LD Olli Juolevi - TPS, Liiga (2016, 5th, VAN)

[The Winter Soldier]

Timely tweet after my post on Juolevi today. I agree with Bob and his impeccable sources.

 

[BusQuets]

Wow, that is quite surprising to me. What's the thing that makes Juolevi so highly valued? His stat line certainly doesn't look that special to me. He was very good in the WJC but I doubt he'd go as high as 4 or before the likes of Tkachuk and Dubois.

Plain and simple? Hockey sense.

 

[BB88]

Plain and simple? Hockey sense.

Yeah I guess it's his IQ that they are dreaming of, and aren't worried about his non elite production which gives me to believe that there are good reasons for lack of his high end production.

 

[Whileee]

what's most absurd about this is that Tkachuk is currently the consensus #4.

Exactly what I thought... If McKenzie is talking to scouts who have Tkachuk as the consensus #4, you wonder whether they're the ones to listen to.

 

[Daximus]

Exactly what I thought... If McKenzie is talking to scouts who have Tkachuk as the consensus #4, you wonder whether they're the ones to listen to.

Ive seen some lists that have the kid as high as #2. It makes you wonder if the only games they are watched are London Knights games...

 

[EichHart]

Risto and Olli, the great Finnish connection coming to Buffalo!

 

[teravaineSAROS]

4th overall??? ok someonr better give me a comparison to Maatta at the same age

 

[Starry Knight]

4th overall??? ok someonr better give me a comparison to Maatta at the same age

IMO, he's better than Maatta at pretty much all facets of the game at the same age. Similar style of play, though.

 

[docbenton]

You also have to remember that the WJC's were played on big ice.
I've watched a lot of London this year and he looks like a different player on small ice. He'll either adapt to NHL speed or it will eat him up.

He was also the best defenseman at the TPG. Whenever he's been up against strong competition he's shined. There's clearly a lot he's able to handle.

In terms of speed, he's a smooth and speedy skater in all directions, effortlessly floats over the ice. What makes him really fast is his decision-making, already knows what he wants to do before he gets the puck and but can also make strong decisions split-second on a consistent basis. Hockey sense in a top defenseman is paramount and Juolevi's got more than his fair share of it.

 

[Mad Brills*]

I doubt he falls past 6.

 

[ps241]

IMO, he's better than Maatta at pretty much all facets of the game at the same age. Similar style of play, though.

Interesting

Pretty high praise I quite liked Maatta in his draft year but was told by a guy on our board who knows more about prospects that he was safe but his ceiling wasn't high.

Maatta was projected late 1st round in his draft year and provided amazing value. Those dam D men are enigma's at the draft.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Rielly plays the right side as of now so if it was a really high end defenseman like Chychrun, I think we could deal with adding a guy like him.

We need to get a top line centre or a top pairing defenseman with this pick though that is for sure.

Top line center? What about Nylander and Marner?

 

[Jyrki Lumme]

Top line center? What about Nylander and Marner?

Marner will almost definitely be a winger. Nylander should be a very good centre down the road though.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

Marner will almost definitely be a winger. Nylander should be a very good centre down the road though.

I guess Matthews-Nylander would be an amazing 1-2 punch if both reached their potential, and then Marner could be your #1 Winger. You guys have a lot of good areas covered, even if you don't get Matthews.

Nylander - #1C
Marner - #1RW
Rielly - #1D

Also with:

Gardiner - #2/3D
JVR - #1/2LW


You need a potential Top 2 RHD, and a Potential High End Starter, but other than that you guys are looking good with core pieces.

 

[Jyrki Lumme]

I guess Matthews-Nylander would be an amazing 1-2 punch if both reached their potential, and then Marner could be your #1 Winger. You guys have a lot of good areas covered, even if you don't get Matthews.

Nylander - #1C
Marner - #1RW
Rielly - #1D

Also with:

Gardiner - #2/3D
JVR - #1/2LW


You need a potential Top 2 RHD, and a Potential High End Starter, but other than that you guys are looking good with core pieces.

That's my thought. Even if Nylander is a high end player, I think he'll always be better suited as the 2C. But yes, we do really need a d-man more than anything IMO. We have a couple players who could be #3 or 4 d-men, but no top pairing guys.

 

[FinPanda]

Is Juolevi a player who will always play the most safe play and not taking unnecessary risks? That could affect his point totals, maybe. Not flashy but really smart.

 

[Loffer]

Is Juolevi a player who will always play the most safe play and not taking unnecessary risks? That could affect his point totals, maybe. Not flashy but really smart.

It didn't look quite that at the WJC. He took initiatives con undeniable risk factor.

 

[FinPanda]

I actually meant OHL games, not WJC. I watched all the WJC games but I haven't seen any OHL games.

 

[Pi]

I don't understand how anyone can watch Chychrun and Juolevi in the OHL and say that Juolevi is better. Chychrun is getting so underrated. He's better than nearly every D prospect in the last 4-5 years with the exception of Ekblad.

What's his weakness? How come Juolevi isn't criticized for his offense when he plays for London. They have 3 guys killing it on offense. Sarnia has one in Konecny and he came like 2 months ago.

The team that passes over Chychrun for Juolevi will regret it big time.

 

[amack081]

Is Juolevi a player who will always play the most safe play and not taking unnecessary risks? That could affect his point totals, maybe. Not flashy but really smart.

He makes the smart play more than he takes the risk. London want to play an up tempo game and Juolevi is able to move the puck efficiently.

I really like him as a defensemen, however, he isn't the guy that is going to get people out of their seats.

For some reason, he reminds me a lot of Tobias Enstrom (with more size) when he first got into the league with Atlanta which projects as a good #2 but not a franchise player.

 

[Loffer]

I don't understand how anyone can watch Chychrun and Juolevi in the OHL and say that Juolevi is better. Chychrun is getting so underrated. He's better than nearly every D prospect in the last 4-5 years with the exception of Ekblad.

What's his weakness? How come Juolevi isn't criticized for his offense when he plays for London. They have 3 guys killing it on offense. Sarnia has one in Konecny and he came like 2 months ago.

The team that passes over Chychrun for Juolevi will regret it big time.

Blaa blaa blaa. All this whining, huh. Why wasn't this guy even at the WJC if he is so "exceptional"?!

 

[93LEAFS]

Blaa blaa blaa. All this whining, huh. Why wasn't this guy even at the WJC if he is so "exceptional"?!

17 year old D rarely if ever make the Canadian WJC team, Only two in the last 10 years are Ekblad and Ryan Ellis. So they passed over Pietriangelo, Subban, Doughty, Ryan Murray, Dougie Hamilton, Gudbranson and many others at the same age.

 

[Ace]

Yeah and what a Canadian d core they brought to the WJC this year. He didn't exactly have to beat out a good crop.

 

[BB88]

I don't understand how anyone can watch Chychrun and Juolevi in the OHL and say that Juolevi is better. Chychrun is getting so underrated. He's better than nearly every D prospect in the last 4-5 years with the exception of Ekblad.

What's his weakness? How come Juolevi isn't criticized for his offense when he plays for London. They have 3 guys killing it on offense. Sarnia has one in Konecny and he came like 2 months ago.

The team that passes over Chychrun for Juolevi will regret it big time.

That's a bit too early to say.
Clearly there's something scouts see, something they are going crazy for and aren't worried about his non elite offense, and maybe he starts producing more in the playoffs like Maatta.

Let's nor forget that he set the point record in Helsinki and was robbed a point in Canada game, he had 30min games carrying the weakest defensive group out of top teams at 17y and to Gold, everytime there's been a big game he has stepped up, so maybe you are selling him short?

Chychrun and Juolevi play also on different teams, maybe they run their offense differently and as you said Sarnia doesn't have the depth Knights have so maybe Chychrun has more chances to produce(A la Karlsson in Ottawa).
Maybe konency is doing all the work and Chychrun gets passenger points.

Point being who knows, let's give them a bit more time before we say "The team that passes over Chychrun for Juolevi will regret it big time"

Edit, not to mention Juolevi is a rookie and playing his 1st year in NA rink.

 

[AlternateSideParking]

That's a bit too early to say.
Clearly there's something scouts see, something they are going crazy for and aren't worried about his non elite offense, and maybe he starts producing more in the playoffs like Maatta.

Let's nor forget that he set the point record in Helsinki and was robbed a point in Canada game, he had 30min games carrying the weakest defensive group out of top teams at 17y and to Gold, everytime there's been a big game he has stepped up, so maybe you are selling him short?

Chychrun and Juolevi play also on different teams, maybe they run their offense differently and as you said Sarnia doesn't have the depth Knights have so maybe Chychrun has more chances to produce(A la Karlsson in Ottawa).
Maybe konency is doing all the work and Chychrun gets passenger points.

Point being who knows, let's give them a bit more time before we say "The team that passes over Chychrun for Juolevi will regret it big time"

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