Florida Panthers Top 25 Under 25: #12 Aleksi Heponiemi

We continue our list with one of the more controversial U25 Panthers - a 2017 draft pick that turned heads in the WHL this past season, and hopes to continue to do so in Finland in 2018-19.

Position: Center

Age: 19

Team: Kärpät (Liiga)

Drafted in 2017, 2nd Round (40th Overall)

Early in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft, the Florida Panthers selected a speedy, diminutive Finnish center playing out of the WHL named Aleksi Heponiemi. Coming off an 86-point season (28G/58A) for the Swift Current Broncos in 72 games, there was no questioning Heponiemi’s skill. However, at 5’10” and 141 lbs, there were understandable concerns around his size. Would he be able to effectively translate his skilled…