With the 2025 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship (WJC) less than a week away from starting (Dec. 26), Finland has a roster of players who should be able to compete for at least a medal-round game come the tournament’s end. There are a handful of players who fans should keep an eye on as the tournament nears; some who fans have heard of and maybe a couple who they have not.
Jesse Kiiskinen
A player who has had a superb start to his 2024-25 season, Jesse Kiiskinen has been on a weak HPK team in Liiga but has stood out as one of the team’s biggest bright spots. After being drafted by the Nashville Predators in the 2023 NHL Draft, he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings this past offseason. Kiiskinen had a strong showing this summer at the World Junior Summer Showcase (WJSS) and will be a player who will help lead the way offensively for the Finns.
Related: Guide to the 2025 World Junior Championship
Kiiskinen’s offensive skills are not limited to what he can do for himself with the puck on his stick but for his teammates. He has eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points through 26 games this season. He is a player who makes a difference away from the puck as well. He uses his size to help create havoc on the forecheck and has become a more consistent player this season. His strong play and leadership skills have helped earn him an “A” on his jersey for the 2025 WJC, and he will undoubtedly be a player who will be one to watch throughout the tournament. He may not be the lead guy offensively, but he should be able to help feed off the bigger-named players like Konsta Helenius to give some added production.
Konsta Helenius
The highest 2024 draft pick from Finland, going 14th to the Buffalo Sabres, Konsta Helenius is returning to the U20 WJC scene after a less-than-stellar performance last year (two points in seven games). He will look to play better this year, and the start of his 2024-25 season could be a strong indication that it could happen. This season, he made his way to North American professional hockey and has been a driving force for the Sabres’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans. As a rookie, he sits third on the Americans’ roster in points with 17. He has shown off his strong all-around offensive game and has been a player that has Sabres fans hoping the future could be bright. He will likely also be looked to as a player who will bring some energy and offensive production this year for Finland.
Topias Hynninen
Making his first appearance in the U20 WJC, Topias Hynninen has not played a tournament of this stature in two years, last playing in the 2023 U18 WJC. He was passed up in the 2024 Draft but seems to have taken that as motivation to prove doubters wrong this season. In his first full season in Liiga with Jukurit, he has had a breakout season, tallying 24 points in 32 games already while having a more prominent role. He does not come with the hype that players like Helenius, Kasper Halttunen, or other drafted players have. Still, he will be a player who will likely be looked upon in the middle-six of the forward lines and could garner the attention of NHL teams who passed on him at last year’s draft.
Aron Kiviharju
After missing most of last season with a knee injury, Aron Kiviharju saw his draft stock fall to the point that he was not drafted until the fourth round when the Minnesota Wild selected him. This season, being healthy has been a massive plus for the recently appointed captain of this year’s team, as he has been able to showcase his all-around game from the backend of the ice and has tallied 10 points in 32 games for HIFK of Liiga. The hockey IQ that Kiviharju possesses, along with his smooth play with the puck on his stick, will end up going a long way for Finland throughout the tournament. The defensive corps is a bit top-heavy with him and Emil Pieniniemi being by and far the best two defensemen on the roster.
There is a strong chance that one of Finland’s most experienced international players (three U18 WJC appearances and the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup), could use this year’s WJC as a coming-out party of sorts and prove to NHL teams that he should have been drafted higher than he was by the Wild.
Emil Pieniniemi
Already mentioned as a top defenseman on the Finnish roster, Emil Pieniniemi will be relied upon heavily to carry the load from the backend of the ice. If his start to the 2024-25 season is any indication of how he will look in the tournament, then Finland should be in good hands. After being selected by the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the 2023 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft, Pieniniemi committed to play for the Frontenacs this season and has been one of the league’s stronger offensive players. His goal-scoring has not yet translated to Canadian junior hockey (four goals), but his playmaking and all-around IQ have already helped him tally 30 assists. Defensively, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2023 third-round pick shows he is reliable and shuts down his opponents rather easily. Like Hynninen, he had a less-than-ideal performance in last year’s U20 WJC, failing to tally a point in seven games, so he will look to get himself more involved offensively this year while holding down the fort in the defensive zone as well.
Plenty to Watch for From Finland
While these five players will be watched a bit closer than others on Finland’s roster throughout the tournament, there are plenty of other spots and players to watch as Finland looks to get back into medal position this year. The goaltender position is one of those areas to watch for, with no clear-cut number one at this point. The pre-tournament exhibitions the team will be playing could end up deciding that. Overall, there is plenty to watch, and the tournament should be exciting for the Finns.
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