Taking a closer look at Kaarlo Kekkonen’s S52 SMJHL season



It would be no exaggeration to say there was some serious pressure on Kaarlo Kekkonen heading into the S52 SMJHL campaign. The Finnish forward has been drafted by Detroit with the 8th overall pick in the S50 SMJHL Draft, and with that comes a level of responsibility to deliver on promise and start returning results for the team that drafted you. And before the start of the season, Kaarlo really hadn’t been able to do that, delivering mediocre point totals in both his rookie and sophomore seasons, which left some wondering where things had gone wrong and whether the former first rounder had lost a step or two since he had been drafted. It’s understood that prior to this season Kaarlo and some of the coaches he’d learned the game under back in Finland, including his uncle and father, Hall of Fame candidates Kari and Kaapo Kekkonen, devoted a lot of time to stripping
his game down to its most basic level in order to assess why he hadn’t been delivering the results they’d hoped he would, and whether there was anything that could be done to rectify it ready for next season. They found that the tendencies to overcomplicate and look to make the highlight reel play above all else were hampering his game to the extent that what he was trying to do was fundamentally compromised. A lot of time was devoted to them making the moves to try and change the tendencies he’d built up over the last two years, before he headed back to Detroit to start the season.

Kaarlo showed up for the team’s preseason training camp with a renewed vigour and focus on what he needed to do to try and counteract what had gone wrong over the last couple of years. Something that looked as if it could be a big factor for the season was the new group the Falcons had brought in as part of the S52 SMJHL Class. The level of exciting rookie talent that Detroit had added to their squad, along with some names that Kekkonen had played with previously in Cal Labovitch, Jmac NCheese and Luke McMaster, gave a lot of confidence that the team around him would be able to help contribute at the high level required to make an impact in the season. The preseason campaign for the Falcons however did little to raise his hopes further. Despite a productive offseason and a training camp that left him very confident things were on the up, the results simply weren’t there to see during preseason. Kaarlo began to feel some familiar doubts start to creep in and before the opening night of the regular season he wondered whether he’d hit his ceiling already and if a mediocre level of play in the SMJHL was all that he would ever be able to hit. Through the first six games of the regular season, things didn’t look like they were going any better there. Kaarlo’s linemate Cal Labovitch came storming out of the blocks with some huge performances from the first few games of the season, but Kaarlo found himself able to manage just 3 points through the season’s first 6 games. It was after this sixth game that a frustrated Kaarlo held a crisis meeting with his uncle Kaapo, who offered Kaarlo some more advice. It’s not certain exactly what he was told, whether or not it turned out to be technical advice or more general adjustments to attitude and outlook that was imparted to him, but either way it appeared to have a profound effect on Kaarlo.



He he began to show immediate improvement, scoring a rapid fire goal against the Raiders before a 3 point night against the Beserkers which brought a first star of the game accolade, in the next outing. The upturn in play was incredible to see. Kaarlo had seemingly become a force on the ice overnight, and finally looked to be playing at the kind of level that people had anticipated from him before he started in the SMJHL. The slow start he’d endured through his first 6 games meant he was sitting a very long way back on the league’s other players when it came to the scoring race. The man out in front at this point was none other than his linemate Cal Labovitch, who had been cutting through the league with ease and looked unstoppable based on his early performances. Kaarlo had no desire to catch his teammate in the scoring race or even take part in the scoring race at all. He was undeniably looking to do what was needed to help his team win, but individual titles were never on the mind at all. But as the season went on and Kaarlo’s incredible level of play continued, it was impossible to avoid sneaking a glance at his name climbing up the scoring leaderboard. He soon wondered whether it’d be possible to go all the way to the top, not motivated by a desire to win individual accolades but simply a wish to push himself to the limit of his capabilities and prove the level that he was capable of maintaining throughout the course of the season. A 5 point night against the Halifax Raiders fired him into a comfortable lead and he soon saw himself on top of the pile, not just in points but in goals too. Kaarlo had learned the game as a pure goal scoring forward, but that had been far from evident in the play he’d delivered in later seasons. His lack of self confidence and absolute belief that he was not as good as those playing around him had lead to him looking to compensate by adding unnecessary swagger and flash to his game, which ultimately resulted in him scoring far less goals than he would have had he stuck with the fundamentals that got him there in the first place. The changes that could be seen in his game however looked to be rectifying this, and he was scoring goals at a rate that was miles ahead of what had been seen from him previously. Some stiff competition was offered in the race for the scoring lead, not just by his teammate Labovitch but by some other big names inside the league including Halifax’s Indigo Trevino and last season’s SMJHL MVP, Daniel Bischoff. The last run of games of the season really took the race down to the wire, and it took a big game from Kaarlo in the season closer to walk away with both the points and goals lead under wraps.

Kaarlo finished the season with 29 goals and 33 assists, good for 62 points. He had more than doubled his SMJHL points totals with the results he’d achieved this season, and going into the playoffs he was confident in his ability to help lead Detroit to a Challenge Cup. The emergence of some superstar rookies including Edward Williams, Magnus Liljestrom, Reid Sutherland and Jack Kanoff had been enough to elevate the Falcons to the first spot in the standings. Securing the Laurifer trophy as the best team in the regular season meant that the Falcons headed into  the playoffs with a first round bye secured. The extra time off allowed them to regroup and rest while the first few games of the playoffs went on, but a lot of the team watched with anticipation to see who the team they’d be playing in their first series of the playoffs would be. Kaarlo used the additional rest time to look to work on some of the areas he’d already been able to develop during the regular season, and he was confident that going into the playoffs he’d be able to deliver the kind of performance that would really cap off the progress he’d been able to make already in the season. It was soon revealed to the team that it would be none other than the Newfoundland Beserkers who the team would be going up against in their first playoff matchup. The Beserkers were a strong team who’d had some good results in the season, and their ability to win their opening playoff series had their confidence running high. Detroit were probably the favourites to come away with a win on paper, but they were told to underestimate their opponents under no circumstances and be aware of the level of play that they’d need to be able to win the series. It was a physically tough and high paced series that was a lot closer than the 4-0 sweep made it look, with both teams giving it all in every game. It set the Falcons up with some more additional rest days as the series finished early, allowing them to heal up slightly and once again await the news of their next opponent. It was soon revealed that it was probably the most interesting outcome they could’ve hoped for; one of their oldest rivals, the St Louis Scarecrows had won their matchup and would be their next opponent in the race for the Four Star Cup.



The series against the Scarecrows was a bitter end to what had been a great season for Detroit and Kaarlo. They started the series strong but it ultimately ended with St Louis able to string together the wins necessary to secure a 4-2 series win. The team left disappointed, knowing that the series could have gone very differently but nonetheless were immensely proud of what they were able to achieve as a young team. And with the youthful exuberance of the current team came inevitable questions about what next season might hold for the team. With such a young and invigorated group of rookie talent, the team is lined up to be a serious competitor for potentially a great number of seasons to come. The main question for Kaarlo however is whether or not he’ll be there to play with them. It’s a question he’s thought over a great deal, but with information regarding his potential call up to the Texas Renegades, his SHL team, being scarce currently its unsure of quite where he stands at this point in time.  If Kaarlo returns to the SMJHL, then the expectation will surely be to deliver another season to the standard of the one just gone. With the numbers that Kaarlo was able to put up this season, he should be very much the front runner for the league’s MVP award, and it would seem almost pointless for him to come back and do it again if he didn’t have those kind of aspirations with another year of playing under his belt. On the other hand, if he was offered a place by the Texas Renegades for the season, it’s likely his role would be to play behind some of the teams more well known names and as such, his opportunity for good playing time may be limited somewhat by those in front of him. It’s always a tough call to make for a young player; whether or not to make the next step now and risk being underdeveloped or sit things out for another season, but miss out on staking your claim as early as possible and the lessons that come along with playing against better competition in the bigger league. With a longer offseason than usual expected, there’s no rush for Kaarlo to get a decision in place, but it’ll be an interesting saga to keep an eye on as we look for interesting offseason storylines to keep the fans occupied.

When thinking of personal highlights for this season, it’s not easy for Kaarlo to pick out specific moments. Obviously the games where he scored a high number of points (the previously mentioned game against the Halifax Raiders being one) are enjoyable at the time, but looking back, the overall feeling of the season seems to be one of being content with the development he showed in terms of personal play, but also frustration at not being able to help Detroit secure wins when it mattered. When you have a season that garners a lot of attention, the pressure always mounts in the playoffs. It’s a notable fact that it’s been over 20 years since an NFL MVP won the Super Bowl in the same season, and the same theory holds in the SMJHL. It’s rare than the player who dominates in the regular season is able to carry their team through the playoffs and all the way to a Four Star Cup. Perhaps it’s the pressure to deliver when the weight of expectation is even heavier than usual; it’s one thing to be a star player but to be the guy who planted his flag as the league’s leading scorer puts a lot of weight on your shoulders and something of a target on your back when you’re out on the ice. While it’s fair to say that Kaarlo didn’t have an awful playoff run; 6 goals and 9 points in 10 games is very solid, he didn’t deliver the kind of game changing performances he was showing in the regular season, and perhaps if he had been able to do so it would have been enough to carry the Falcons into the next round. This is why looking back at the season for Kaarlo will always invoke bittersweet feelings; although he feels vindicated in many ways and is proud of what he was able to accomplish alongside his support team, it’s not quite enough to make the memory a happy one when the taste of defeat still lingers. The team the Falcons will be putting out next season looks to be incredibly strong. Their rookie class has grown at an unbelievable rate and they look to be built incredibly deep from the top of their roster to the bottom. Whether or not Kaarlo will be joining them for another crack at the Four Star Cup remains to be seen, but even if he doesn’t skate out with them in the season opener this fall, he’ll be there in spirit to cheer the team on.

It’s fair to say that S52 is one that won’t be forgotten soon. Whether it’s for the achievements on the ice or the new friendships forged with teammates and guys in the locker room. It goes without saying that Kaarlo will be closely watching his teammates enter the S53 SHL Entry Draft this weekend, not just because the Texas Renegades hold the first overall pick and there may well be a new potential teammate in the SHL already on the Falcons roster. The top level of talent on Detroit might well be the very best in the league, and there’ll undoubtedly be several first round picks off the board representing the Falcons on Sunday night. It’s no surprise that Kaarlo has little planned beside this and some well earned rest, at least for the first couple weeks of the offseason. After that, it’s back into training camp and ready to go again next season.