Decent-sized centerman, he shows good overall skating, with powerful strides. His top speed is decent and he’s quite agile on his skates. Helping matters, he keeps his feet moving when forechecking. With a long reach and his ability to read the ice, he showed that he is good at pressuring puck carriers and disrupting their flow, even pickpocketing them on occasion. But his strength is offense. And scouts consider him a catalyst in that regard. That’s his approach and he was anticipating potential passing lanes and frequently he’s able to position himself for a quick transition. He’s got decent puckhandling skills and was never afraid one-on-one to challenge a defender. Also, he’s willing to skate the puck to the net. Without the puck, he’s content to set up screens at the crease’s edge and get into position for deflections. At short range, he’s got a deadly touch. He’s a natural at the defensive side of the game. When backchecking, he is constantly on the hunt for a man to pick up. Positionally, he is very aware of his defensive responsibilities, whether he’s playing the wing or center. Committed as he is in his own zone, he could stand to upgrade his intensity and use his body more to disrupt the attackers, instead of only trying to cut down passing lanes. But there is plenty to like about his game

Kupari is a highly skilled, playmaking center. He is undersized, but is a strong skater with a high hockey IQ and hockey sense that makes him a dangerous offensive player and a reliable defensive player. Kupari started his draft year with a solid showing for Finland at the Ivan Hlinka scoring two goals and seven points in four games. He started the season playing at the pro level in Liiga despite being drafted by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds at the CHL Import Draft, but after struggling somewhat with 12 points in 35 games was subsequently loaned to Hermes in the Mestis. Don’t be discouraged by this apparent set back as an undersized 17-year-old, undersized player it simply means Kupari needs more development time before he is pro ready. Kupari was also included on the Finnish World Junior team as an underage player, but was held pointless despite displaying his high skill set. Kupari has a high ceiling, and drawing comparisons to countryman Sebastian Aho gives you an indication of his upside, but he is a long term investment.