Potential draft overagers who impressed at the World Juniors

Petteri Rimpinen would’ve preferred to leave the 2025 World Juniors with gold, no doubt.

Instead, he had to settle for silver.

But the 18-year-old goaltender from Finland can take solace in the fact he left a strong impression on scouts that could be considering him for the 2025 NHL Draft after logging a 2.34 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in seven appearances at the tournament.

“He is a hyper-athletic goaltender with a knack for being in the right place at the right time,” FCHockey scout David Phillips said. “He attacks shooters with an aggressive play-style, moving to the top of his crease whenever possible. Rimpinen, who went undrafted in his first year of eligibility, has also demonstrated incredible tracking habits.

“This ability to track the puck and read releases, combined with his athleticism, has been the foundation of his dominance at this year’s World Juniors.”

Rimpinen, who won the IIHF Directorate Award as the tournament’s top goalkeeper and was named to the tournament’s all-star team as voted on by the media, was eligible for the 2024 draft but wasn’t among the 224 players selected, despite strong numbers in Kiekko-Espoo’s program in 2023-24.

In 18 games in U20 SM-sarja, Finland’s top junior league, Rimpinen posted a 2.32 goals-against average and .905 save percentage across 18 appearances. He trumped that in Mestis, Finland’s second divisions with a 1.94 goals-against average and .925 save percentage in 14 games.

This season, Rimpinen has a 2.25 goals-against average and a league-leading .916 save percentage in 24 games in Liiga, Finland’s top men’s pro circuit.

“Rimpinen had a very strong showing at this tournament and has likely worked his way into consideration as a top-100 selection for the 2025 draft,” Phillips siad.

Here are the other passed-over players in 2024 who impressed at the World Juniors, and have found their way onto the radar for 2025 as a result:

Linards Feldbergs | G | Latvia

If Rimpinen was the tournament’s top goaltender, Linards Feldbergs was the feel-good netminder of the World Juniors. Feldbergs averaged 45.2 shots against per game in suiting up for every minute of action and still managed a 3.13 goals-against average and .929 save percentage for an upstart Latvian squad that saw upsets against Canada and Germany. Feldbergs, who boasts good size at 6-foot-2 and 187 pounds, will surely get some additional attention back with Sherbrooke in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

“Feldbergs showed very strong positioning and athleticism throughout the tournament,” Phillips said. “He consistently puts his torso and hands in positions to save pucks. His breakout performance is sure to have him on NHL radars, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him selected within the first five rounds of the 2025 draft.”

David Granberg | F | Sweden

David Granberg was eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft. It didn’t go his way. He found that exact result in 2024, too. But a standout performance, including netting six points (two goals, four assists) and a plus-5 rating in seven games despite averaging just 12:45 of ice time with Sweden, could help change Granberg’s fortunes for 2025. Strong play from the 19-year-old with Luleå HF in the SHL, Sweden’s top division, hasn’t hurt either.

“What a story Granberg is and what a tournament from him,” FCHockey scout Samuel Tirpak said. “I expected him to be a safe, shutdown, defensive forward who wouldn’t produce much, but he used his strengths such as speed, aggressiveness and size to create offense off the rush and off board play, where he was incredibly strong. Personally, Granberg is the top European forward overage candidate after this tournament and deservedly so.”

Julius Sumpf | F | Germany

Much like Granberg, Julius Sumpf has been disappointed at two straight drafts. His third time could be the charm. Sumpf, ranked No. 181 at FCHockey in 2023 and No. 244 in 2024, was Germany’s top offensive threat at the World Juniors, amassing seven points (two goals, five assists) in five games. He averaged 20:46 of ice time, tops among forwards, and he was just one of five players for Germany to have a positive possession rate, leading the team with a 55.9% Corsi For percentage at five-on-five. It doesn’t hurt that Sumpf has been a standout with Moncton in the QMJHL this season, either, with 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) in 30 games.

“Sumpf really put himself in consideration for 2025,” FCHockey scout Kareem Elshafey said. “He was Germany’s most dangerous forward and when you pair that with a really good year playing with Caleb Desnoyers in Moncton, his stock has risen significantly thus far.”

Matej Mastalirsky | F | Czechia

Matej Mastalirsky hasn’t had it easy this season in Czechia. The 19-year-old has just one point, an assist, in 22 games skating with HC Litvínov at the country’s highest level of competition. But the World Juniors showed Mastalirsky should still be kept on the radar. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound forward had six points (three goals, three assists) as an alternate captain for Czechia at the World Juniors, playing massive minutes — 18:46 per game to be exact — in a top-line role for the bronze medal-winning squad.

“Mastalirsky was incredible all tournament long,” Tirpak said. “Being a support piece of the top line, he complimented captain Eduard Sale incredibly well with his speed, two-way play and overall calculated nature of his game, always being patient, in the right spots to make sure play continues to develop and was finishing plays too. Very good tournament from one of the Czech off-ice leaders. Mastalirsky is a player who could definitely challenge for a late-round selection in the 2025 draft if he continues to play like this in the Czech top league.”

Benjamin Rautiainen | F | Finland

Rimpinen isn’t the only draft re-entry candidate from Finland’s roster to impress. Benjamin Rautiainen caught eyes, too. Rautiainen had four points (two goals, two assists) across seven games with Finland, a share of fourth-most on the team, but his contributions went well beyond the boxscore. Rautiainen has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 32 games with Tappara in Liiga this season — eighth-most among U20 players in the league.

“One noticeable overager for me was definitely Rautiainen,” FCHockey scout Joey Fortin Boulay said. “He was flying with speed all tournament long, displaying great puckhandling skills off the rush and being an offensive menace. I also liked his compete level and I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets selected in the 2025 draft.”

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