Oliver Suvanto is one of the most intriguing international forwards in the 2026 NHL Draft class. Sportsvival is looking at a big Finnish center who already has pro experience in Liiga, plays a mature two-way game, and has the type of frame NHL teams love down the middle. He may not be the flashiest offensive player in the class, but Suvanto brings size, defensive awareness, puck protection, and enough skill to project as a strong NHL middle-six center if his offensive game keeps growing.
Background
Oliver Suvanto is a Finnish center from Turku, Finland. He was born on September 3, 2008, and plays for Tappara in Finland’s Liiga. Suvanto is a left-shot center and is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. NHL Central Scouting listed him as the No. 3 international skater in its final 2026 draft rankings, putting him firmly in first-round conversation.
Suvanto has already played against men in Finland’s top league, which is a major part of his evaluation. During the 2025-26 season with Tappara, he played 48 Liiga games and posted 2 goals, 9 assists, and 11 points. He also represented Finland internationally, including at the 2026 World Junior Championship, where he had 2 goals in 7 games.
Measurements
Center
Tappara, Liiga
Shoots: Left
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 207 to 209 pounds
Born: September 3, 2008
Birthplace: Turku, Finland
NHL Central Scouting lists Suvanto at 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds, while Elite Prospects lists him at 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds. Either way, the size is a major part of the profile.
2025-26 Stats
Tappara, Liiga
48 games, 2 goals, 9 assists, 11 points, 16 penalty minutes
Tappara U20
3 games, 3 goals, 0 assists, 3 points
Playoffs: 14 games, 0 goals, 5 assists, 5 points
Finland U20, World Juniors
7 games, 2 goals, 0 assists, 2 points
Finland U18, World Championship
5 games, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points
Finland U18, Hlinka Gretzky Cup
5 games, 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points
Suvanto’s Liiga numbers do not jump off the page, but context matters. He was a 17-year-old center playing against older, stronger professional competition. His production at the junior and international levels shows more offensive upside than the Liiga stat line alone.
Playing Style
Suvanto plays a mature center game. He uses his size well, protects the puck, works through traffic, and understands how to play on both sides of the puck. He is not just a big body standing in the middle of the ice. He can handle the puck, support his defensemen, win battles along the boards, and make the simple play that keeps possession alive.
Sportsvival sees Suvanto as the type of forward coaches trust. He has the frame to handle NHL contact, the hockey sense to play center, and the defensive habits to stay in a lineup even when the offense is not rolling. His game is built more around reliability and structure than highlight-reel flash.
Pros
Suvanto has excellent size for a center. At 6-foot-3 and over 200 pounds, he already looks like a player who can handle the physical demands of pro hockey.
His two-way game is advanced for his age. He tracks back hard, understands positioning, and does not cheat the game looking only for offense.
He has experience against men in Liiga, which should help his development. Playing 48 games in Finland’s top league at 17 years old is a strong sign that his game is already mature.
Suvanto protects the puck well. He can use his body to shield defenders and buy time for teammates to get open.
He has a good foundation as a center. He plays with responsibility, supports below the puck, and has the frame to become a matchup-type NHL forward.
Cons
The offensive ceiling is still the question. Suvanto has skill, but Sportsvival wants to see more consistent play-driving and production as he develops.
He may need to become more explosive. His size is a strength, but improving his first few steps would make him more dangerous off the rush and in transition.
He does not always take over offensively. There are games where his value is clear defensively, but teams drafting him high will want to believe there is more scoring upside coming.
His finishing needs to keep improving. With his frame and ability to get inside, he has to become more of a scoring threat around the net.
NHL Comparison
NHL Comparison: Joel Eriksson Ek
Sportsvival sees some Joel Eriksson Ek-style traits in Suvanto’s projection. That does not mean he will become the same player, but the comparison fits because of the size, defensive value, center responsibility, and ability to impact games even without putting up huge offensive numbers.
Like Eriksson Ek, Suvanto has the tools to become a trusted two-way center who can play hard minutes, win battles, match up against good players, and still chip in offensively. If the scoring touch takes another step, that comparison becomes even more interesting.
Draft Outlook
Oliver Suvanto looks like a first-round NHL Draft prospect. NHL Central Scouting ranking him third among international skaters shows how highly his overall game is viewed heading into the 2026 draft.
Sportsvival sees Suvanto as a player who could go in the middle portion of Round 1, with a chance to climb if a team believes the offense will catch up to the rest of his game. Big centers who can defend, play pro hockey early, and handle difficult minutes are always valuable.
Suvanto may not be the loudest name in the draft, but he is one of the safer international forwards in the class. If his skating and finishing continue to improve, he has the makings of a strong NHL center who can play in all situations.