Niemelä is already playing solid minutes in the U18 league at the age of 15. He played on the left-side as a right-shooting defenseman and showed a lot of promise against HIFK.

The Kärpät U18 defenseman is a really good, agile skater, possessing quick first few steps and strong overall mobility. He is able to process the game quickly and doesn’t get rattled under pressure. He moves the puck with effective, crisp passes in all three zones. He’s very confident with the puck and has some intriguing offensive upside, plus he can more than hold his own defensively. He can break up plays with a quick stick.

Niemelä has evident pro upside and he’s a player to keep a close eye on for the future.