If nothing else, Huuhtanen is certainly one of the most unique players in this draft. There are some elements to his game that are fantastic, and some that are real concerns. This is a guy who absolutely loves to score goals, and he’ll consistently do whatever he can to make that happen. He’s confident in himself and his shooting ability, throwing a high volume of pucks on net, and for good reason. His wrist shot is quite hard and accurate, and he can dust the puck off with a move or two to get it away from an enemy stick and get himself into a better shooting position. Sometimes he seems like he’s going to dent the puck with how heavily and intensely he’s handling it. Definitely better in the cycle than off the rush, and he has the ability to find his teammates with passes instead of only looking for the shot, but he can also wind it up for a big rush from time to time. He’s a little awkward with his one-timer mechanics, but when he connects, he really connects. He has a genuine knack for tracking and reading the play, which really helps him get the puck in dangerous areas. Plays with a lot of grit and determination, you can tell that he’s dialed in most of the time. He’s a naturally thick, strong kid, and he’ll play the body to gain an advantage. Wins more than an average share of pucks from board battles and blocks shots without hesitation. However, with Huuhtanen it’s hard to not worry about the downsides. He’s clumsy and awkward on the ice, and not particularly athletic. He’s not a good skater at all, and doesn’t seem like he would be overly nimble or agile off the ice, either. He really struggles with his pivots and direction changes, and can easily get caught trailing the play. Huuhtanen is definitely a flawed player who will need plenty of hands-on development, but there could be a diamond in the rough here if a team can develop up his athleticism and conditioning.

– FCHockey’s 2021 NHL Draft Guide