Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Elite Prospects
It’s never too early to start talking about the NHL Draft, and there will be many questions facing this young orange and black team come June. Some questions range from are they going to move up or back? Are the Flyers drafting for positional needs in the system, such as Right-Handed Defenseman? These are some very valid questions that people have.
In year’s past the Flyers relied heavily on Head Scout Chris Pryor, and the drafting guru in Ron Hextall for overall success during the draft. Gone are those days, as this year the Flyers new General, General Manager Chuck Fletcher will have his second draft with the orange and black. With that being said, a Right-Handed puck moving defenseman in Ruben Rafkin is one of the smoothest skaters in the draft, and he might catch the eye of Fletcher in the second round. Rafkin stands at 6’0” and weighs 190 pounds, and can transition with the best of them, “There is no ice back home in Finland right now,” Rafkin said, “I grew up here, and I’ve always wanted to play for TPS because of Kimmo Timonen. Especially, with me being a defenseman. TPS is a great program with all the coaches like Sami Salo, and Saku Koivu. I couldn’t be happier. Saku Koivu has been my dad’s best friend for a long time. There’s a lot of hockey in my family.”
Rafkin was born on January, 8, 2002, in Turku, FIN. This native of Finland found a passion, and a love for the sport of hockey at a very young age, and as a matter of fact I’m sure he started skating when he was just 2-3 years old. His passion for the game found himself playing for the Windsor Spitfires for the 2019-20 season, where he torched the league (4g,27a in 59 games played), but Rafkin wanted to move closer to home, and play for a team he has always loved in TPS. He will play for TPS in the Liiga league, which is a comparable league to the SHL. This young man in Rafkin exits the defensive zone smoothly, and leads the charge up the ice, he’s just an excellent skater, “I have a lot of friends that like hockey, but a lot of guys also want to drink at age 18 (Legal age),” Rafkin said, “I just try stay focused, and continue to play hockey. Just play hockey with my little brother, and TPS has had small multiple workouts. Have to keep training, running a lot. There is no ice in Finland right now, so I’m cycling, and doing gym stuff in the Summer.”
The young prospect in Rafkin continues, “My little brother likes hockey, but doesn’t have that drive like me. We skate on roller blades, and he’s a PS4 guy (Laughing).”
This 18-year old, young prospect knew the importance of just having fun, and letting the game come to him. Moreover, he worked very hard in the off-season, and was able to improve his game tremendously for the 2019-20 season. Rafkin is a speedster, is physical, and transitions like the breeze of the wind. Moreover, Rafkin doesn’t sit around puck watching, has a killer wrist shot, and a darn good pair of hands. He’s a good Penalty Killer, and has great vision of the ice, “My family has been great,” Rafkin said, “I’m the first one to actually play hockey in family, my grandparents have kept me focused, but I would have to say my dad defined me. My dad has been on the ice since I was little, driving me to practices, and playing hockey at the pond. My mom has made sure everything went well.”
This young prospect from Finland really opened some eyes, and showcased his skills as he’s on the cusp of fulfilling his dream of getting drafted into the NHL. It shows just how good Rafkin really can be. His effort, and dedication for the sport of hockey really sets himself apart from other prospects. Rafkin even has ties to the Flyers organization, maybe he’s just meant to be a Flyer, “I would love to get drafted by the Flyers,” Rafkin said, “When I was 14, I was in Jersey when the Eagles won the Superbowl. Joel Farabee has given me a tour, and we became friends. He’s a good player. I’m a guy who puts everything on the table. I always put my best effort on the ice.” In the end, Rafkin has all the talent to become the first Finn drafted by the Flyers since 2006 in Joonas Lehtivuori, and Flyers fans would love this young man if this came to fruition.
