Confirmed Signing with Link: Sami Vatanen D to Europe (Genève-Servette, Switzerland)

[AfroThunder396]

Straight up lie.

Can't speak to his time in Anaheim, but you clearly haven't watched a single Devils game the past 4 years.

 

[Necrobutcher]

Can't speak to his time in Anaheim, but you clearly haven't watched a single Devils game the past 4 years.

But you said his defense has always been bad.

 

[AfroThunder396]

But you said his defense has always been bad.

You're welcome to file a complaint with my manager

 

[Archijerej]

He can't be worse than Chris Wideman and Sami Niku, can he?

 

[Henkka]

So, he chooce quality of life over North America. Can't blame him.

After earning +25M NHL dollars.

Not bad.

And in Switzerland, they still pay money and play half less hockey games than NHL.

And maybe he'll get a role on a 1st PP, not just the 2nd PP watcher behind somebody better than him.

 

[OKR]

Never reached his full potential in the NHL, injuries had lot to do with it too i guess. Dominated Liiga like no other, tilted the game for Jyp everytime he was on ice, besides Erik Karlsson i don’t think i’ve ever seen a defender dominate Liiga like he did.

 

[Mestaruus]

I thought that he had a small chance to join the Finnish Olympic team in China, but now that small chance is gone I guess.

It would be weird to see Vatanen and Filppula playing some EHT (Euro Hockey Tour) games. Finland is the host of 2022 WHC so maybe Filppula and Vatanen have interest for that.

 

[Sticksandsun]

Did not know he was that washed up.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Had such high hopes when the Canes picked him up at the TDL. I’d like to see the alternate timeline where he’s healthy for that playoff run.

 

[PullHard]

Damn I remember a few years ago Montour and Vatanen being so hard to talk about on this board, they were so highly valued by Ducks fans

 

[Zezima]

He played like 5 really good games for Carolina.

Wish him the best

 

[Double Dion]

I wish we had signed this guy to a 1M deal instead of Gudbransson to a 2M deal...

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

Playing out the season in Dallas he was fine on a bottom pair role. I think it was a matter of teams looking for a bigger/more defencive player in that role or giving sheltered minutes to a younger player.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

A real life scenario example. In my work, I have seen people literally go out of there way to get injured, because they hated the job so much. One supervisor I know fell off a short ladder. He went on disability and was likely getting same pay and he doesn’t have to spend one minute at a job he despised. For a lot of humans, it’s about getting the most money with the least amount of effort. I’ve seen this in real life and in pro sports. And as long as the nhl, mlb and nba have guaranteed contracts, you will see the career year in a contract year, get paid, thence their stats decline or just be “injured”.

I'm picturing your supervisor doing a Mick Foley off the ladder onto a table.

 

[Mobiandi]

Must be out of touch, had no idea he was ever a Hurricane or Dallas player

 

[pbgoalie]

Sami was sooooo good in the 14-15 season and even better that year in the playoffs, he followed it up with another good year but he had the ability to take another step forward and that never quite happened.

Shoulder injuries and the aforementioned bad training habits really did him in. Kid was a gamer on the ice though, he wouldn't back down from anyone and would try and hit guys twice his size.

wonder how much the alleged work ethics issues contributed to poor outcomes from his knee and shoulder injuries

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Was pumped when we got him from the Ducks. 1st game as a Devil I think he led our d in icetime on the road against the Avs and we won the game. Had some good moments on the Devils and some bad. He was being over used his time here in his 1st stint. Good #3 D man in his prime. Best of luck Sami.

 

[heksagon]

Hopefully he enjoys his time in Switzerland. Sami is one of my all time favorite players. He was a special talent in JYP (basically a generational D-man in Finnish liiga standards), and a solid player in the NHL who never really fulfilled his full potential there.

I thought that he had a small chance to join the Finnish Olympic team in China, but now that small chance is gone I guess.

It would be weird to see Vatanen and Filppula playing some EHT (Euro Hockey Tour) games. Finland is the host of 2022 WHC so maybe Filppula and Vatanen have interest for that.

I'd argue this might increase Vatanen's chances to make the roster, if anything. He was unlikely to get a big role in the NHL, but a great season in a big role in the NLA might put him on Jalonen, Lehtinen and co's radar. Remember, this is team Finland we are talking about: If we didn't take any players from European leagues, it would be the first time that happens. We have enough D-men in the NHL to fill the roster, but not many of them play big enough roles to be a 100% lock for the team. The surefire locks (if healthy) are Heiskanen, Lindell, and... and... that's pretty much it. The rest depend on their play next season.

Throw in the inevitable injuries for some players, case Ristolainen being unsure, and the ever present need for right handed defencemen with capabilities to quarterback a PP, and Vatanen might get some consideration for sure. I personally think he should be picked if he is in good form by the Olympics: He could be our best PP QB right handed defenceman (maybe Risto, but he is still unsure), and he is underrated defensively. His skating is not what it used to be and he struggles physically at times, but we have other large D-men to do the dirtiest work.

But we'll see, I'm just a JYP homer after all.

 

[serp]

He was pretty meh after the Stars picked him up on waivers. Don't think there was much on the table for the NHL. Mostly PTO's i would assume.

 

[Mestaruus]

I'd argue this might increase Vatanen's chances to make the roster, if anything. He was unlikely to get a big role in the NHL, but a great season in a big role in the NLA might put him on Jalonen, Lehtinen and co's radar. Remember, this is team Finland we are talking about: If we didn't take any players from European leagues, it would be the first time that happens. We have enough D-men in the NHL to fill the roster, but not many of them play big enough roles to be a 100% lock for the team. The surefire locks (if healthy) are Heiskanen, Lindell, and... and... that's pretty much it. The rest depend on their play next season.

Throw in the inevitable injuries for some players, case Ristolainen being unsure, and the ever present need for right handed defencemen with capabilities to quarterback a PP, and Vatanen might get some consideration for sure. I personally think he should be picked if he is in good form by the Olympics: He could be our best PP QB right handed defenceman (maybe Risto, but he is still unsure), and he is underrated defensively. His skating is not what it used to be and he struggles physically at times, but we have other large D-men to do the dirtiest work.

But we'll see, I'm just a JYP homer after all.

Ristolainen is probably a lock in the team and I hate to say that because I don't like his attitude when it comes to WHC participation. Määttä and Hakanpää might be ahead of Vatanen as well in the pecking order. Vatanen would have to join EHT and be really good there.

 

[heksagon]

Ristolainen is probably a lock in the team and I hate to say that because I don't like his attitude when it comes to WHC participation. Määttä and Hakanpää might be ahead of Vatanen as well in the pecking order. Vatanen would have to join EHT and be really good there.

Yeah, Vatanen does need a good showing on EHT.

As for Ristolainen: He does have a spot on the team skill-wise, but who knows how their relationship actually is behind the scenes and how much the national team motivates him. I won't say one way or another, as I can not know. But the past incidents mean that Ristolainen can't be considered a lock. Do I want him on the team? Yes. Do I think he'll be there? Probably. Is he a lock when healthy? Honestly, not really.

Hakanpää has been good and is trending upwards, so he might be ahead of Vatanen. But aside from both being right handed, they are as different as defenders can possibly be, so they fulfill a different need. He is ahead of Vats if the team needs a big, solid, physical defensive D-man with stone hands in the O-zone, but not when the team needs more puck movement.

When it comes to Määttä... Well, as a JYP fan I have followed both Vatanen and Määttä closely throughout their careers, and I personally think that Määttä has never been better than Vatanen, not even now. Just personal preference.

 

[WADEugottaBELAKthat]

I don´t understand how a team like Edmonton did not give him a cheap look in 220. Vatanen is catching alot of flack in this forum. But in my opinion I think he is a crafty vet, a team-first guy, and a versatile offensive player.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

I don´t understand how a team like Edmonton did not give him a cheap look in 220. Vatanen is catching alot of flack in this forum. But in my opinion I think he is a crafty vet, a team-first guy, and a versatile offensive player.

The guy was a big competitor. Small d-man, really feisty and didn't back down from anyone.

This off-season stuff where he didn't train I question though. You can find old anaheim ducks training camp videos where he looks pudgy. Nowadays he looks slim

 

[account deactivated]

Playing out the season in Dallas he was fine on a bottom pair role. I think it was a matter of teams looking for a bigger/more defencive player in that role or giving sheltered minutes to a younger player.

I agree. If not for Sekera still being signed for this season, I think Dallas would've given him a cheap contract for a season or two.

 

[Funk21]

He is a small player that had some sandpaper to his game. Eventually it will wear on you when your facing 6”4 225 pound defenders and forwards.

Add to the fact what people are saying about his work ethic and it makes it that much harder. Glad the TML never traded for him.