Julius Saari
2024-25 Team: Jokerit (Mestis)
Date of Birth: Mar 7, 2007
Place of Birth: Vantaa, Finland
Ht: 6-foot-2 Wt: 187 pounds
Shoots: Left
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2025 first-year eligible
Rankings
Julius Saari is a defensive defenseman who skates well for his size. He tends to play back to prevent the breakout on him and doesn’t do too much in the offensive zone. He has a good stick and holds his gaps well on guys coming into the defensive zone. He needs to become a little more physical as time goes on, but he is still good at winning puck battles in deep despite this.
Saari does have a nice wrister from the blue line—not too heavy of a shot, but it can go in when there’s traffic in front. That said, he needs to work on becoming a two-way defenseman. There’s not much offensive production in his game right now.
Saari began his junior career in 2021–22 with Kiekko-Vantaa U16, posting five points in 32 games. In 2022–23, he joined Jokerit U16, where he showed flashes of offensive growth with 11 points in 18 games, and added a goal in three playoff appearances. That same season, he split time with Jokerit U18, notching five points in 21 games, and then represented Finland U16 internationally, recording one point in 12 games.
Related: THW’s 2025 NHL Draft Guide
In 2023–24, Saari returned to Jokerit U18 and also earned a promotion to the U20 level. He totaled four points in 23 U18 games and added one assist in nine playoff contests. At the U20 level, he played 15 regular-season games (two assists) and one playoff game. Internationally, he suited up for Finland U17, including the World Hockey Challenge, and tallied three points in 22 total games.
The 2024–25 season marked a step forward in responsibility. Saari played a full season with Jokerit U20, logging 34 games with four points and a plus-17 rating, while also appearing in four playoff games. He made his Mestis debut with Jokerit’s senior team, scoring once in five games.
Internationally, Saari captained Finland’s U18 team at the World Championship, where he posted three assists in five games and finished plus-3. Across all U18 international games that season, he recorded eight assists in 25 games.
Despite limited offensive output, Saari’s game is built on structure, maturity, and mastering the little defensive details, but I am still unsure how this will translate to North American hockey, where the game is a lot faster with smaller rinks.
Julius Saari – NHL Draft Projection
I think he’s ranked a bit too high by some outlets; he’s more of a fifth to seventh rounder in my opinion. Solid value late for a team looking for a shutdown guy with some penalty kill upside.
Other THW Draft Profiles
Quotables
“Saari averaged 18:12 TOI with Jokerit, with just 19 seconds of power play usage and nearly 2 minutes on the PK — a clear reflection of his role. Statistically, his game is built around defensive reliability and efficiency: he blocked nearly a shot per game (0.92), won 62% of puck battles, and completed 88% of his passes. His offensive impact is limited (just 0.15 pre-shot passes/game), but his 6.2 puck recoveries and 1.23 takeaways per game underscore his ability to kill plays and reset possession under pressure. Internationally, he averaged 21:22 TOI at the Hlinka and over 15:00 at the U18 Worlds while finishing +3 with 3 assists in 5 games.” – Neutral Zone
“Julius Saari is a physically imposing, defense-first left-shot defenseman with international leadership experience and a clear identity as a shutdown presence. He logged a full season with Jokerit’s U20 squad, where he served as a top-four minute-eater and penalty kill mainstay, posting 4 points (3 goals, 1 assist) and a +17 rating in 34 games. His usage on special teams and overall impact defensively earned him a captain’s role with Finland’s U18 team at both the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup and the World U18 Championships — a testament to his maturity, competitiveness, and consistency.” – Neutral Zone
Strengths
- Size
- Skating
- Stopping the rush
- Shot blocking
- Winning puck battles
- Clearing pucks
Under Construction/Improvements to Make
- Two-way game
- Physicality
- Less turnovers
NHL Potential
Saari could become a bottom-pair, depth defenseman in the NHL. More likely an everyday American Hockey League (AHL) guy who can bring solid minutes and kill penalties. He might not adapt well to the North American game—smaller rinks and faster pace could be a challenge, but I could be wrong. He’s a second-unit penalty killer who can clear pucks and hold structure, but he’ll need to adjust quickly.
We’ll have to see if he goes to the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), United States Hockey League (USHL), straight to the NCAA, or jumps directly to the pro level. That decision could very much shape his development.
Risk/Reward Analysis
Risk – 2.5/5, Reward – 3/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense – 4/10, Defense – 8/10
Awards/Achievements
- U16 Pohjola Camp All-Star Team
- U18 SM-sarja Champion
Interviews/Links
Julius Saari Stats
Videos
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