‘Starting to Realize Dreams Within His Reach’

Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen and his Everett Silvertips teammates are off to a fast start in the Western Hockey League, winning nine of their first 11 games to stand atop the Western Conference going into Friday’s home matchup against the Edmonton Oil Kings. The 2024 second-round draft choice attributes the red-hot record to new head coach Steve Hamilton.

“I think our new coach brought a lot of energy to this team,” said Miettinen. “The guys are just fitting perfectly together. Everybody is friends together. That translates to hockey. There is a looseness.”

That works out well for Miettinen because his new coach admires the 6-foot-3, 205-pound centerman’s demeanor with its mix of light-heartedness and the drive to become an NHL player.

“He's an easy-going guy,” said Hamilton, who joined the Silvertips after six seasons and a 165-152-40 record as head coach of WHL Calgary. “Jules has a good sense of humor. And he's starting to realize his dreams are within his reach. Sometimes, it doesn’t become real until the player experiences an NHL training camp. You start playing for your future. We’re going to be the beneficiaries of that motivation.”

Miettinen impressed at the Kraken’s training camp and the 2024 Rookie Faceoff tournament in Los Angeles, where he earned a second start after a stellar first game in the tourney.

Adapting to Being Far from Home, Smaller Rink Size

While new coach Hamilton appreciates Miettinen’s sense of humor, the Finland native was dead-on serious about adjusting to both a new country and North America’s smaller rink size when he arrived in Everett last fall after previously competing in Finland’s U20 league. At 17, Miettinen knew little English, something not apparent during our conversation last Friday after practice and before the team left for Portland to post a victory after 16 straight road losses at the Winterhawks arena.

“It was my first time leaving home and being far, far away, a 10-hour difference,” said Miettinen. “You learn English the hard way; you just have to learn it. The guys, of course, helped me a lot. Sometimes we joked about how I was speaking, but that’s just part of it.”

Though he is modest about his linguistic skills, Miettinen did allow that his road trip conversations are more robust this season. Everett opened the season with three home games, then embarked on a six-game road trip that started with two games in Saskatchewan (Prince Albert and Saskatoon), then a matchup in Manitoba (Brandon) before traversing back to Saskatchewan for three more contests (Regina, Moose Jaw, Swift Current). They racked up five wins and plenty of team bonding moments.

“You’re sitting on the bus, I’d say, for 16 hours at times,” said Miettinen, flashing a toothy grin that makes everyone around him smile, too. “So, yeah, it's a long time. You get to know people pretty well. Then at the hotel, you’ve got different roommates. You get to bond with them. Last fall, I could understand English a little bit, but the speaking was hard. Not now. It’s good.”

Leaving his parents – he’s an only child – was tough, too, last season. He still calls twice a day: “When I wake before coming to the rink, have a little chat with them, then I call again maybe an hour before I go to bed.”

Playing a Hard, Physical Two-Way Game

Miettinen has scored three goals and added six assists in his first ten games this season, including a pair of primary assists on first-period goals by teammate Carter Bear in a 6-1 Wednesday home win over Wenatchee. But his two-way play is what the Silvertips coaching staff and the Kraken hockey operations both value the most about the Finnish prospect.

“First and foremost, the obvious thing is Jules’ natural size and athleticism,” said Steve Hamilton, who displayed his own sense of humor, sporting a t-shirt during our talk that read, “Five of four of us struggle with math.” “Especially when you're looking at guys at the junior level, he stands out, literally. “It’s great to have a big man who's got that kind of touch and ability to make plays. He can impact the game with and without the puck.”

Against Portland last weekend, a 3-0 shutout win, Miettinen didn’t make the score sheet, but a closer look at the game stats reveals he was trusted with half of his team faceoffs (39 compared to 38 others split by three teammates), achieving a 53.8 winning percentage. Miettinen said he is making sure to work on his faceoffs during practices.

“I’m working on being hard on pucks, winning battles, winning in the faceoff circle,” said Miettinen. “Those are the biggest things right now to focus on, plus just be a better skater ... With faceoffs, I am looking to use my body. I’m a big guy, so I'm trying to get an advantage from that and get better with the stick. Everybody kind of has their own style. I am working on getting lower; I think it helps a lot.”

As for adapting to the smaller rink size, Miettinen posted 67 points (31 goals, 36 assists) in 66 regular season games last season, then added a pair of goals and two assists in nine postseason games. Mission accomplished and draft position (No. 40 overall) secured.

“In North America, you're talking about short bursts, separation at explosive speed, which is something that you always want to see from prospects, especially from a big man,” said Hamilton. “Jules definitely has those characteristics.”

Miettinen started his hockey dream quest when his mom brought him to hockey at age “four or five, somewhere in there.” He honed his love of the sport through floorball, playing it daily in school and getting outside on the ice when possible, “then going to sleep and doing all it all over again.”

After attending his first NHL training camp, Miettinen said he is clear about what he needs to augment to play at the pro level. He wants to be a better skater and works on edges and skating skills after Everett practices. Gaining weight (“the goal is probably 210, 220 pounds") and strength are on the list too.

“I just have to be stronger,” said Miettinen said in matter-of-fact English. “Other guys are getting stronger, and I have to get stronger too.”