Juho Piiparinen
2025-26 Team: Tappara (Liiga)
Date of Birth: Aug. 10, 2008
Place of Birth: Lahti, Finland
Ht: 6-ft-1 Wt: 201 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2026 first-year eligible
Rankings
Juho Piiparinen is one of the best defensive defensemen in this year’s draft class. Although he’s among the younger prospects this year, he’s incredibly mature and intelligent, using his hockey IQ to constantly put himself in the right position on defense. His smooth and fluid skating, highlighted by mobility and speed, helps with this as well. He is a true puck-hunter, constantly chasing down loose pucks and hounding opposing puck-carriers, often erasing chances in the process. He can defend in all three zones and knows when to use physicality to cause turnovers and win puck battles, but just as importantly, he knows when to step back and take a less aggressive approach as well.
Piiparinen’s offensive game doesn’t stand out as much, but he still does some things well on that end. He absorbs hits well, able to keep plays going through contact. He also uses his positioning here as well, anticipating where pucks will be to help sustain possessions. His smarts show up in his puck-moving — while he doesn’t always make the high-risk, high-reward passes, he will make the steady play to keep the offense flowing, even if it doesn’t always directly lead to a goal. He doesn’t offer a big shot from the blue line, but like so many other parts of his game, he’s all about timing, understanding the right moments in which to put a puck on net.
Related: THW’s 2026 NHL Draft Guide
Piiparinen got his first appearance with Tappara’s senior team this season, but has no goals and just three assists in 29 games, suggesting he needs to grow his offensive game more before he’s ready to face NHL competition. But for his age and experience, his defense is just about right where it needs to be.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Juho Piiparinen — NHL Draft Projection
Piiparinen’s lack of offensive threat prevents him from climbing into the top tier of blue line prospects in this draft, but he’s not too far below them. He should be a mid-to-late first-round pick, with the potential to go on the earlier side if a team badly in need of right-shot defensemen finds themselves picking while he’s still available.
Quotables
“Strong and physically engaged, he ties up opponents with his stick and uses his frame to win positional battles. His game is not pure defense either, he has a good first pass and shows some intriguing potential as a puck mover, scanning the ice and knowing the right play to make at the right times.” – Gordon Munro, Dobber Prospects
“His projection is not as a big-time point getter, but more of a complementary, safe and sound partner. This should not be viewed as a bad thing, but his true value is defending, playing simple, moving pucks accurately and efficiently and eventually eating big minutes.” – Sam Cosentino, Sportsnet
“Piiparinen is one of the better skating defenseman in this class, showcasing above average straight line speed and an impressive ability to open up his hips and walk the blue line with ease. Offensively, his shot power and accuracy are more on the average side, but his ability to open up lanes horizontally for himself and get pucks on net is already high end.” – Dan Haurin, SMAHT Scouting
Strengths
- Defensive positioning
- Skating mobility
- Physicality
- Steady puck-moving
Under Construction — Improvements to Make
- Shot power
- Making tough passes
NHL Potential
Piiparinen looks to be a top-four defenseman, and could even be the defensive-minded blueliner on a top pair if he hits the more optimistic side of his projection. If he grows his offensive game, his puck-moving ability means he could also turn into the quarterback of a team’s second power-play unit. He has compared himself to Brock Faber and Aaron Ekblad.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 1.5/5, Reward – 4.5/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense – 4.5/10, Defense – 9/10
Awards/Achievements
- 2025 U18 SM-sarja Champion
- 2025 U18 WJC Top 3 Player on Team
- 2023 U16 Pohjola Camp MVP
Interviews/Links
Juho Piiparinen Stats
Videos
