NHL Central Scouting’s International Skaters list is one of the tools scouts and fans can use to get a temperature check on how NHL evaluators are stacking the draft class at the midpoint of the season.
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I scout Finland year-round, tracking how prospects translate from junior environments into men’s hockey and special teams responsibility. In this piece, I am taking a look at the top three Finnish skaters on Central Scouting’s Mid-Term International Skaters ranking, then cross-referencing where they sat on the start-of-season list to see what has changed. The goal is not to crown a winner in January; it is to understand why these three are being prioritized at this time, what their actual season has looked like, and whether their trajectory is holding steady or shifting.
The NHL Central Scouting’s Mid-Term International Skaters list has three Finland-born, Finland-developed names sitting at the top of the Finnish pile: Oliver Suvanto (Tappara, center), Juho Piiparinen (Tappara, defenseman), and Vilho Vanhatalo (Tappara Jr., right-wing).
How NHL Central Scouting Frames “Top” International Skaters
Central Scouting’s season starts with a broad funnel, then tightens. In October 2025, the Preliminary Players To Watch list tags prospects with letter ratings that roughly map to draft range: A (first round), B (second or third), C (fourth or fifth), and W (sixth or seventh).
By mid-January, the list is further refined, hard ranks, separated into categories for North American Skaters and International Skaters (there are also separate lists for Goalies). The Mid-Term International Skaters list stacks players one through the end of the list.
The larger takeaway is how concentrated this Finnish group is. Suvanto, Piiparinen, and Vanhatalo are all listed by Central Scouting under Tappara’s umbrella, and two of them were also underage picks for Finland at the 2026 World Juniors.
That does not prove Tampere is “the” pipeline for every Finnish class, but it does show a program doing repeatable work at the exact ages that matter for draft evaluation. Tappara’s own academy structure is explicit about the goal: the organization describes its academy as a development track built to increase Tappara players’ representation and success in Finnish national teams and international tournaments, supported in part by the City of Tampere and local sport infrastructure.
When you pair that stated intent with what happened in this class, two underage WJC roster spots plus three top-14 Finland names on the midterm international list, it is showing like Tappara has figured out the development environment that keeps producing draft-relevant habits early.
1. Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara (Midterm: Third Overall Among International Skaters)
Suvanto opened the season as an A-rated player on Central Scouting’s October watch list, already slotted as a first-round caliber candidate on their early board. By midterm, he is third overall on the International Skaters list, and he is one of the youngest regulars on that first page.
The résumé piece that matters most here is context: Tappara Liiga minutes are hard to earn. Through the midseason snapshot on HockeyDB, Suvanto is in the lineup with 32 Liiga games and a two-goal, five-assist scoring line. That is not a “carry an offense” stat line, but it is meaningful proof of survivability in a men’s league at his age, on a club that can afford to sit teenagers if their details are not tight.
International play has flashed the higher-end pieces. At the 2026 World Juniors, Suvanto scored a power-play goal against Denmark, a play that fits his projection as a middle-lane player who can hold space inside coverage and still finish when the puck comes into his hands.
What we have seen this season is a profile that looks more pro-ready than point-heavy right now: size, structure, and “coach trust” habits. The next step for him is not a new role; it is sharper separation on his touches, quicker arrival to threats in the slot, and a faster release, so his interior touches turn into goals more often than they have in Liiga to date.
2. Juho Piiparinen, D, Tappara (Midterm: Sixth Overall Among International Skaters)
Piiparinen also started the season with an A-rating on the October list. Midterm has him sixth among international skaters, and Central Scouting’s sheet flags him as one of the players they have weighed and measured.
The season line explains why evaluators stay in on him even without big production. HockeyDB shows Piiparinen with 27 Liiga games, modest offense (three assists), and a positive plus/minus in that sample. That is typical for a teenage defender getting real shifts in Finland: the offense is usually the last thing to arrive, while the defensive details, retrieval decisions, and outlet pace are what keep him dressed.
The World Juniors usage supports that framing. Piiparinen logged four games, recorded one assist, and posted a strong plus-6 while generating a handful of shots. It is not a tournament that proves he is a power-play driver, but it does show he can play with pace, defend his minutes, and tilt results without chasing offense.
From a scouting perspective, Piiparinen’s midterm placement reads like a bet on translatability: pro size, right-shot utility, and a game that already looks like it belongs in a structured pro environment. If the offensive ceiling is going to move his draft range, it likely comes from quicker activation on the weak side and more confident shot selection from the top, not from trying to force plays that are not there at Liiga speed.
3. Vilho Vanhatalo, RW, Tappara U20 (Midterm: Fourteenth Among International Skaters)
Vanhatalo is the mover of the group. In October, Central Scouting had him tagged as a B-rated player, a second or third round profile on the early watch list. By midterm, he is 14th among international skaters, and he is now sitting inside the same top 20 cluster of names on the International Rankings.
Related: 2026 World Junior Championship Team Finland Final Roster
That shift makes sense when you look at what has changed in his season. HockeyDB shows Vanhatalo with eight Liiga games and his first point at the men’s level. Even a small taste of Liiga, in-season, can move the confidence level on a big winger because it answers the first question scouts have: Does he keep his feet and details when the game gets heavier?
Vahatalo is a big-bodied winger (listed at 6-foot-3 on Central Scouting’s sheets) whose draft value is going to come from how often he can turn his frame into useful touches, not just board time. The jump from B to a top-15 midterm slot suggests Central Scouting is seeing enough improvement in pace and decision-making to believe his tools can translate up a level.
Honorable Mention. Alberts Smits, D, Jukurit (Midterm: Second Among International Skaters)
Alberts Smits is not Finnish, but he is a clean example of the Finland-built development lane Central Scouting keeps rewarding. He sits No. 2 on NHL Central Scouting’s Mid-Term International Skaters list, between Ivar Stenberg and Oliver Suvanto, and that context matters because he has built his game inside Finland since he was a U16-aged import.
The short version of the background: Smits left Latvia early, spent multiple seasons in the Helsinki area development stream, then moved into the Jukurit pipeline and kept climbing. That “learn it in junior, prove it against men” path is showing up in his season. NHL.com notes he has been playing big minutes for Jukurit in Liiga, with 12 points through his first 30 games, and Central Scouting’s European director highlighted the blend of 6-foot-3 size, mobility, and poise that is driving his rise.
Smits belongs as the outside name because he underlines the point: Finland is not only producing Finns, it is also polishing high-end imports into real NHL draft capital.
