Nousiainen was the number one defenceman for KalPa in 0-3 loss against Blues in Finnish U20 league quarterfinals. He recorded almost 23 minutes of ice time before getting five-minute major penalty and game misconduct for interference a bit after the midpoint of the third period. He also recorded -2 from his first two shifts of the game. Despite this, his game overall was pretty impressive and he even recorded seven shots.

As a undersized offensive defender, it is really hard to predict how far Nousiainen can go. The lack of size and muscle combined with still somewhat raw game at the own end are concerns. He is definitely not liability for his team at the defensive zone, but he does not really excel there either. Eventually his ability to use his offensive skill-set will decide his future.

Nousiainen is extremely agile skater with excellent acceleration. He really knew how to use his skating and he created a lot of more time and space for himself with his first steps and effective turns. His top speed might not be perfect, but that area has also improved during this season. His play with the puck is really good for this level. He read the play well, he was active and his stickhandling abilities are excellent. He carried the puck confidently and the defenceman didn’t cause turnovers. Also his passing was crisp, precise and creative. At the offensive zone, he is active and joins the rush willingly.

The defenceman is a risky pick when thinking about the NHL Draft, but his potential is intriguing. He is not a safe choice for sure, but the combination of agility, acceleration and really good offensive skill-set can potentially give a high reward.

Nousiainen played in Team Finland’s second pair with Santeri Salmela. He didn’t get any ice time on power play but he played a lot in the penalty kill.

The biggest asset of Nousiainen is his excellent work ethic. He is tireless player who is mobile and he never gives up. His top speed is good but not excellent, he is quick to accelerate and his lateral movement is impressive. He suffers from the lack of size and he is occasionally pushed away from the puck or knocked off the balance. In order to handle the pro game, Nousiainen still needs to add some muscle. He could play more straightforward in the own end too.

Despite his smallish size, he tries to play surprisingly physical game and and he showcased his work ethic giving couple of quality hits in the game. Nousiainen also reads the play well, joins the rush when there’s a clear opportunity for it and despite not being the flashiest offensive defenceman, he showed that he can carry the puck with ease and give solid passes.

The 16-year-old defenseman played in his seventh U20 game. Nousiainen is a quick, smooth-skating defenseman with really good agility and four-way mobility. He has fast feet, accelerates quickly and moves around the ice effortlessly. He moved the puck particularly well in overtime and displayed good offensive imagination at times. However, he could get stronger in the defensive zone, but that will likely happen when he adds more strength.