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LW Kristian Vesalainen (2017, 24th, WPG)

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Atas2000 said:
Learning to play in the NHL - yes.

Learning to 0lay in the minors - no.
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KHL/European rink and playing style versus NA rink and playing style. It's a different atmosphere and there are few Finns of Vesalainen's age that have jumped straight to NHL without AHL games. I've mentioned it several times before but Koivu and Granlund had to learn the ropes there. It's on the player how quickly he adapts and proves AHL isn't where he needs to play anymore.
 
Jussi said:
KHL/European rink and playing style versus NA rink and playing style. It's a different atmosphere and there are few Finns of Vesalainen's age that have jumped straight to NHL without AHL games. I've mentioned it several times before but Koivu and Granlund had to learn the ropes there. It's on the player how quickly he adapts and proves AHL isn't where he needs to play anymore.
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Okay. Laine came straight to NHL from Europe. Barkov did too. Aho did. Heiskanen. Donskoi. Kotkaniemi. Lehkonen....zzzzzzz Paul Maurice himself said that three years ago Vesalainen would be playing in Jets top 6. He'll be fine.
 
Jussi said:
KHL/European rink and playing style versus NA rink and playing style. It's a different atmosphere and there are few Finns of Vesalainen's age that have jumped straight to NHL without AHL games. I've mentioned it several times before but Koivu and Granlund had to learn the ropes there. It's on the player how quickly he adapts and proves AHL isn't where he needs to play anymore.
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Even the finnish rink isn't "european"(probably better to call it IIHF). And numerous KHL teams have finnish or NHL sized rinks by now. This argument quickly goes out of the window.

Obviously the whole style of play in the league might be different, but it never hurt numerous successful players. Especially if we look at Vesalainen's age. How many current NHL stars out of Europe has played in Europe at 19? Did it ever hurt them?

If there is a choice AHL or KHL/SHL I'd always tend to the latter options for a guy out of Europe at this age. Even Liiga might be more beneficial for specifically Finns.

The cultural benefit(on ice and off it) of the AHL is more than offset by playing in better leagues/environments for young players who are still fragile in their game.
 
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Atas2000 said:
Even the finnish rink isn't "european"(probably better to call it IIHF). And numerous KHL teams have finnish or NHL sized rinks by now. This argument quickly goes out of the window.
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Not all Finnish rinks are hybrid size, the Liiga rink sizes have posted on this site numerous times (though they might not have Mikkeli, Kouvola or Vaasa rinks). Kärpät, where Vesalainen finished the season, play in a wide rink, just as an example. The rink in Hämeenlinna is also international width.

This is what they were two years ago: Kiekkoareena selvitti: Minkä kokoisia Suomen kaukalot ovat? - Kiekkoareena
 
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Paul Maurice said:
Okay. Laine came straight to NHL from Europe. Barkov did too. Aho did. Heiskanen. Donskoi. Kotkaniemi. Lehkonen....zzzzzzz Paul Maurice himself said that three years ago Vesalainen would be playing in Jets top 6. He'll be fine.
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All those players have just a little bit more talent (except maybe Donskoi) and had more merits in Finnish rinks than Vesalainen.
 
Ippenator said:
Except Kotkaniemi too. And even he is a great Finnish talent. But so is Vesalainen too. I don’t see your point really valid in this case.
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Kotkaniemi differs in that he's a center on a team weak at center, easier for him to make the team. But he's also putting up points, while being younger than than Vesalainen. Another example is Tolvanen who's taking the slower route in AHL because the things he has trouble with are things he can learn the best in AHL.
 
Jussi said:
Kotkaniemi differs in that he's a center on a team weak at center, easier for him to make the team. But he's also putting up points, while being younger than than Vesalainen. Another example is Tolvanen who's taking the slower route in AHL because the things he has trouble with are things he can learn the best in AHL.
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There’s no one best route to the NHL. It depends very much on the player what is best for them. For Vesalainen AHL wouldnt be the best route. He anyway wants very much to have a shot at international medals. He will get those chances more for sure when he plays in the KHL. That is a better way to develop his offence. Especially, as the Finnish national team’s coach Jukka Jalonen is well known for giving young talents good chances and being very good at helping them with their development. Vesalainen is very much into playing in the national teams. Like many other European youngsters can be.
 
BB88 said:
AHL would be better for him, he's not trying to become the best European league player he can.
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So playing in a worse league that happens to be on the same continent as the NHL is better for developing as a hockey player? How often do we hear about "inferior" leagues here?

The best league to adjust to the NHL is the NHL. The AHL provides nothing more than cultural benefits as he'd have to learn the language and all. For Europeans it is evidently more beneficial to learn properly to play that european hockey and then translate it to the NHL.
 
Jussi said:
KHL/European rink and playing style versus NA rink and playing style. It's a different atmosphere and there are few Finns of Vesalainen's age that have jumped straight to NHL without AHL games. I've mentioned it several times before but Koivu and Granlund had to learn the ropes there. It's on the player how quickly he adapts and proves AHL isn't where he needs to play anymore.
Click to expand...

There are few AHL players going point per game at draft+2 that didn't explode in the NHL.

Jets just want to pay him 70k for a year to slide his contract, see Rantanen for reference. Business transaction where Vesalainen has no other option than going to KHL.
 
As said by others, European prospects should develop in Europe. There is no need to play the AHL or major juniors in Canada.

Vesalainen did a mistake when signed with Jets. He should sign two or three yrs deal with Jokerit. Or even one-year deal.

The problem of European players is a lack of leverage. They need to force the NHL clubs to play them in the NHL since day one. If the NHL club is not willing to do so, they should go to Europe next day.

Another problem of European players are the European leagues. There are not so many European clubs who could offer to pay such talents.

The sad part of the story is that European hockey officials do nothing to protect the interests of European clubs & prospects. Even if they do, I see no results.
 
He negotiated this option into his contract, no big deal that he wants to play for his hometown team.

He'll be in North America for the rest of his career starting next year. Hopefully with the Jets but if not, he'll start down with the Moose.
 
gwh said:
There are few AHL players going point per game at draft+2 that didn't explode in the NHL.

Jets just want to pay him 70k for a year to slide his contract, see Rantanen for reference. Business transaction where Vesalainen has no other option than going to KHL.
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:laugh: 70K is pocket money when it come to the Jets. That's absolutely preposterous to even think they wouldn't want to pay such a small sum. Besides, Vesalainen had only played 8 games in AHL. The proper evaluation would have been after 20-30 games.
 
Kshahdoo said:
I think, if he's good enough, he'll play for Team Finland.
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That's not up to him. Since he's on loan, usually the NHL team has had the right to recall the player back to NA. I mean Tolvanen joined the Preds right after Jokerit season ended. Granted the Worlds are scheduled the latest ever next year so the Jets could be knocked out by then from the playoffs. But then of course it depends on how many NHL player we get and how Vesalainen has played.
 
vorky said:
As said by others, European prospects should develop in Europe. There is no need to play the AHL or major juniors in Canada.
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Tolvanen and Mikael Granlund say hi. Both played had issue with the speed of the game in NHL rink. Granlund himself even said that he had to learn to do things quicker and in tighter space and he learned to do that in AHL. Tolvanen has the same issues and he's learning in AHL. It really depends on the players themselves where they are on their development scale. Some people can step right in and some need adjustment.
 
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