, which was not a significant surprise given his size. A potential NHL prospect as he possesses great skating ability, offensive prowess and power play assets.