The Generals and General Manager Andy Rolling took their second defenseman in the first round and this one should be a good complement to Alexei Bereglazov. Finn Niclas Almari has the physical tools for long-term employment in the league, although scouts question his hockey sense and would like to see him think offense a little more. Here’s what the draft guide had to say about him: “The Espoo, Finland, native plays an uptempo game and likes to rush the puck out of the defensive zone. Look for him to develop into a solid, two-way defenseman who will peak as a top 4 blueliner. The Pittsburgh Penguins drafted him in in Round 5 of the 2016 NHL draft.”

That gives Geneva these 7 defensemen under 25: Colton Parayko, Brandon Carlo, Alexei Bereglazov, Niclas Almari, Troy Stecher, Christian Marti and Ben Hutton.

Almari is the fourth Finn taken so far in the draft. The selection completes a Season 6 trade with Belfast in which Geneva traded Sergei Mozyakin for Nazem Kadri, Vladislav Kamenev and the pick used to take Almari.