It’s that time of year again! We’re less than a month away from the first round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, on Thursday, July 7. The Columbus Blue Jackets will be picking at #6 and #12.
Joakim Kemell
Position: RW
Team: JYP (Liiga)
Date of Birth: April 27, 2004
Birthplace: Jyväskylän mlk, Finland
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 176 lbs
Shoots: Right
Rankings
Ranked #6 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #10 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #9 by FCHOCKEY
Ranked #7 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
Ranked #7 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #3 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #2 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU Skaters)
Ranked #9 by SPORTSNET
Ranked #7 by ISS HOCKEY
Ranked #6 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
Ranked #8 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
Ranked #5 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
Ranked #12 by SMAHT SCOUTING
Ranked #5 by THE PUCK AUTHORITY
2021-22 Stats
Games Played: 39
Goals: 15
Assists: 8
Points: 23
PIM: 2
Plus/Minus: -13
Joakim Kemell is a prospect to keep an eye on next week. Most outlets have the Finnish winger ranked in the top 10 due to his high motor, puck skills, and dangerous shot. He exploded onto the scene early in the season, but slowed his production as the Liiga season wore on. He’s a smaller forward, but it’s worth noting that he’s one of the younger prospects in his class. Scouts certainly do take age into consideration, especially when the prospect is coming from a professional league like Liiga.
Kemell may have the tools and potential to be a top six NHL winger, but he may not be what the Blue Jackets are looking for at pick six. He’s more scorer than playmaker, he’s on the smaller side, and there are questions about his skating. He did, however, score very well in explosiveness at the combine. If he can work on his skating technique, he could end up being an elite skater. He could end up being a gem and Jarmo will have his eye on the best available player, but he’s probably a reach at six in this writer’s opinion.
Scouting Reports
He brings skill and speed to his shifts, showing the ability to carry the puck up ice and create chances for himself and his teammates. Kemell can pass the puck very well, but his shot is his main weapon. You can set him up from mid-range and he can finish. He lacks size, but he plays hard, showing no fear of engaging physically to win back pucks or to take a hit to make a play. He projects as a very good top-six winger who will score a lot of goals in the NHL. – Corey Pronman, The Athletic
Kemell is a very shifty forward, using good puck skills to effectively attack defenders and get to promising areas. This is a crucial part of his skillset, because his inexplosive skating doesn’t give him much leeway when it comes to operating in tight spaces– if he’s going to be a high-level offensive player, he needs to depend on his puck skills to get him to open ice in situations where his feet cannot. – Sam Happi, McKeen’s Hockey
Kemell has bounced up and down draft boards, beginning with his historic start to the Liiga campaign that saw him being talked about as a surefire top-five pick. But his production has slowed in the second half, including a 16-game scoreless drought, bringing about questions regarding the sustainability of his early-season run. Our team still has faith in Kemell, however, and we believe that he is worth a top-10 pick in the draft. His shooting ability and overall goal-scoring toolkit are still among the best in the class and he has the potential to be a dynamic powerplay weapon in the NHL, thanks to his versatile repertoire of shots. He has also shown more promise distributing the puck on the powerplay as the season has gone forward. – Eetu Siltanen, Dobber Prospects