The Red Deer Rebels feel like they've hit a home run in the 2024 CHL Import Draft.
With the 44th overall pick in the first round, the Rebels selected Finnish forward Kasper Pikkarainen and are optimistic he'll sign with the team.
"We didn't know which way we were going to go, forward or defence. He was a guy if we were picking in the top three overall we would have wanted," said associate general manager Shaun Sutter.
"In the Import draft, I think there were only four players who were taken ahead of him in the NHL Draft. He's a high-end player and we're very lucky to get him. Hopefully, everything follows through and we get him here in time for camp."
The 17-year-old from Helsinki, Finland has plenty of offensive upside. Last season with TPS Turko U20, Pikkarainen recorded 28 points in 34 games. He added seven points in 12 playoff games. He has played for Finland at the World U17 Hockey Challenge and World U18 Hockey Championships.
Standing 6'3" tall and 197 pounds he also doesn't shy away from the physical side of the game.
"He's a big powerful kid that can skate, shoot, and score. Obviously, Ollie Josephson is a great player for us and he went in the fourth round of the NHL Draft and Pikkarainen went in the third round," Sutter added.
"I think that says quite a bit but Kasper is a top-line player in the Western Hockey League... He's an upper-echelon player that we were fortunate to get."
With the uncertainty ahead of the draft of what kind of player they would get at 44th overall, the Rebels are happy with how it worked out.
They weren't sure if they'd get someone who had a desire to play in the WHL or if they were even good enough to play.
Pikkarainen checks off both boxes.
Just last weekend he was selected in the third round, 85th overall by the New Jersey Devils at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas.
"He's just a great compliment to what we have. Anytime you add that quality of player it makes any team better but with his size and scoring ability, not to do comparables but it's a big hole not having Kai Uchacz return... This guy can come in and add the offensive punch we're losing with Kai."
In the upcoming 2024-25 campaign, Pikkarainen will join Czechia forward Samuel Drancak as the two import players on the Rebels. Former Rebels forward Frantisek Formanek will not return to Red Deer and has instead decided to play professional hockey in Czechia.
While speaking with reporters at the NHL Draft, Pikkarainen said it was a dream come true to be drafted by the Devils, which is the same franchise his father played for.
He described himself as a big winger who likes to hit and make plays with the puck in the offensive zone. He's hoping to work on his skating, even though it has improved over the last few years, and hopes to be in the NHL within two or three years.