First point for Aatos Koivu with Finland at CMJ summer camp

Aatos Koivu has not finished impressing Canadiens fans. The Tricolore’s third-round draft pick spent the last few days at the World Junior Championship’s Summer Showcase trying to impress the Finnish officials.

Although he failed to pick up a point in each of his first three games at the camp, Koivu impressed a few people with his style of play, including Grant McCagg.

The Koivu I scouted mid winter looked nothing like the player I scouted last week and today. His skating has noticeably improved and he’s competing a lot harder. He looks really good.

– Grant McCagg (@grantmccagg) August 2, 2024

McCagg had already watched Koivu in action last season and noticed a glaring difference between his current game and that of just a few months ago.

The aspects he has improved the most are his skating stroke and his sense of competition. In Montreal, we like fast players with heart, and that’s exactly how McCagg described young Koivu’s game.

Perhaps that’s what convinced Canadiens officials to select him in the third round of the latest NHL draft.

Koivu and Finland faced Canada on Friday, and let’s just say it was a completely offensive game, with an 8-6 win for the Canadiens. The Canadian prospect started the game as the Finnish team’s third center.

He made his mark with his first point of the tournament: a shot from the slot that was redirected in front of the net by Joona Saarelainen on the power play.

Another goal for Finland on the power play as Joona Saarelainen (TBL) is able to deflect the Aatos Koivu (MTL) shot past Joshua Ravensbergen. It’s now 8-4 Canada and Finland still has time on the power play. #WJSS

– Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) August 2, 2024

His shot was so convincing that Scott Wheeler of The Athletic was convinced it was him who scored the goal.

Aatos Koivu (MTL) pounds a one-timer and it’s 8-4.

– Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) August 2, 2024

Despite this fine offensive sequence, McCagg admitted that it wasn’t Koivu’s best game in recent weeks. He did, however, explain that he saw some good flashes from the Canadiens’ prospect.

What he needs to improve is certainly his physical game, by adding a few pounds to his frame.

He was better versus Switzerland a week or two ago than the vaunted Canadians today but still saw some positives. He’ll need to keep getting stronger.

– Grant McCagg (@grantmccagg) August 2, 2024

Koivu will have to use his best asset to try and solidify his place with Finland at the next World Junior Championship. He explained on Thursday that he knows how to handle pressure, which will be important as the big tournament approaches.

Overtime

– Lapierre wants to master the art of redirecting pucks.

“The best players in the league that can tip pucks are super dangerous all the time.”

As Hendrix Lapierre preps for his full-time jump to the Capitals, he’s mastering the art of deflections. We went 1-on-1 about just how hard that is & why it’s vital:https://t.co/YEwDXGKw6K

– Sammi Silber (@sammisilber) August 2, 2024

– He could help the Oilers.

Could Leon Draisaitl accept a slight discount to stay with the #Edmonton Oilers? If so, it could send a message to the rest of the team, says @thejimparsons:https://t.co/DTs8V1H53Y

– The Hockey News (@TheHockeyNews) August 2, 2024