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Prospect Info: 71st Overall Leevi Merilainen G, Fin, Karpat Jr

His stat line looks good so far. Seems like a guy that if he continues a positive development path ends up being the starter/backup on the Finnish U20 team in 2 years.
 
Right now he's in the running for being the top young goalie prospect in the U20 league there. He's got a history of success. Seems odd he was unranked. So that's a positive. early 3rd was rich. 4th or 5th rounder...
 
Tuna99 said:
you have to figure Sens had inside that another team had scouted him to not move down to a 4th and get him and maybe add a 7th.

but his stats line is intriguing. Could be a steak
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The NHL is a small "world". Scouts see which other scouts attend games and see the same players they are scouting. But that's just the surface of the iceberg. Teams know other team's draft tendencies, they also hear rumours and reports of teams being interested in which players. GMs have conversations and even if they don't reveal their whole draft strategy, some infos are exchanged. We just know very very little of what goes on behind the scenes.

We all wish this goalie could have been taken in the 6th or 7th round, but there was probably a reason why the Sens took him with a 3rd.

Personally, could have lived without taking a goalie in this draft.
 
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Meriläinen had his most impressive performance of the year on Friday night, stopping a season-high 42/44 shots in a 5-2 win over 1st place TPS.
2020 3rd round selection G Leevi Meriläinen is off to a 7-1-0 start for Kärpät U20 of the U20 SM-sarja. .920 sv% and a 2.25 GAA through those 8 games.
 
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Sweatred said:
funny if this guy ends up as our best goalie prospect.
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Hahaha ... I may have been to hasty on condemning the pick, but I really wanted them to make some kind of deal for Askarov in this 2020 draft, ... hopefully you're right & he turns into a franchise goalie like Pekka Rinne or better.
 
aragorn said:
Hahaha ... I may have been to hasty on condemning the pick, but I really wanted them to make some kind of deal for Askarov in this 2020 draft, ... hopefully you're right & he turns into a franchise goalie like Pekka Rinne or better.
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How close was he to a back role with Finn at the u20’s? I assume they have 3 goalies ?
 
Pretty interesting how Senators in generally surprised fans and reporters/scouts with this pick, picking an unranke goalie, who wasn't even top in the depth chart for his team (Blomqvist went in the 2nd round and was probably the next goalie of the future for Karpat and also expected to be Finland's next starting goalie for U20 tournaments).

All of a sudden, Merilainen has come out to be Finland's U20 goalie, and seeded himself as a legitimate G prospect with starter potential.
Always wonder the what ifs we'd left him to a 4th round pick or later (or kept our two picks whether Kleven would still be on the board too).

Even if Leevi doesn't make it, Senators scouts seem to have an eye for guys that are going to develop - be it to an NHL player or not. Not a lot of instant busts like many thought this was.
 
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Lol this thread. Gotta trust our drafting especially when it seems like we shouldn’t.
 
Merilainen is having a very good yr & good for him & good for the Sens org for drsfting him.
 
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Levi is probably the best goalie we’ve had play in the OHL since Lehner or Razor
 
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