The Lightning have placed a lot of emphasis on international scouting. And during last month’s draft, they thought so highly of 20-year-old Finnish forward Benjamin Rautiainen that the Lightning traded up in the fourth round to ensure being able to take him with the 108th overall pick.
It’s a move that might go overlooked, but Rautiainen looks less like a mid-round prospect than he does a player with the makings to play in the NHL. And given the Lightning’s recent Scandinavian success — Norwegian defenseman Emil Lilleberg and Finnish forward Waltteri Merela quickly rose to the NHL ranks after signing as free agents — Rautiainen could be the next one with some time.
In his age-19 season, Rautiainen held his own playing in Finland’s top pro league, scoring 10 goals with 23 assists in 50 games for Tappara. He added two goals and two assists in nine playoff games.
But it was Rautiainen’s play for Finland in this year’s world juniors that legitimized him as a draft prospect.
“I got a little bit more attention after that,” he said.
Rautiainen certainly stood out on a big stage as one of Finland’s top players. He had two goals and two assists in the world juniors, but it was his overtime power-play goal that beat Sweden to send the Fins to the tournament final that was the highlight of his play.
With Finland on a 4-on-3 power play, Rautiainen took a pass below the right circle and slowed the play down, surveying the ice and then wristing a shot under the goaltender’s pads for the win, prompting a wild celebration on the ice as Finland beat its biggest rival.
“I’d done it like once before and it went in then, and I just tried to do that same thing and it went in,” Rautiainen said. “It’s a moment I won’t forget. It’s the best moment of my life. I think it’s just crazy, semifinals against Sweden. It couldn’t be a better place to score. That’s just amazing.”
The Lightning certainly weighed Rautiainen’s performance in world juniors highly.
“You get to see him best-on-best in their age group, and (he) was playing in the men’s league over in (Finland), so he was always the youngest guy on the ice,” Lightning amateur scouting director John Rosso said. “So you put him in his own age group with 18, 19 year olds, and he stands out. ... But then everyone else sees the same thing. So it’s a good thing and a bad thing depending on how you look at it.”
“But he scored some big goals for Finland (in world juniors),” Rosso added. “All of our European scouts were there to watch him, and the European scouts really like to see their players in their age group, and you get to see them against good competition. ... Our Euro scouts really liked Rautiainen, so that worked out well. It’s tough to get everyone on the same page, when everyone agrees and really likes a player.”
Rautiainen said playing well in world juniors not only drew more attention from scouts but also helped his confidence.
“It’s a big competition,” Rautiainen said. “I think everybody is watching it. So when you do good in a tournament like that, I think it’s always good. It gave me a little boost to the end of the season. It helped me a lot.”
Just two days after being drafted — and following a 15-hour flight from Finland — Rautiainen participated in the Lightning’s development camp. He was able to shake off any jet lag, standing out among this year’s draft picks.
“We were wondering, ‘OK, he’s gonna get in here a little late. Are we bringing him?’ ” Lightning player development director J.P. Cote said. “Hell yeah, we’re bringing him. It’s three days, two days. Let him see what this is all about.”
The European rinks are larger, so there’s less space on the NHL sheets Rautiainen was playing on in world juniors and here in development camp.
“You have to have quick feet and you have to be ready all the time,” he said. “It’s tight.”
This season, Rautiainen will return to Tappara for his second pro season there and could sign an entry-level contract after that.
It helps because I know what’s coming, the game and everything,” Rautiainen said. “I know it, so it’s going to be easier. It’s going to be fun.”