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LW Kristian Vesalainen (2017, 24th, WPG)

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Hockeyisl1fe said:
Those are not excuses... low confidence = low production. He was almost ppg in Superelit a season ago. You can see yourself what he is capable of do under a coach that trusts him and let him play in a big role. "The way they treated me made no sense at all. They didn't care about me and no one talked to me" was his own words according to a Finnish news outlet.
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I believe he will be a bust and that is my opinion. Rasmus dahlin didnt have any problem with the coach.
 
Bloomfield said:
I believe he will be a bust and that is my opinion. Rasmus dahlin didnt have any problem with the coach.
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Because one player that didn't thrive under your flawless development system is automatically going to be a bust? Ironic that you're the one criticizing me about small sample sizes. I personally don't believe he will bust with his tools, he is a surefire 3rd liner imo. Whether he can develop to a top 6 player remains to be seen.
 
He's just a bit blunt in front of the media that's all. Didn't he bash HIFK's organization before going to Frolunda?
 
BusQuets said:
He's just a bit blunt in front of the media that's all. Didn't he bash HIFK's organization before going to Frolunda?
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No, he said that he believes Frölunda is going to be the best place for him rather than to stay in Finland.
 
Just wondering why he's going to HPK and not his youth club HIFK? Didn't seem to have a great stint with HPK last year.
 
wings5 said:
Just wondering why he's going to HPK and not his youth club HIFK? Didn't seem to have a great stint with HPK last year.
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Well, Vesalainen said that he enjoys playing under Pennanen (HPK's head coach) and I guess likes team's style of play. Vesalainen also said that his last stint was succesful, although he didn't get that much points.
 
I have no idea where he could go this year.

I guess Carolina could be a team looking at him, he'd add size to their forward group.
 
Grant McCagg said:
Am I alone in thinking Vesalainen is now a top 5 candidate? Not when he's compared to Jagr by an NHL scout - Here's a free look at his profile..some interesting comments from NHL scouts after the U18 - https://recrutes.ca/profile/kristian-vesalainen/
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My worry is taking a guy based on one tournament.

I know he played in a men's league, so that might affect how he played and his stat line.
 
Grant McCagg said:
Am I alone in thinking Vesalainen is now a top 5 candidate? Not when he's compared to Jagr by an NHL scout - Here's a free look at his profile..some interesting comments from NHL scouts after the U18 - https://recrutes.ca/profile/kristian-vesalainen/
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I think this quote sums it up perfectly: April 30, 2017 – "He does a lot of things like a pro already. Even though he didn’t get a lot of points in the medal round but I think his effort was really good. St. Cyr stoned him the first ten minutes."

He plays a pro-level two-way game and has a high compete level, which is great to see. But, despite the good effort, he didn't get a lot of points in the medal round and it was obvious why: He needs that time and space to be successful. That's why I'm sure he'll make the NHL but wouldn't be surprised if he became a third-line guy with a solid two-way game who puts up 30-35 points per year.

Now don't get me wrong, I would totally pick him somewhere around 15, but not top 10. I hope he'll prove me wrong.
 
Vatican Roulette said:
My worry is taking a guy based on one tournament.

I know he played in a men's league, so that might affect how he played and his stat line.
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He's a risky pick but he has elite potential, and I don't know how many other prospect has in the +10 range.

I still believe/hope his weakis season was mainly due to confidence issues, SHL is the 2nd toughest league prospect can play and he was barely 17y when the season started.
I like that he had a great finish to the season, that should carry well into the offseason and hopefully continues on the +1 season.
 
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JJTT said:
Unless Vancouver reaches for him, I don't see it. Other teams need centers and defense more.
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After the disaster with Jake Virtanen, I'm pretty sure that Vancouver is one of the least likely teams to go for Vesalainen. At least in the first round. There is just too many similarities with him and Virtanen as prospects. I do see Vesalainen as a definitely better prospect than Virtanen, but I can't avoid also seeing some similarities that I'm sure are worrying especially for Vancouver. I see it most likely that he goes somewhere between 10-20 in the draft. Definitely should anyway go clearly in the first round.
 
All tools, no toolbox is the vibe I get from Vesalainen. Would not draft him with a top20 pick.
 
sydion said:
All tools, no toolbox is the vibe I get from Vesalainen. Would not draft him with a top20 pick.
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A guy that just led the U-20's in goals and points and dominated has no toolbox...interesting vibe to say the least. He's a top-ten guy.
 
Seemed like total bust material to me earlier, but he's pounced back and I get the reason for his poor performance in Frölunda. He has all the tools to be a top-six player. He'll probably go outside top-ten and be a steal if everything goes right.
 
I just find Vesalainen a bit of an odd case. All this talk of iffy IQ for him.....yet off the puck he seems totally fine there. He works hard, is usually in position, reads the play well, is constantly around the play. But then on the puck he can get serious tunnel vision and constantly tries to do too much himself, although on the PP he works it around fine. He's so skilled, but he really has a knack for skating himself into trouble and then not getting himself out if the skill falls short. Of course when it works, it is dazzling, but when it doesn't......that shinny-type stuff will not fly at the next level.

Demolished the u18s, but it creeped in against better competition where they game planned against him and had the talent to execute. That USA game, he was good the 1st and then was horrid the final two periods. USA collapsed on him, and he had no answer. Just kept forcing things and skating into guys, refused to dump it in or make the simple play or work the cycle (as he often does). High skilled players take risks and make mistakes, but just endless turnovers and no corrections made, which was the aggravating part. It was head against brick wall territory.

I look at someone like Tippett, also a tools guy, and his effort level can look horrendous, he floats around never in position in both ends, reads the play terribly off puck, AND he has tunnel vision. Vesalainen has just the tunnel vision. Not many top prospects have good IQ off the puck, his skill level, and then such iffy sense on the puck. Usually if you have iffy IQ on the puck, the off puck IQ is a given. Frankly, the off puck stuff is worse to have IMO. It's just a matter if Vesalainen can be taught to have some more structure offensively and work the cycle better......much better. But I'd take my chances on him -- probably in the low-mid teens -- with this for sure. Too much upside. You can't teach hockey IQ, but maybe you can teach him structure.
 
Grant McCagg said:
A guy that just led the U-20's in goals and points and dominated has no toolbox...interesting vibe to say the least. He's a top-ten guy.
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U-18*
Rajala, Pulkkinen, Nokelainen and Korpikoski all won the scoring championship in the WJC-18 in a SEVEN game long tournament. You can't judge a player like I've said over SEVEN games at the END of the season. Some players have had longer seasons than others.

If you watched him last year and this year you could see the big question marks. This isn't just over a single season like Liljegren. Hope he proves me wrong though.
 
Just another no toolbox guy? Well in any case that should warrant a slot in the show. A superb "Toolbox" with lacking athletic tools won't give you even the ticket. Vesalainen will be a solid bottom 6 grinder with some secondary scoring in the vein of Paajarvi.
 
Loffer said:
Just another no toolbox guy? Well in any case that should warrant a slot in the show. A superb "Toolbox" with lacking athletic tools won't give you even the ticket. Vesalainen will be a solid bottom 6 grinder with some secondary scoring in the vein of Paajarvi.
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Definitely not. I would look into this a little more. he definitely doesnt not seem like a no toolbox guy and whoever who thinks that is clearly lacking in talent analysis.
 
Bloomfield said:
Under a good coach? Are you serious. Roger ronnberg is tye best coach in sweden for prospects.
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and babcock is one of the best in the NHL but that doesnt mean every player does amazing under him, gets along with him and works well under him. This is common sense, come on.
 
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