One of the top prospects in the upcoming NHL draft is looking to gain some more international experience against some of his future peers.
Kaapo Kakko has joined the Finnish national team tryout and would skip the upcoming Under-18 tournament to instead play in the World Championship in May, according to NHL.com's Varpu Sihvonen, as shared by Mike Morreale of the same outlet.
"(The Under-18 tourney) is a great event, but I think this is huge opportunity for me to take the next step in my career," Kakko said, according to Morreale.
The 18-year-old forward, who's widely expected to go second overall behind Jack Hughes in June's draft, would be taking a similar path to that of Auston Matthews if he plays in the worlds. Matthews suited up for the United States in 2016 before being selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs about a month later.
Kakko scored the late game-winner in Finland's gold-medal victory over Hughes and the U.S. at the World Junior Hockey Championship in January.
Meanwhile, Kakko produced 22 goals and 38 points in 45 appearances for TPS Turku this season in the Liiga, his home nation's top pro hockey league, before adding four goals and an assist in five playoff contests.
