A large, rangy center who plays with some artistic flair, Kumpulainen’s star has been rising steadily this winter. Strong on his edges and a master at entering the offensive zone against similarly aged peers, Kumpulainen likes to establish the play and get things set up. Great posture and effortless strides make this seem like kids play and he has a knack for slowing down the game to fit his schedule. Interestingly, his powerplay spot on the right face-off circle benefits from such play-inducing puck control, but also because he’s shown a knack for taking accurate one-timers. Some strong showings for the national team throughout the winter led to a showcasing at the U18 Worlds, where his five points and +5 in five games didn’t quite reflect how he, at times, played for the Leijonat. What we saw was a player with a quick release who was noticeable in his economic movement in a number of situations, coming out of corners with pucks, and placing considerable emphasis on backchecking while maintaining his assignments in the defensive zone, time and again ready to get his big body involved. A number of opposition plays ended with Kumpulainen pinning a puck-carrier against the boards or him poke-checking the puck away and furthering it to his teammates. Had he learned from the situations back home that had garnered him that team-worse -9 rating? At the end of the day, players his size who can masterfully weave on their edges and glide around the ice with the puck so effortlessly will always leave suitors with visions of grandeur. - McKeen's Draft Guide 2023