Olli Määttä
- Thread starter tjziel
- Start date
aresknights
Registered User
As a long time knights fan-- exactly the point.
He's been able to handle the minutes given, isn't outta place at all. To suggest he'd develop more in jr against teens ( even in a memorial cup year -- he's been 2x already so what's to learn?) is just not accurate.
He's practicing daily the cream of crop, getting valuable exp, learning how to be a pro ( travel, nutrition, more intense coaching, game exp, workout resources ect...)
If ya can handle the min, don't hurt your squad, your better off in the show.
Selfishly I wish he didnt impress enough early to stay but he has, so good on him!!
He's earned it for sure
66-30-33
Registered User
King of the Fall
Registered User
- Aug 26, 2007
- 1,532
- 5
He is as solid as a 19yr old could possibly be. His speed is almost as good as his mind.
more importantly if I had to get a Pens jersey right now, it would be his
more importantly if I had to get a Pens jersey right now, it would be his
Rocket of Russia
Needs more Tang
I rewound the dvr at least 3 times to demonstrate his amazing gap control and stick-work. "Look at how he's almost skating east-west at the blue line, not allowing Kessel to blow by him or stop up to wait for help. He's not Orpiking backwards into fleury, giving the blue line and providing a screen. It's incredible!" I said to no one who gave a shi*t.
He is as solid as a 19yr old could possibly be. His speed is almost as good as his mind.
more importantly if I had to get a Pens jersey right now, it would be his
Morgan Reilly was the #5 overall pick, and the kid looked good. Some others.
That said, I wouldn't trade Maatta for any of them.
IMO, if the draft were redone today, then I think he's top three at worst.
MrBurghundy
I may be older but I'm never forgetting #47 & #41
Agreed. But if we're playing the hypothetical game, I take Trouba at #8 and just s**t rainbows for whomever we're lucky enough to draft at #22, which could still be Maatta, or one of the other good guys we've been talking about. Oh well, like many have said here: if we pretend we got Olli at #8 and DP at #22, we can't help but be happy.
I love Maatta. LOVE him, and what he's brought to this team, and how good he has been for his age and in all situations. But there is a pretty significant gap between Rielly and Olli. I have ZERO, ZERO doubt Rielly will be the better player. This kid is just really special (even more special than Olli). Great consolation price, though. Here's my draft re-do, not factoring in team needs or positions.
1) Trouba
2) Galchenyuk
3) Rielly
4) Murray
5) Yakupov
6) Lindholm
7) Maatta
8) Hertl (could go as high as 6, but not lower, IMO)
9) Laughton
10) Reinhart
11) Dumba
12) Wilson
13) Pouliot
14) Terravainen
15) Vasilevski
16) Subban
17) Forsberg (biggest chance to rise on this list as of today, but hasn't proven why yet)
18) Ceci
19) Koekoek
20) Girgensons
21) Jankowski (second biggest chance to rise on my list)
22) Samuelsson
....the rest.
Hmmm no and the whole word sounds so "Swedish". we are Nordics. (Pohjoismaalainen).
I hope Maatta makes our Olympic Team.
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Such a weird thing to say. I'm pretty sure 99% of scandinavian and nordic people feel that Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark belong in the same cultural context and are seen as brotherly nations.
from wikipedia: "The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic, consisting of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden....The region's five nation-states and three autonomous regions share much common history as well as common traits in their respective societies, such as political systems and the Nordic model."
Sorry about the offtopic.
Now you are going too far here, messing up a Nordic Country and some nordic races and languages
Will Hunting
Immortal Adams
Well, I love Trouba and I´ve said multiple times that he´s the ONE AND ONLY reason why I regret picking Pouliot at 8th overall.. (not Forsberg or Grigorenko). But having him over Galchenyuk is probably a bit too much. Maatta at 7th is nice, but I would rank him around 5th (maybe over Yakupov & Rielly).
Rielly probably has a bigger upside, but Maatta is a better player right now. Rielly is mistake-prone while Maatta is almost mistake-free. Maatta is 5 months younger and I fully believe that he has a very solid offensive potential in him. He´s been OK offensively so far, but easily could´ve had more points. I remember multiple times how he was so close to scoring a goal earlier in the year. His shot is pretty accurate and his passing along the blueline is very reliable. He also likes to join the rushes. In my eyes, he´ll be a 1st pairing shutdown defenseman capable of having 35-40 points per year. That´s an excellent potential.
Le Magnifique 66
Let's Go Pens
Is it Pierre McGuire that said in the long run it will be like if the Pens took Maatta before Pouliot. Man this kid is impressive, what a game last night covering Kessel, gave him nothing 
Randy Butternubs
Registered User
At a game against Erie last year when Maatta was with the Knights, McDavid burned Harrington and Maatta and scored a goal. Made both of them look stupid. McDavid was 15 at the time... if Maatta looks this good at this age, McDavid is going to be scary nasty.
Get To Our Game
Registered User
Tasty Biscuits
with fancy sauce
You know that really has absolutely no bearing on anything, right?
Errey's man crush on this kid is pretty funny. Understandable though. This kid is really good.
Maatta played 24:17 last night against Toronto and Bylsma said he was the Pens best D-Man in the game.
Maatta played 24:17 last night against Toronto and Bylsma said he was the Pens best D-Man in the game.
Randy Butternubs
Registered User
Pleeeeease. It means much more than you think.
And I went back and watched video of the goal. It was Harrington getting burned and Maatta was kind of just there.
You know, i played against Zetterberg in juniors, stole the puck from him and scored. Yet he is in the NHL and im not!
*Point made about single plays in juniors doesnt mean much*
*Point made about single plays in juniors doesnt mean much*
JTG
Registered User
- Sep 30, 2007
- 50,804
- 5,932
I don't like speaking about drafts only a year or two from them. Not enough has been able to transpire. I liked Trouba more at the time of the draft, but I do believe that Pouliot was the best offensive defenseman available there, he's also stalkier than Trouba, and I think will be able to hang as much weight on his frame as Trouba will. Trouba is just a nasty individual, but I don't think Pouliot is a slouch in that area.
I think we underrate Pouliot a lot here. There are two things that are knocks on Pouliot...since (which I don't think will be when he fills out), and defensive position, which can be coached. He has elite vision and passing ability, natural offensive ability, and can feel the game at a very high level in the offensive zone. He also has the willingness to stick his nose in and be physical. He really is a complete package player, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him turn into one of the best defensemen in that draft.
I think we underrate Pouliot a lot here. There are two things that are knocks on Pouliot...since (which I don't think will be when he fills out), and defensive position, which can be coached. He has elite vision and passing ability, natural offensive ability, and can feel the game at a very high level in the offensive zone. He also has the willingness to stick his nose in and be physical. He really is a complete package player, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him turn into one of the best defensemen in that draft.
MrBurghundy
I may be older but I'm never forgetting #47 & #41
JTG
Registered User
- Sep 30, 2007
- 50,804
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It can be if the player is intelligent. It takes smarts to be a great defensive player. I don't know how smart Pouliot is. I've seen him a grand total of 4 times. We will see though. And I've never read if he's is a "raw skill" type of guy or not. A lot of guys that just cannot grasp certain aspects of the game are either lazy, unwilling, or stupid.
People are going to have their agendas in regards to that draft, and have guys they would rather have. So you'll naturally have someone quote this post and say something to the tune of "I've seen Pouliot like 35 times and I don't think he will be any good, and we should have taken anyone other than him in the 1st round." And that's fine.
I like to let things play out first. How many guys have we drafted here that people really didn't like? Despres, Bennett, Harrington just to name a few right off the top of my head. People lost their ****ing minds when we drafted Harrington actually. Completely went off the reservation.
I do know one thing, if Pouliot only further develops offensively, boy does he really fill out this blueline nicely. You'd have him carrying the offensive load, and have more than enough good partners to clean up after him. I believe in the kid's offensive game from what I've seen in the limited amount I've been able to.
I don't follow any of the guys in the minors or juniors, but the little I've seen of Pouliot in the preseason is that he wanted the puck on his stick, and was aggressively looking to make plays. Not just wait for someone to get open. Really liked seeing that.
What more can be said about Maatta? There are no more superlatives that can be attached to him at this point. Just out of curiosity, where does he factor in to rookie of the year discussion? He's not putting up points or highlight reel plays, but he's just so consistent and solid.
What more can be said about Maatta? There are no more superlatives that can be attached to him at this point. Just out of curiosity, where does he factor in to rookie of the year discussion? He's not putting up points or highlight reel plays, but he's just so consistent and solid.
Mr Jiggyfly
Registered User
- Jan 29, 2004
- 34,436
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Ya, that **** was funny. Now a few of those guys love him and pound their chests about how he's developed.
With DP, he has a chance to be the most dynamic offensive blueliner from his draft. You really have no idea where he will be in a year, just look at Maatta.
I wasn't happy with the Maatta pick, because of who was still on the board. He was a Jekyll and Hyde player in London and played like a bonehead at times. He wasn't as consistent as some people have claimed he was in London.
I felt he was expendable last spring, but he played extremely well this Summer and impressed the hell out of me, and carried that momentum right into camp.
The Maatta we are seeing now, wasn't nearly this consistent in London last season.
IHWR was really the only poster I recall saying Maatta was going to be this good.
