You fine readers and us less-than-fine writers can’t get much closer in our opinions of Lassi Thomson.
While he dropped two spots on this year’s list, the 20 year-old Finnish defender put to rest any doubts that he wasn’t better served by returning to the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets in 2019-2020. Electing to join Ilves Tampere of the Finnish Elite League (SM-liiga), Thomson stepped into a league dominated by men, and proved that he belongs. He roared out of the gate, and used his booming shot to finish the truncated season with a highly respectable seven goals and six assists in 39 games with his European club.