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

[Sens With Benefits]

I like to see Finnish prospects succeed. Happy to see its on a team that hasn't had that many Finns.

Very good point! Trying to remember some of the Finns Ottawa has had.

Janne Laukkonen (solid)

Jarkko Ruutu (legend)

Sami Salo (absolute clapper)

Jonas Korpisalo

Jani Hurme (underrated, believe he was part of the LA or Philly brawl and the bench was taken his glove off so he could fight)

Antti Törmänen

Jarmo Kekäläinen (no idea he played for the Sens)

Toni Dahlman

Lassi Thomson (bust)

Juha Ylönen (remember him being decent for us tbh)

Nikolas Matinpalo

Leeeeeeeevi (the next one)

Roby Järventie (bust)

Jyrki Jokipakka (filled in a few games during the playoff run in 2017)

Finnish scouts haven’t been great. The most disappointing are guys like Thomson and Jarventie when you see who was taken after them within the next few picks. Tomasino/McMichael and John Peterka right after Jarventie.

 

[Senscore]

Ruutu's brother is our Director of European scouting

 

[GCK]

Leevi has had consistency issues dating back to Kingston. When he is on, he is really, really good but he was also prone to absolute stinkers. I’ve been high on him since I saw him in Kingston, ride him hard until he has the inevitable 6 goal stinker. Perfect goalie to fill in until Ullmark returns

 

[Sens With Benefits]

Leevi has had consistency issues dating back to Kingston. When he is on, he is really, really good but he was also prone to absolute stinkers. I’ve been high on him since I saw him in Kingston, ride him hard until he has the inevitable 6 goal stinker. Perfect goalie to fill in until Ullmark returns

Didn’t have great numbers in Kingston, but not sure if that’s normal for OHL goalies or his team etc.

 

[Tuna99]

Why waive him? We can't afford to simply lost games because our goalie simply isn't good enough to win games. We have 40 games left. If Ullmark gets healthy, how many do you see him playing as Ullmark's back up? Give it 5 games and ullmark is good to go. That leaves 35. Maybe he starts 14? 6 or 7 of those are guaranteed losses based on how he has played since his double knee injuries. That's simply not good enough.

So your starter is injured so the decision is waived the backup because the 4th string goalie has 3 NHL wins as starter and all our problems are solved? Keep Forsy, we will need him

Forsy probably wins tonight and puts us back into a playoff spot

 

[Emrasie]

So your starter is injured so the decision is waived the backup because the 4th string goalie has 3 NHL wins as starter and all our problems are solved? Keep Forsy, we will need him

Forsy probably wins tonight and puts us back into a playoff spot

We need a bad goalie? Really?
At worst try to trade or claim a back up. But i'm ok with Leevi.
The team have clearly 0 confidence in Anton, it's a big issue to have for a goalie.

 

[Tuna99]

We need a bad goalie? Really?
At worst try to trade or claim a back up. But i'm ok with Leevi.
The team have clearly 0 confidence in Anton, it's a big issue to have for a goalie.

So who are you trading for or picking up who’s better then Forsberg and won’t effect your cap?

 

[FinPanda]

Very good point! Trying to remember some of the Finns Ottawa has had.

Janne Laukkonen (solid)

Jarkko Ruutu (legend)

Sami Salo (absolute clapper)

Jonas Korpisalo

Jani Hurme (underrated, believe he was part of the LA or Philly brawl and the bench was taken his glove off so he could fight)

Antti Törmänen

Jarmo Kekäläinen (no idea he played for the Sens)

Toni Dahlman

Lassi Thomson (bust)

Juha Ylönen (remember him being decent for us tbh)

Nikolas Matinpalo

Leeeeeeeevi (the next one)

Roby Järventie (bust)

Jyrki Jokipakka (filled in a few games during the playoff run in 2017)

Finnish scouts haven’t been great. The most disappointing are guys like Thomson and Jarventie when you see who was taken after them within the next few picks. Tomasino/McMichael and John Peterka right after Jarventie.

I'm suprrised Sens have had even that many Finns. I think its mainly because 1) I am way too young and they were retired by the time I watched hockey 2) their best season was with another team/I just remember them as a member of a different team like Salo

 

[PlayersLtd]

Confirmed starter tonight vs NYI

 

[Maraz]

All I'm hoping for is that the new management has more patient with young goalie than previous had with guys like Lehner, Bishop or Gus.

Would be ideal tandem for upcoming years if Merilainen is the real deal with Ullmark's contract expiring in '29 Leevi would be 27 then and fully ready to take over while for 5 years learning and gradually becoming #1 (similar to Rinne/Saros).

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

So who are you trading for or picking up who’s better then Forsberg and won’t effect your cap?

Unless Forsberg is gonna pull up his bootstraps and start playing better, literally anyone on the waiver wire or plucking some AHL tender would do just fine. I get hoping and believing that he'll play better, but he really needs to actually do that soon or they should look at other options. Grab someone like Hellberg ffs, it really doesn't matter with the performance Forsberg has put up. You can tell the team has no faith in Forsy atm and plays much better in front of Leevi.

 

[RickyLafleur]

Confirmed starter tonight vs NYI

My fantasy team approves of this message.

 

[PlayersLtd]

I'm suprrised Sens have had even that many Finns. I think its mainly because 1) I am way too young and they were retired by the time I watched hockey 2) their best season was with another team/I just remember them as a member of a different team like Salo

We also had Jarmo Kekalianen as a European scout for 6 years. He had a huge influence and likely explains some of the Finnish legacy in Ottawa

 

[bicboi64]

C'mon Leevi, lets make NYI look like the offensively starved team they are!