Packalen does an incredible job at slowing the game down with every puck touch. He does not play a high tempo game but instead a very methodical one where he scans the ice and snaps a deceptive pass to his teammate. He dominated the middle lane of the ice in transition, carrying the puck through the neutral zone and driving up the middle. He was also able to showcase his smooth hands, weaving through traffic and creating space for himself. He was held off the score sheet but was able to drive play positively for his team often

Packalen was controlling the play whenever he stepped on the ice. I really liked the decision-making and puck management, as he always seemed to make the right decisions, playing with confidence and composure to play with control and keep play secure within his team's possession. Within the offensive zone, Hannu was the one setting up the attack, controlling pucks deep, and finding ways to create advantages off the cycle to then distribute for scoring chances. My initial read on Packalen from my views in the spring was that the cerebral and tactical element was at the forefront of his game, and that was once against the case here showing that smart puck-manager brand that I usually rave about.

It wasn't as dominant as a game from Hannu, but he was still the primary driver on his team. Once again, he showed that blend of a smart puck manager and tactical handling, enabling him to navigate around checks and keep play flowing up ice easily. Everything was under control with Hannu, who never opted for a dump-in or out, and always sparked a perfect transition for his squad with possession. While he didn't generate as many chances in this one, I still thought the cerebral playstyle was there, making him an obvious standout.

Packalen was the player I was most impressed with in this game. Every time he touched the puck, he never rushed his decisions, took his time with every sequence, and looked to advance play with control. He showed a blend of tactical and cerebral playstyle, always calm under pressure and having all the tools required to weave in and out of checks to maintain control of the puck. Especially down low and along the boards, Hannu dominated off the cycle, extended offensive zone possessions shift after shift, all through this theme of always making the right decision and never throwing pucks away. Off the rush, he was similarly effective, showcasing an eagerness to use his frame and handling to attack the middle lane, setting up one of his team's goals after a nifty move to the middle and dish off to an adjacent teammate. These evaluations are never about setting a high bar for what I think of a player, but I was just really impressed with Hannu and look forward to seeing if this trend continues.