Topias Hynninen, born on December 19, 2005, in Vihti, Finland, is a prospect eligible for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Hynninen is a 5-foot-11, 176-pound center who shoots left and has spent the 2024-2025 season playing for Jukurit in Liiga, the top professional league in Finland. After going undrafted in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Hynninen has worked to improve his game and increase his chances of being drafted in 2025.
Hynninen is characterized as an energetic, two-way forward with a high motor and a strong work ethic. Scouts describe him as a player who brings shift-to-shift intensity, constantly in motion and supporting the puck well. He doesn't take shifts off, finishes checks, battles hard along the walls, and disrupts plays with his stick, making him a reliable forechecker and penalty killer. According to Neutral Zone, Hynninen combines elite compete level, defensive IQ, and responsible play in all three zones with flashes of skill and situational awareness.
Hynninen's strengths lie in his playmaking abilities, skating, and hockey sense. He possesses excellent vision and anticipates plays well, making him a smart distributor of the puck. He is known for quick passing plays and give-and-gos, and his high hockey IQ helps him position himself effectively. Hynninen is a strong skater, capable of creating value in transition as a puck carrier and shaking off defenders along the wall through well-timed cutbacks. As FCHockey scout Samuel Tirpak noted, Hynninen is a true play-driver on a professional level and a really skilled and intelligent playmaker, who loves to set up his teammates from the center position.
Despite his strengths, Hynninen has areas where he needs to improve. One of the primary reasons he went undrafted in 2024 was his lack of size and physical engagement. While he has shown improvement in this area, he still needs to add strength to withstand physical contact and improve his battle efficiency. Hynninen's shot volume and offensive assertiveness have also been identified as areas for development. According to Neutral Zone, despite playing significant minutes and having offensive zone time, Hynninen's shot attempts and shots on goal per game are relatively low. Some scouts have noted inconsistencies in his puck handling in stride, which limits his ability to beat defenders one-on-one and extend possession in the offensive zone.
Hynninen's performance in the 2024-2025 season has been promising. He earned a bigger role with Jukurit and rewarded the coaching staff's trust by becoming one of the team's most productive players. In 51 Liiga games, he recorded 12 goals and 23 assists for 35 points. Furthermore, he elevated his play during Jukurit's relegation playoff series, amassing 10 points in 5 games and demonstrating his ability to take control and perform under pressure. Hynninen also won a silver medal at the U20 World Junior Championship.
Several scouting services have provided rankings for Hynninen in the lead-up to the 2025 NHL Draft. SMAHT Scouting ranked him 38th, Recruit Scouting ranked him 46th, and THN/Ferrari ranked him 47th. NHL Central Scouting ranked him 83rd among European skaters. FCHockey had him at 129, while McKeen's Hockey placed him at 212. The Hockey News noted that Hynninen was Jukurit's second-highest regular-season scorer. Chris Ralph of Upside Hockey ranked Hynninen as the number 83rd ranked European skater.
Overall, Topias Hynninen is a versatile and hardworking forward with strong playmaking skills and a high motor. While he needs to address his size and strength limitations and increase his offensive assertiveness, his improvements in the 2024-2025 season have made him an intriguing prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft. His ability to play both center and wing, combined with his strong two-way game, could make him a valuable addition to an NHL team.
