Prospect Info: At 24th Overall the Jets Select Kristian Vesalainen

[MardyBum]

Or just don't regress to being a terribly setup team, and run a top 9 with Lowry as the shutdown C.

Who the f*** cares about a top 6/bottom 6 anymore?

 

[Aavco Cup]

Has K-Ves been invited to play in the WHC?

 

[Maukkis]

Has K-Ves been invited to play in the WHC?

I don't think so.

 

[gearmex]

I think he did not want to go...long playoffs and risk of an injury going to NHL training camp. I'm sure he want to concentrate on that being ready when the puck drops.

 

[Mara]

I think he did not want to go...long playoffs and risk of an injury going to NHL training camp. I'm sure he want to concentrate on that being ready when the puck drops.

Simply no room on the team. His club alone had three others who would probably get picked before him. In the end they went with Mäenalanen as an extra forward.

 

[puck stoppa]

Thx for the info. Hope he gets the break he needs and starts his training and comes to camp in top form and knocks the door down!

 

[Aavco Cup]

Simply no room on the team. His club alone had three others who would probably get picked before him. In the end they went with Mäenalanen as an extra forward.

Since the Moose won and are still alive in the playoffs, he could come over and experience NA hockey first hand. Moose could use a shooter too.

 

[CorgisPer60]

Simply no room on the team. His club alone had three others who would probably get picked before him. In the end they went with Mäenalanen as an extra forward.

Indeed. K Ves had a wonderful playoff, but at the end of the day, he's still a fresh 18 year old. I don't blame Suomi for taking experience instead.

 

[kelsier]

He was impressive in the playoffs up until the final series against Tappara where he disappeared for long stretches. I started watching this series and Kristian in particular, but he wasn't top of his game, I got bored and started skipping games so my viewings are only partial. He's young though and it's a valid excuse. Could be NHL ready next season but I'm doubtful there's room for him. I do think he has potential equal or better to Connor or Ehlers but how fast (if ever) can he get there is another thing. If the organization is abound to keep Scheifele and Laine apart, they should find a playmaker (either center or winger) to work as a setup guy. How many goals is the team missing with Laine creating chances on his own at EV (especially with Stastny gone)? Maybe Vesalainen could be the missing piece, even if right now he seems like a shoot first mentality. KV has worked out well with Tolvanen in the past though so I wouldn't sign out the possibility. He brings skating, size, strength, a good mix of skills and is a potent goal scorer. Hoping for a huge summer with increase of speed & power.

 

[csk]

Since the Moose won and are still alive in the playoffs, he could come over and experience NA hockey first hand. Moose could use a shooter too.

Especially now because they'v been running 11 fwds

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

Since the Moose won and are still alive in the playoffs, he could come over and experience NA hockey first hand. Moose could use a shooter too.

He looked pretty out of gas at the finals, I think. Maybe a week or two off could change that, but I still don't think he'll join the moose this season

 

[SLAYER]

Wake me up when he signs his ELC.

 

[Adam da bomb]

How close would he be to being a Wheeler clone?

 

[csk]

How close would he be to being a Wheeler clone?

Not very similar IMO.

 

[Ippenator]

Not very similar IMO.

I think there are in fact quite clear similarities. Big, great skater for his size and good at protecting the puck. Remains to be seen if he will have a similar kind of a compete level though. I have seen some glimpses of it though, so I wouldn’t at least say it’s impossible to happen.

But Vesalainen seems to already have a better shot than Wheeler has, so I see there a possibility of Vesalainen becoming a bit similar player to Wheeler, but better as a goal scorer. Of course his development has to go pretty much optimally for all this to happen. We will all be wiser about it in the future.

 

[SM]

I believe I once read his favourite player is Malkin and has tried to model his game in such a way. Interesting that th two Finnish kids idolized Russian superstars (Ovi and Geno)

Admittedly I have not watched enough of him to identify a stylistic comparable, however.

 

[Cellee]

Blake Wheeler is a great skater for anyone's size.

 

[Sweech]

I think there are in fact quite clear similarities. Big, great skater for his size and good at protecting the puck. Remains to be seen if he will have a similar kind of a compete level though. I have seen some glimpses of it though, so I wouldn’t at least say it’s impossible to happen.

But Vesalainen seems to already have a better shot than Wheeler has, so I see there a possibility of Vesalainen becoming a bit similar player to Wheeler, but better as a goal scorer. Of course his development has to go pretty much optimally for all this to happen. We will all be wiser about it in the future.

I think big and skates well is really where the comparisons begin and end though.

K Ves has had to work on using his teammates better where that’s a strong suit of Wheeler’s game and as you said Vesalainen looks to be a better shooter.

 

[Ippenator]

I think big and skates well is really where the comparisons begin and end though.

K Ves has had to work on using his teammates better where that’s a strong suit of Wheeler’s game and as you said Vesalainen looks to be a better shooter.

But was that really such a strength for the 18 year old Wheeler? And Vesalainen took in fact huge steps with his team play and passing game this season. Extremely huge steps really.

 

[Sweech]

But was that really such a strength for the 18 year old Wheeler? And Vesalainen took in fact huge steps with his team play and passing game this season. Extremely huge steps really.

Ves certainly has taken great steps forward in that department. But when I watch him and when I watch Blake (even the Wheeler of the past) I genuinely see no similarities beyond big and fast. They play very different styled games. Blake has always been a fairly good passer and playmaker and often he had a go to move of entering the zone at speed, dropping the shoulder, holding the puck out of reach, and powering to the net. Otherwise his main game was in zone movement and distribution. I don’t really see Vesalainen playing like that at all. He’ll forecheck hard but his in zone game is much more similar to Laine’s where he tries to find soft spots in the zone to unleash shots.

At least that’s how I see them.

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

Quick question, any possibility of him transitioning to Center?

I haven’t watched too much of the kid, pretty much just his highlights(so I haven’t really seen the bad parts of his game) I don’t think he’s ever played the Center before, however he did say he models his game after Malkin(a Center, though I’m sure plenty of Wingers do so). How rare would it be for a European Winger to transition into a Center(any success stories here?)...

I’m really pumped for this kid as well(I think he could be an All-Star player in the future). That being said Connor and Ehlers where just as good of prospects and have seemed to pan out as All-Star material today(so LW and RW are our of the discussion as Laine/Wheeler aren’t going anywhere and that’s also Vesalainens off-Wing).

I might be shoving my head up my ass a little to far but our Top 6 now is already the best in the league and if we could fit Vesalainens talent in there(assuming he is a success and shows he is gonna be a great NHL player) we could potentially get better... It’s probably really unrealistic to hope Vesalainen lands a Top 6 spot until Wheeler retires or goes on a heavy decline...

 

[Spock]

Quick question, any possibility of him transitioning to Center?

I haven’t watched too much of the kid, pretty much just his highlights(so I haven’t really seen the bad parts of his game) I don’t think he’s ever played the Center before, however he did say he models his game after Malkin(a Center, though I’m sure plenty of Wingers do so). How rare would it be for a European Winger to transition into a Center(any success stories here?)...

I’m really pumped for this kid as well(I think he could be an All-Star player in the future). That being said Connor and Ehlers where just as good of prospects and have seemed to pan out as All-Star material today(so LW and RW are our of the discussion as Laine/Wheeler aren’t going anywhere and that’s also Vesalainens off-Wing).

I might be shoving my head up my ass a little to far but our Top 6 now is already the best in the league and if we could fit Vesalainens talent in there(assuming he is a success and shows he is gonna be a great NHL player) we could potentially get better... It’s probably really unrealistic to hope Vesalainen lands a Top 6 spot until Wheeler retires or goes on a heavy decline...

Why stop at 6?

 

[Adam da bomb]

Hope he's ready next year as it would go along way to helping the team's salary cap problems.

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

Why stop at 6?

Well because a guy like Armia has the potential to be a 50pt guy but he’s never gotten the opportunity and I don’t want Vesalainen to go down that road. I’m actually very scared that his Offensive potential will be overridden because of this.

 

[Spock]

Well because a guy like Armia has the potential to be a 50pt guy but he’s never gotten the opportunity and I don’t want Vesalainen to go down that road. I’m actually very scared that his Offensive potential will be overridden because of this.

Depth is more vital to a team's success than individual totals.