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

[Festinator]

From the limited game film I've seen on this guy he has :

Good things:

1) very good speed

2) very strong

3) very big

Downside:

1) hands of stone- "can't score very well"

Conclusion- he'll be a "mucker" like Lowry- stand in front of the net and hope to score from rebounds. If he had soft hands, and could score, we'd have a real "gem" on our hands. I'm not that high on guys that can't bury the puck.-we'll see in the future.

You realize he won MVP award at the u18's world's while putting up 13 points? He can score fine.

 

[GNP]

You realize he won MVP award at the u18's world's while putting up 13 points? He can score fine.

I sure hope your right !!! but the limited video I saw of him, he had trouble hitting the net. Maybe I didn't see enough footage on him, and the Jet's scouting is very good, so I hope your right. He does seem to have everything else. If he can score-"he'll be a winner."

 

[Aggie204]

Laine is our Bond villain, and Vaseline is Mini-Me

 

[CorgisPer60]

I sure hope your right !!! but the limited video I saw of him, he had trouble hitting the net. Maybe I didn't see enough footage on him, and the Jet's scouting is very good, so I hope your right. He does seem to have everything else. If he can score-"he'll be a winner."

In limited sample viewings, everyone has trouble hitting the net. Look at how much grief we give to the Jets who keep missing. It's the result of trying to pick corners, because goalies are so good nowadays.

 

[BB88]

I sure hope your right !!! but the limited video I saw of him, he had trouble hitting the net. Maybe I didn't see enough footage on him, and the Jet's scouting is very good, so I hope your right. He does seem to have everything else. If he can score-"he'll be a winner."

I don't have problems with his hands.

 

[Channelcat]

10s>, atleast with Vesalainen there are no concerns around his skating, and he doesn't have the "awkward" puck handling we've seen with Pulju.

Great looking package....and gotta say, hockey is so much better without somebody yelling over it (play by play)

 

[Ippenator]

I don't have problems with his hands.

I have to agree. He has in fact pretty darn good hands, and he is possessionwise a pretty good player for his age. But I would say that his biggest weaknesses on the ice are his shot (not abysmal, but not great either) and his IQ without the puck (this is in fact his biggest weakness in my opinion). These weaknesses might make a bit of difficulties to his scoring, or they at least prevent him from being a real natural goal scorer. But I believe so far that he could become a pretty good goal scorer even, just not a pure sniper.

 

[HannuJ]

i'd love to have him play in europe next year and the AHL the year after. has great speed but just needs to learn. learn in a system.

 

[Trilliann]

i'd love to have him play in europe next year and the AHL the year after. has great speed but just needs to learn. learn in a system.

Agreed.
Also just needs to grow up bit, I feel like the "character issue" is mostly just him still being very much a teenager. At least I hope so

 

[Lempo]

Assertive might be a good word for it.

Our word is somewhat more negatively loaded; there is an element of aggressiveness to the confidence. In normal life, when you cut in line you're being 'röyhkeä'. There is an amount of grit in the business when a hockey-player is being one on ice, but still more about finding spots and making spots than any penalty-worth stuff.

Our friends Mikko Koivu and Bobby Ryan have agreed to give us a lesson on the subject:



Koivu taking the stick and Ryan's celly both fit the bill.

 

[BB88]

I have to agree. He has in fact pretty darn good hands, and he is possessionwise a pretty good player for his age. But I would say that his biggest weaknesses on the ice are his shot (not abysmal, but not great either) and his IQ without the puck (this is in fact his biggest weakness in my opinion). These weaknesses might make a bit of difficulties to his scoring, or they at least prevent him from being a real natural goal scorer. But I believe so far that he could become a pretty good goal scorer even, just not a pure sniper.

Is there any chance we could see Laine convince him to start training in Turku?

 

[Ippenator]

Is there any chance we could see Laine convince him to start training in Turku?

That would be great! If Vesalainen is smart, he could really do that. But it also has to do with his agent and what kind of contracts they have about his training. I have understood that Vesalainen has a pretty good and ambitious training attitude, so now the best thing for him would be to exactly get the best quality of training. That definitely would be in Turku with Laine's, Ristolainen's and Rantanen's trainer Hannu Rautala. He is an exceptional physical trainer. He combines explosive strength, endurance and raw strength training with a very optimal way. His training is more about the quality and right proportions of each training areas, and the right amount of resting and the best possible nutrition.

Rautala has done an amazing job already with Ristolainen and Rantanen during a couple of years. Laine has also got an already very good development from the time that he has trained with Rautala. I'm sure it would be an extremely good thing for Vesalainen to join Rautala's training group.

 

[BB88]

That would be great! If Vesalainen is smart, he could really do that. But it also has to do with his agent and what kind of contracts they have about his training. I have understood that Vesalainen has a pretty good and ambitious training attitude, so now the best thing for him would be to exactly get the best quality of training. That definitely would be in Turku with Laine's, Ristolainen's and Rantanen's trainer Hannu Rautala. He is an exceptional physical trainer. He combines explosive strength, endurance and raw strength training with a very optimal way. His training is more about the quality and right proportions of each training areas, and the right amount of resting and the best possible nutrition.

Rautala has done an amazing job already with Ristolainen and Rantanen during a couple of years. Laine has also got an already very good development from the time that he has trained with Rautala. I'm sure it would be an extremely good thing for Vesalainen to join Rautala's training group.

I'm a big fan of what's been happening in Turku with Rautala.
Laine, Ristolainen, Rantanen would be a dream group to train with. All 3 of those guys are known for their work ethichs and even Laine has said that he looks up to Ristolainens drive. Would be damm great to see Vesalainen there and hopefully look up to those 3.

Koivula started training in Turku this year as well.

Laine's chance to show leadership here. I can't think of a better place in Finland for Kristian.

 

[Ippenator]

I'm a big fan of what's been happening in Turku with Rautala.
Laine, Ristolainen, Rantanen would be a dream group to train with. All 3 of those guys are known for their work ethichs and even Laine has said that he looks up to Ristolainens drive. Would be damm great to see Vesalainen there and hopefully look up to those 3.

Koivula started training in Turku this year as well.

Laine's chance to show leadership here. I can't think of a better place in Finland for Kristian.

Absolutely agree with everything you write again. And as an Ilves fan I was absolutely ecstatic when I learned that Koivula started training in Rautala's group too. He is also a promising player, but his problem has definitely been so far his lack of explosiveness. Hopefully he will already get some results to his skating for the starting FEL-season. And I can't even imagine what kind of a physical but still skilled monster Vesalainen could become with a few years of training in the Rautala's group!

 

[RustyCat]

Would he be considered like a faster Thomas Holmstrom?

 

[DRW204]

Would he be considered like a faster Thomas Holmstrom?

I see a little more versatility in his offensive game than Tomas, based on the YT highlight packages

 

[Hammer Slammer]

I'm editing his last Liiga game from December 8th into a shift by shift video. Looking better than I thought he would. Two periods down and I'll do the last one tonight.

 

[nobody important]

Our word is somewhat more negatively loaded; there is an element of aggressiveness to the confidence. In normal life, when you cut in line you're being 'r�yhke�'. There is an amount of grit in the business when a hockey-player is being one on ice, but still more about finding spots and making spots than any penalty-worth stuff.

Our friends Mikko Koivu and Bobby Ryan have agreed to give us a lesson on the subject:



Koivu taking the stick and Ryan's celly both fit the bill.

Brazen or audacious might be better translations, then. Although when someone cuts in line here, it's called "being a ****** bag".

 

[BB88]

Absolutely agree with everything you write again. And as an Ilves fan I was absolutely ecstatic when I learned that Koivula started training in Rautala's group too. He is also a promising player, but his problem has definitely been so far his lack of explosiveness. Hopefully he will already get some results to his skating for the starting FEL-season. And I can't even imagine what kind of a physical but still skilled monster Vesalainen could become with a few years of training in the Rautala's group!

It's going to be an exciting Liiga season, I'm getting that 6month Ruutu+ deal once the season starts.

 

[garret9]

I'm editing his last Liiga game from December 8th into a shift by shift video. Looking better than I thought he would. Two periods down and I'll do the last one tonight.

He was something like a 60% Corsi in the Liiga, although only 9 games.

 

[scelaton]

My belated thoughts on Vesalainen:
1) I really like the pick. No one at #13 or #24 was a sure bet, including KV, but he had arguably the highest ceiling and a high floor, as well.
Ceiling= Blake Wheeler ; Floor=this coming season's Joel Armia, who I am pegging for 30 points, i.e., solid 2RW production

2)He is a very young prospect, and spent last season, as a 17 year old, in a foreign environment, obviously struggling emotionally with a variety of challenges. This is not predictive of anything long term and I get no sense of E Kane here at all. If anything, his more assertive personality will be an asset for him, in comparison to, e.g., Armia, whose shy nature was a detriment to him early on.

3)Since I've mentioned Armia twice, here are the differences. KV is significantly sturdier--an inch taller and ~20 lb heavier at the same age. He could easily round out at 6'5 and 230. He also seems to have a more assertive style on the ice, which, along side his speed and hands, gives him a lot of options in the NHL.

4)I can't comment on his hockey IQ, other than to say it appears he is developing a well rounded positional/posession game,and that puck distribution is less of an issue for wingers. (Laine was also criticized for this IIRC). I would not be surprised if his hockey sense limits him to some degree, but with a creative centre it may not be an issue.

I don't expect we will see Vesalainen in the lineup for 2-3 years. Only truly elite Finns have been able to make the jump at an early age....but I think he will be worth the wait.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

He reminds me a bit like Blake Wheeler

 

[Hockeyisl1fe]

Great value to pick a better version of Puljujärvi at 24. Yeah, I wasn't a fan of the aforementioned at all last year. They're very similar players, but Vesalainen actually knows how to handle a puck and use his body in tight.

 

[Lempo]

Kind of interesting that he made the HPK contract only for the 2017-18 season. I kind of assumed the FEL teams as a rule signed the most promising 17 y.o.s for three years at least partially to get the benefit of the transfer fees when they move to the NHL mid-contract.

Gotta wonder if it is deliberate choice by Vesalainen('s agent) to allow for as frictionless transfer to NA for 2018-19 as possible.

 

[Trilliann]

He reminds me a bit like Blake Wheeler

Great value to pick a better version of Puljujärvi at 24. Yeah, I wasn't a fan of the aforementioned at all last year. They're very similar players, but Vesalainen actually knows how to handle a puck and use his body in tight.

I can see both Wheeler and Puljujärvi in him too. Like Pulju with an edge.
Pulju was compared to Wheeler a lot during his draft year.

I heard someone call him "the Laine version of Pulju"