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

[ps241]

Been following Frölunda for years. Vesalainen got all the tools in the world to succeed. However, people say that he doesn't take training or hockey in general seriously. That's why he regressed this season and didn't even played every night for Frölunda. This guy is a huge gamble.

Hopefully, he will make it... but I strongly doubt that he will make the NHL.

Thanks for confirming my suspicion.......there is a reason a kid with this size and talent fell to 24. Pretty odd it's very unlike TNSE to pick a toolsy kid with the questions around his work ethic and character? Hopefully, it's because they feel he can overcome it but drive might be the most critical component when projecting talent.

 

[Whileee]

From my post on April 27... http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=131515091&postcount=694

I like Foote.

Rasmussen is "meh" for me, but I think it's very simplistic to think that all he has going for him is size.

An intriguing player for me if we're looking at BPA is Vesalainen. I think he might have climbed into the top-10, but if he's available at #12 I'd be tempted.

I have no doubts about his talent. I hope the Jets have done their due diligence on his attitude and character.

 

[ps241]

He's versatile, like many of our wingers. He can play both sides. I like that. He has some good hands and a nose for the net. Good skater. But his development is going to be a long one I think. I'd leave him with HPK for at least another season. He has a lot to prove over there. He might even need two. He needs to learn that two-way Finn game, it's lacking. Then he needs to come to NA and play in the AHL. After that we can assess. He could definitely surprise. There are some great tools here but we need him to find a toolbox to hold them all. Great size, great speed, great puck handling, good shot. The toolbox is the main part. Can he put it all together. I have so much more faith in this kid than Stanley. I hate the way we arrived at this pick, it was avoidable, but I like the pick and I think this kid has a good shot at being a Wheeler replacement down the line. We need to be patient with him though. He's going to be one of the longer term Forwards we've drafted in the 1st.

Yea I agree with the part about not liking how we arrived at the pick but liking the pick. I like the risk here in the sense that if he matures emotionally and becomes an every day pro that doesn't expect to have things handed to him because of his talent then the timing of his arrival here in 2 or 3 seasons as a cost controlled asset on an ELC could be critical as our older core are taking a step back or departing.

 

[Whileee]

Thanks for confirming my suspicion.......there is a reason a kid with this size and talent fell to 24. Pretty odd it's very unlike TNSE to pick a toolsy kid with the questions around his work ethic and character? Hopefully, it's because they feel he can overcome it but drive might be the most critical component when projecting talent.

In an interview a couple of days ago Chevy mentioned that they were conducting some additional and/or follow-up interviews after sliding back from #13 to #24 for some due diligence on prospects that might be available around that spot. It would make sense for them to have delved deeper on Vesalainen, and perhaps they were satisfied.

Time will tell...

 

[Kaako Kappo]

From my post on April 27... http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=131515091&postcount=694



I have no doubts about his talent. I hope the Jets have done their due diligence on his attitude and character.

I bet Laine and Armia will have a positive impact on his attitude too.

 

[ps241]

In an interview a couple of days ago Chevy mentioned that they were conducting some additional and/or follow-up interviews after sliding back from #13 to #24 for some due diligence on prospects that might be available around that spot. It would make sense for them to have delved deeper on Vesalainen, and perhaps they were satisfied.

Time will tell...

I like a confident kid and can even live with a bit of a diva. The real risk appears to be in the drive, work eithic, mental make up side of things. In some ways it's fascinating because each 1st round prospect has had their challenges.......Scheif needed to physically mature.....Trouba was close to plug and play but may not want to stay here ....Morrissey needed time to develop his all around game but had all the tools....Ehlers was a gift and his size didn't matter but it was bit of a risk....Connor needed time in the AHL to figure it out.....Roslovic seems to have all the elements and at this point, to me at least, I think he just needs to prove it at the next level.......Laine is a freak of nature and our franchise talent but has lots of runway as far as physically developing his body......Stanley the much maligned long term project appears to have the great attitude and work ethic to grind it out but the HUGE question mark is around his talent......Vesalainen challenges may be mostly between the ears.

I guess it comes down to did TNSE do their due dillagence and come away thinking it was a non issue .....or did they come away saying it's there but it's worth the risk??

 

[Wanderson]

Thanks for confirming my suspicion.......there is a reason a kid with this size and talent fell to 24. Pretty odd it's very unlike TNSE to pick a toolsy kid with the questions around his work ethic and character? Hopefully, it's because they feel he can overcome it but drive might be the most critical component when projecting talent.

I would still say that Vesalainen is one of the best players in the draft this season. His skillset is huge! You guys should be very satisfied with the selection - even though it's high risk-high reward pick (see Ho-Sang). I also believe a change of scenario will be good for him. It seems like he is going back to Finland next year.

He wasn't very good this season - but it's not all Vesalainens fault. Frölunda is also to blame.

 

[ps241]

From my post on April 27... http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=131515091&postcount=694



I have no doubts about his talent. I hope the Jets have done their due diligence on his attitude and character.

Impressive Whileee this was before the U18's to.

I was sad for you when Brannstrom went....sad for Dax when Valimaki went.


Today is a new day and I say it's a nice morning for Samberg to join our prospect cupboard......I doubt he will fall to us but if he does I think we pick him and I will be cheddared.

 

[Whileee]

Impressive Whileee this was before the U18's to.

I was sad for you when Brannstrom went....sad for Dax when Valimaki went.


Today is a new day and I say it's a nice morning for Samberg to join our prospect cupboard......I doubt he will fall to us but if he does I think we pick him and I will be cheddared.

Brannstrom was my pet favorite, but I was always well aware that it was always a long-shot for a variety of reasons, even at #13.

Among forwards, I think Vesalainen has one of the highest ceilings from this draft. I don't know anything about character issues, but he toyed with u-18 competition. The Jets seem to value that platform for scouting (Scheifele's performance there was a determining factor in taking him in 2011).

 

[ps241]

I would still say that Vesalainen is one of the best players in the draft this season. His skillset is huge! You guys should be very satisfied with the selection - even though it's high risk-high reward pick (see Ho-Sang). I also believe a change of scenario will be good for him. It seems like he is going back to Finland next year.

He wasn't very good this season - but it's not all Vesalainens fault. Frölunda is also to blame.

I think it's a great risk and I am very glad we picked him because at #24 beggars can't be choosers and I have no problem taking a risk on a top 10 talent that needs to mature a bit over a kid without the talent.

I voted "we'll see" but do like the risk.

 

[ps241]

Brannstrom was my pet favorite, but I was always well aware that it was always a long-shot for a variety of reasons, even at #13.

Among forwards, I think Vesalainen has one of the highest ceilings from this draft. I don't know anything about character issues, but he toyed with u-18 competition. The Jets seem to value that platform for scouting (Scheifele's performance there was a determining factor in taking him in 2011).

Yea he did toy with Canada at the U18's and that version of Vesalainen is drool worthy. His pace and power just overwhelmed Canada and he could have had about 5 points in that game although the Canadian goalie was leaky and the team looked like they were standing around. He looked as good as Puljujarvi did the previous year in that tournament.

 

[KingBogo]

Yea he did toy with Canada at the U18's and that version of Vesalainen is drool worthy. His pace and power just overwhelmed Canada and he could have had about 5 points in that game although the Canadian goalie was leaky and the team looked like they were standing around. He looked as good as Puljujarvi did the previous year in that tournament.

This PS is what I believe we should focus on. The kid had top 10 talent that we got at #24 because he hasn't fully matured between the ears at 18. This is why you pump money into player development. Having a couple other Finns on the team is another bonus for the kid. He was in the group Chevy was considering at #13 and I'm very satisfied that being the end result.

A promising defenseman in the 2nd and a goalie by the end of the day July 1st and I will go into the summer feeling pretty good about things.

 

[Maukkis]

This PS is what I believe we should focus on. The kid had top 10 talent that we got at #24 because he hasn't fully matured between the ears at 18. This is why you pump money into player development. Having a couple other Finns on the team is another bonus for the kid. He was in the group Chevy was considering at #13 and I'm very satisfied that being the end result.

A promising defenseman in the 2nd and a goalie by the end of the day July 1st and I will go into the summer feeling pretty good about things.

A very good post. Even if people here are losing their minds over not getting a prospect that fills a need, I don't think you can ever blame an organization for going BPA. Vesalainen was just that: a big, strong and talented-as-hell winger - that's pretty damn impressive from 24. From what I've heard, he's considered to be a fairly safe bet to become a NHL player too. Sure, he may not help in fixing our defensive woes next year, but neither does Välimäki, or anyone else in this draft for that matter.

We still have seven picks left - there is a lot of time for us to find a couple of good prospects. My wishlist, in order:

- a good defenseman prospect with our 2nd
- 1-2 goalies
- if available, a boom-or-bust forward with sky high potential (Tortora?)

 

[Whileee]

This PS is what I believe we should focus on. The kid had top 10 talent that we got at #24 because he hasn't fully matured between the ears at 18. This is why you pump money into player development. Having a couple other Finns on the team is another bonus for the kid. He was in the group Chevy was considering at #13 and I'm very satisfied that being the end result.

A promising defenseman in the 2nd and a goalie by the end of the day July 1st and I will go into the summer feeling pretty good about things.

He's one of the younger players in the draft, too. June birthday.

 

[KingBogo]

He's one of the younger players in the draft, too. June birthday.

My understanding is he signed a 2 year contract to play in Sweden.

 

[SCP Guy]

We took the BPA on our board and that shows good discipline on part of the organization Mio

I can't comment on how good the player is as I have seen him play once and watched a 5 min YouTube clip on him

 

[KingBogo]

We took the BPA on our board and that shows good discipline on part of the organization imo

Lots of praise from neutral fans on the prospect board.

 

[DaJackal]

I don't love the pick but at #24 I like it.

Personally I don't see huge character issues. There is nothing that the Jets and other Finns in the team can't brush away, and confidence is a good thing. Considering his size, physical attributes and skating I see him having an absolute floor as a 3rd line power forward and #2 PP playmaker. That's not a bad worst-case scenario for a 24th OA. And all scouts know what his ceiling might be.

I hope he finds success in Winnipeg, because to me he strikes as the type of guy who'd rather be a star in the KHL than a grinder in the NHL.

This is the only real risk IMO. KHL's larger rinks would allow him to skate circles around others and he might find it tempting.

So I think you made a good pick and possibly BPA at #24. Now stockpile on dmen in the later rounds and you should hit 1 or 2 good ones, which would be enough. You have Buff, Morrissey and Trouba, so you are not in desperate need for top pairing guys.

 

[Gil Fisher]

My understanding is he signed a 2 year contract to play in Sweden.

SEL or Liiga?

 

[blues10]

He's one of the younger players in the draft, too. June birthday.

Really good point. He has been 18yo for all of 22 days. Hasn't even played in a hockey game since he turned 18. The on ice tools look great and I think he will be fine between the ears.

I expect 2 years in Europe before joining the Moose and acclimatizing to NA. He could find himself over here earlier and under the watchful eye of the Jets if things don't go well for him in Europe or if the Jets just want to get him training in their facilities and plying in NA.

19/20 for a legit shot at the big club and pencil him in for 20/21???

 

[KingBogo]

SEL or Liiga?

HPK according to the NHL.com draft analysis. But when I checked that was in Liiga not in SEL.

 

[StiffSquid]

HPK according to the NHL.com draft analysis. But when I checked that was in Liiga not in SEL.

He signed with HPK of Finnish Liiga in April. So he'll play in Finland next year.

 

[KingBogo]

He signed with HPK of Finnish Liiga in April. So he'll play in Finland next year.

Thanks. The article I was reading had HPK in Sweden. Glad he is playing in Finland. We should be able to get some nice first hand reports on how he is doing.

 

[CorgisPer60]

He signed with HPK of Finnish Liiga in April. So he'll play in Finland next year.

Excellent. Hope he does well.

 

[hurricanedave]

I think folks are putting too much stock in unsubstantiated character issues, the Jets even said they liked Kristen's interview. The main reason his stock dropped and teams passed was his lack of production as a pro. The real question will be was it just poor luck? He had a fair bit of success generating opportunities last season, we'll find out I suppose.