F Julius Nattinen - JYP, Liiga (2015, 59th, ANA; released)

[JabbaJabba]

So 2 years in OHL and 1 year in AHL wasn't enough?

Clearly not.

 

[tcat84]

Clearly not.

He's apparently transformed his game to being more of a scorer, those years in NA rinks will be great experience for him if he comes back. Dadonov struggled in the AHL/NHL went to the KHL, learned to dominate and came back straight into the NHL with success. I know it's a very specific and unrealistic comparison.

Although, something weird happened in his last 2 years in the NA, his OHL points dropped and then Anaheim terminated his contract after only 1 AHL season. Weird that ANA didn't just loan him and hold his rights, that's kinda concerning.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Clearly not.

If he comes to NA, he'll get 2-way contract for nothing and play in AHL role he isn't suitable for (happens pretty often to Euros). Nobody in NA cares about some Euro player become a regular NHLer. They care about KHL stars, though. If Nattinen becomes a one, he'll find his place in the NHL.

 

[Kalv]

If he comes to NA, he'll get 2-way contract for nothing and play in AHL role he isn't suitable for (happens pretty often to Euros). Nobody in NA cares about some Euro player become a regular NHLer. They care about KHL stars, though. If Nattinen becomes a one, he'll find his place in the NHL.

Wut? If the player can prove himself NHL teams will be very interested in playing them.
Ducks took Haakanpaa who clearly was struggling at the start. Improved drastically throughout the year, god regular minutes with the Ducks towards the end and got himself a one way contract.
Meanwhile, KHL star Shipachyov barely got 3 games with Vegas.

KHL status is meh for NHL teams. Prove yourself

 

[Kshahdoo]

Wut? If the player can prove himself NHL teams will be very interested in playing them.
Ducks took Haakanpaa who clearly was struggling at the start. Improved drastically throughout the year, god regular minutes with the Ducks towards the end and got himself a one way contract.
Meanwhile, KHL star Shipachyov barely got 3 games with Vegas.

KHL status is meh for NHL teams. Prove yourself

Gusev? Gavrikov? Mikheyev? It's just this past season. And I don't even wanna talk about goalies...

 

[julkki]

Shame if he don't try second time to get to NHL. I think he has a very unique skillset, but lack of hard work might be the problem for him to achieve NHL-status...

 

[JabbaJabba]

Gusev? Gavrikov? Mikheyev? It's just this past season. And I don't even wanna talk about goalies...

Outside of Russians KHL hasn't been a good route for players going to NHL. I imagine that those Russians would have made it to NHL if they played somewhere else.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Outside of Russians KHL hasn't been a good route for players going to NHL. I imagine that those Russians would have made it to NHL if they played somewhere else.

I've heard about a Finn, who signed a contract with Toronto recently. And that Oilers' goalie... I can probably name a few other non-Russian KHLers, who made the NHL directly from the league.

Some of them failed, of course, as some Russians as well.

 

[JabbaJabba]

He's apparently transformed his game to being more of a scorer, those years in NA rinks will be great experience for him if he comes back. Dadonov struggled in the AHL/NHL went to the KHL, learned to dominate and came back straight into the NHL with success. I know it's a very specific and unrealistic comparison.

Although, something weird happened in his last 2 years in the NA, his OHL points dropped and then Anaheim terminated his contract after only 1 AHL season. Weird that ANA didn't just loan him and hold his rights, that's kinda concerning.

Would be awesome if Nättinen had that Dadonov -story. Nättinen played just one season in the AHL and he was 20 years old then. His second season in the OHL the year before wasn't a success story either but prospects develop at different pace. It was very weird that his contract was terminated. Usually you see that players don't get re-signed, but Nättinen's contract was terminated, it makes me wonder if there was something more than just playing poorly that resulted in contract termination.

 

[themelkman]

Outside of Russians KHL hasn't been a good route for players going to NHL. I imagine that those Russians would have made it to NHL if they played somewhere else.

Flawed story. The sharks have taken lots of guys from other euro leagues and gave them real roles.

 

[Zub]

Not if he wants to make it to the NHL. Hopefully he plays in AHL next season, he needs to learn to play North American hockey.

The guy is what, 24? and has played already in NA.

 

[Son of Petter]

Look at a guy like Kubalik that came from NLA. Teams are looking to find diamonds in the rough anywhere, it’s not specific to one league.

If he comes to NA, he'll get 2-way contract for nothing and play in AHL role he isn't suitable for (happens pretty often to Euros). Nobody in NA cares about some Euro player become a regular NHLer. They care about KHL stars, though. If Nattinen becomes a one, he'll find his place in the NHL.

 

[JabbaJabba]

The guy is what, 24? and has played already in NA.

Nättinen turned 23 this January so he's not too old. And I am aware that he has played in North America. Now he has matured more and made a breakthrough in Liiga, it is a good time to build on that success and try again.

 

[JabbaJabba]

I've heard about a Finn, who signed a contract with Toronto recently. And that Oilers' goalie... I can probably name a few other non-Russian KHLers, who made the NHL directly from the league.

Some of them failed, of course, as some Russians as well.

We will see how Lehtonen succeeds in Toronto. I am hoping for the best. It is common that every year there are some KHL players who go to NHL and play for a year before heading back to KHL. Hopefully Lehtonen isn't one of those guys.

Leo Komarov is one Finn who went from Finnish league to KHL before going to NHL and back to KHL before going to NHL for good. I think he could have stayed in NHL in his first visit but he wanted a bigger role, so he went back to KHL. Traditionally Finns have taken another way to NHL than KHL.

 

[LeProspector]

Nattinen is just a year older than Puljujarvi and he just outproduced him in the Liiga on a worse team, and most on this board believe Puljujarvi still has potential to be a top-6 forward. I’m not saying Puljujarvi doesn’t but if you’re saying Nattinen can’t come back oversea’s and be given a similar opportunity, you’re lying to yourself.
Only reason I can see teams not giving him a shot is if there are things we don’t know behind the scenes. But even then, someone will give him a shot.

 

[julkki]

Nattinen is just a year older than Puljujarvi and he just outproduced him in the Liiga on a worse team, and most on this board believe Puljujarvi still has potential to be a top-6 forward. I’m not saying Puljujarvi doesn’t but if you’re saying Nattinen can’t come back oversea’s and be given a similar opportunity, you’re lying to yourself.
Only reason I can see teams not giving him a shot is if there are things we don’t know behind the scenes. But even then, someone will give him a shot.

I'd take Nättinen over Puljujärvi anytime into my prospect pool.

 

[barriers]

Translation:
" Julius Nättinen has informed the club that he will exercise the option in his contract to play abroad. Nättinen won the League's goal title (33 goals) and placed third in points.

Read more: https: // bit.ly/2ArYh2z"

 

[Gliff]

I really hope the Ducks and him had a good parting and he comes back.

So frustrating if he goes to another team and tears it up.

 

[themelkman]

Translation:
" Julius Nättinen has informed the club that he will exercise the option in his contract to play abroad. Nättinen won the League's goal title (33 goals) and placed third in points.

Read more: https: // bit.ly/2ArYh2z"

Come on sharks. Donskoi 2.0

 

[Harbessix]

Any more news on where he may end up?

 

[barriers]

Any more news on where he may end up?

Rumours have him ruling out a return to North America next season. Likely will end up in SHL or KHL, NLA a possibility.

Also, from the best I can gather Google translate has always had trouble establishing context and translating Finnish and, more so, Russian. It feels like it's been getting worse lately. The translation of Nevalainen's tweet amuses me greatly.



"Translation"

"Let's see where Julius Nättinen ends up. The options reportedly are, KHL, NLA and SHL. In Sweden, if you look, for example Växjö, Färjestad, Skellefteå, Örebro and Leksand miss the player in his style."

"Replying to @LaaksosenTeppo

You’d think quite a few teams would miss a large dock that moves well and puts a loaf in the bag at a good pace."

 

[themelkman]

Rumours have him ruling out a return to North America next season. Likely will end up in SHL or KHL, NLA a possibility.

Also, from the best I can gather Google translate has always had trouble establishing context and translating Finnish and, more so, Russian. It feels like it's been getting worse lately. The translation of Nevalainen's tweet amuses me greatly.



"Translation"

"Let's see where Julius Nättinen ends up. The options reportedly are, KHL, NLA and SHL. In Sweden, if you look, for example Växjö, Färjestad, Skellefteå, Örebro and Leksand miss the player in his style."

"Replying to @LaaksosenTeppo

You’d think quite a few teams would miss a large dock that moves well and puts a loaf in the bag at a good pace."

I guess he probably just wants to get better paid, but doesnt want to deal with the mess of the season the NHL is trying to do.

 

[Killerjas]

Will look great playing in Grand Rapids. Hope some AHL team picks him up, he is so much more refined than he was a couple years ago.

 

[Dr Quincy]

Nattinen is just a year older than Puljujarvi and he just outproduced him in the Liiga on a worse team, and most on this board believe Puljujarvi still has potential to be a top-6 forward. I’m not saying Puljujarvi doesn’t but if you’re saying Nattinen can’t come back oversea’s and be given a similar opportunity, you’re lying to yourself.
Only reason I can see teams not giving him a shot is if there are things we don’t know behind the scenes. But even then, someone will give him a shot.

Because you don't just scout off stat sheets.
Logan Woodside
Mike White
Zach Terrell
Nick Stevens
Ryan Higgins
Jake Browning
Nathan Peterman
Sam Darnold
and Mason Rudolph all had better QB Ratings than Patrick Mahomes during his last year in college.

A scout(baseball) I knew once told me "You don't scout off results". Scouting is about projecting someone from where they are into your league.

Liiga is different than the NHL and not everybody who succeeds over there has a projectable game to succeed here.

 

[lakai17]

Nattinen is just a year older than Puljujarvi and he just outproduced him in the Liiga on a worse team, and most on this board believe Puljujarvi still has potential to be a top-6 forward. I’m not saying Puljujarvi doesn’t but if you’re saying Nattinen can’t come back oversea’s and be given a similar opportunity, you’re lying to yourself.
Only reason I can see teams not giving him a shot is if there are things we don’t know behind the scenes. But even then, someone will give him a shot.

Bad comparison? Too many different variables to compare the two today.