The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Ottavainen will get to push later this month as a member of Finland's 20-Under team at the upcoming World Junior Championship in Edmonton, which begins Dec. 26. Finnish officials announced its roster for the wildly popular tournament among Canadians and Europeans that is finding traction with American hockey fans too.
"It's a big opportunity for Ville and we are very excited for him," said Bodie during a phone interview as he was driving to check on arena construction in Coachella Valley. "He is working hard and playing well. He plays on the second [defensive] pair and sometimes top pair, plus he is getting power play minutes."
Bodie said Ottavainen is a "strong skater with a hard shot who can power the puck up the ice," no doubt one of the factors for him making a Finnish roster that is expected to compete for a medal.
The World Junior tournament-Canada's version of March Madness-is a test for Ottavainen that Kraken fans should make note to watch. All games will be televised on NHL Network and the Kraken app and website will be reporting on Ottavainen and potentially first-round draft choice Matty Beniers, who was invited to training camp for Team USA.
"[World Junior] is very high level of competition," said Bodie, who appeared in 159 NHL game with Anaheim, Carolina and Toronto. "It's the best of the best for the U20 age group. You have top NHL draft choices and future NHL draft choices [including a good number eligible for the 2022 draft]. It means a lot for players to medal."
The 99th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Ottavainen played a season of major juniors in the Ontario Hockey League with the Kitchener Rangers during 2019-20 season. He returned to Finland to play last season when the Ontario league cancelled its schedule.
Here's a sound bite from Mike Farwell, color analyst for the Kitchener team and a popular local radio host: "One of the first things you'll notice about Ville is his skating. He's got a smooth and easy stride and it makes him a solid puck-mover. Ville's decision-making is also above average, quick and confident, seeing him make the right - even safe - play more often than not."
