Canes believe they picked the right Sebastian Aho in NHL draft

There was momentary confusion at the recent NHL Entry Draft when the Carolina Hurricanes picked Sebastian Aho early in the second round.

Sebastian Aho, the Finnish forward?

Sebastian Aho, the Swedish defenseman?

Two Sebastian Ahos in the same draft?

It was quickly learned the Canes had taken the forward from Finland. Aho wasn’t at the draft in Sunrise, Fla., slipping on a Carolina jersey and making the media rounds, but he is attending the Canes’ prospects development camp this week in Raleigh.

Of being the 35th overall pick of the draft, Aho said, “I watched it on the Internet, on my laptop. Of course I was happy and excited. It’s my only goal, to be in the NHL one day.”

Aho said he knew little of the Hurricanes but quickly got “some information” from a friend, former Canes forward Jussi Jokinen. The week in camp allows him to meet the Canes’ coaches and management, go on the ice with the other prospects and display the talent that made him a junior star in Finland who quickly made his way into the Finnish Elite League.

Aho’s team, Karpat Oulu, won the league championship in April. Karpat did it with an overtime victory over Tappara Tampere in Game 7 of the Kanada Cup finals.

Aho was the overtime hero. Taking a stretch pass at the offensive blue line, he skated in and easily beat goalie Juha Metsola, setting off a wild celebration. Aho was mobbed by teammates as the arena rumbled.

Not bad for a 17-year-old.

“It was awesome to win the championship and make that goal,” Aho said, smiling. “Then the next day I was playing in the World Championship.”

Aho quickly hopped a flight to Switzerland to compete for Finland in the gold-medal game of the IIHF World U-18 Championship. The Finns were beaten 2-1 by the U.S. but Aho had an assist and called “an amazing last couple of days of the season.”

While the Canes have brought in some prospects with good size, Aho isn’t one of them. He’s listed at 5 feet 11 and 172 pounds – about four inches shorter and 35 pounds lighter than defenseman Noah Hanifin, the Canes’ first-round pick this year.

Hanifin and Aho have gone head-to-head on the ice, battling each other in the 2015 World Junior Championship in Montreal. The U.S. was a 2-1 winner over Finland, the 2014 World Junior champs.

“He’s really quick, a really good skater,” Hanifin said. “You can tell he plays against men in the Finnish league. He’s really strong in the corners, protecting the puck, things like that.”

After the tournament, Hanifin went back to Boston College. For Aho, it was back to Karpat, back to competing against the men in the Finnish Liiga.

In 27 regular-season games for Karpat, Aho had four goals and seven assists. Then came the playoffs, and his overtime winner.

“It was good playing against men, who are bigger and stronger than the junior players,” Aho said. “Maybe a little more clever.”

Aho, who went into the draft as the 18th-ranked international skater by NHL Central Scouting, has two years remaining on his contract with Karpat. Canes general manager Ron Francis said Wednesday he has had conversations with Aho’s father, Harri, the Karpat general manager, and that Sebastian may stay one more season in the Finnish League.

For Aho, along with forwards Gregory Hofmann of Switzerland and Erik Karlsson of Sweden, there will be an adjustment to the smaller North American rinks. There are a lot of big men and tight spaces, as Canes coach Bill Peters likes to say

“The system plays a little different, so in my opinion the sooner they can get over here and get some experience in North America the better off they’re going to be,” Peters said.

Hofmann, 22, is compared by Peters to forward Carl Hagelin of the Anaheim Ducks and may spend one last year in Switzerland. Karlsson, 20, will make the move from Sweden, Francis said.

Harri Aho said his son could be used on either wing or at center.

“Sebastian is skilled, reliable two-way forward,” he said by email. “Skating and how to read the game are his strengths. Also he can score and create chances for linemates. He needs to improve his physical play and shot.”

And about that last name: is it pronounced “A-ho” or “Ah-ho”?

“I just call him Sea Bass,” Peters said, smiling.

Sounds good. And, for the record, it is “Ah-ho.”

This story was originally published July 8, 2015 at 6:33 PM with the headline "Canes believe they picked the right Sebastian Aho in NHL draft."