Jesper Kotajärvi – 2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

Defensively, Kotajärvi is skilled both on and off the puck. He isn’t afraid to challenge attacking offensive players in transition and shut down their opportunities. He gets his stick on the puck to break up plays and throw off opposing rushes. His reading of the game allows him to anticipate passes and shut down passing lanes, making him a helpful defender on the penalty kill. On the other hand, he could afford to be more physical. He doesn’t dish out hits very often, making him less of a threat to opposing forwards than he might be otherwise. This lack of physicality sometimes leads to him losing races to the puck or being beaten to the front of the net when he’s playing defense, and he’s occasionally hesitant to get involved in puck battles. Given that he’s somewhat undersized for a defenseman, a more physical style could catch teams off guard.

Even in these early stages of his career, Kotajärvi has shown an ability to elevate his game in the playoffs. His scoring totals are consistently higher in the postseason than they are in the regular season, and he’s played well at several international tournaments with the Finnish team. His maturity in these high-stakes games, along with his overall potential, could make him appealing to teams come draft time.

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Jesper Kotajärvi – NHL Draft Projection

Kotajärvi’s draft position comes down to how much of a risk teams are willing to take on him. If a front office likes his potential, he could go late in the third round. On the other hand, he could fall as far as the fifth or sixth round if teams get spooked by the amount of development he still has to do.

Quotables

“Kotajärvi’s game is centered around his great skating. He has a beautiful technique as he uses his strides effectively which allows him to make quick turns and open up his hips to find new passing lanes. The great skating combined with his hockey smarts allow him to be effective in all three zones of the ice, whether he’s blocking passing lanes, walking the offensive blueline, or carrying the puck himself in the neutral zone.” – Anni Karvinen, Dobber Prospects

“Kotajarvi is a smart, puck-moving defenseman who can play a lot of minutes if needed … I don’t think he’s more than a late-round pick unless he figures out how to use his speed to his advantage more consistently.” – Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff

Strengths

Under Construction – Improvements to Make

NHL Potential

If he can make the transition to North America, Kotajärvi probably maxes out as a second-pair defenseman who can play on a team’s penalty kill and possibly their second power-play unit. A successful career for him could look somewhat like that of Matt Grzelcyk, as a defensive-minded blueliner who won’t score many goals but can provide a respectable number of assists.

Risk-Reward Analysis

Risk – 2.5/5, Reward – 3.5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 4/10, Defense – 7/10

Awards/Achievements

Jesper Kotajärvi Stats

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