Tatu Mäkelä was taken first in the SMJHL draft this year, and it's not too hard to see why. His strong puck handling skills, and keen defensive instincts combine with an eye for a pass to make him a solid two-way defenseman. The Finn is notable for his solid skating ability, and doesn't tire easily, meaning he doesn't need to be restricted for on-ice minutes. This in turn allows him to contribute heavily for the Detroit Falcons -- which he does, featuring on their second line as a rookie. In addition to solid technical ability, Mäkelä is a formidable point scorer out of defense, ranking second in the league among rookie defensemen for points scored so far, with a twenty percent shot conversion rate; the best on the Falcons among players with at least ten shots. It is this ability, presumably, which sets him apart from his contemporaries in this year's draft class.

However, for all his strengths, Mäkelä is not a large player. He's more comparable in size to some wingers, built perhaps more for speed and agility than for delivering hits. Despite his strong skating ability, it's likely that bigger, stronger skaters will dispossess Mäkelä frequently, and his frame does not lend itself well to bulking up significantly. Though, with his tactical awareness, speed and agility, Mäkelä probably doesn't need to rely on physical attributes so much. He currently leads the Falcons in shots blocked, and is top five in the league in the same stat. Clearly he is doing something right.