Prospect Info: Ville Husso (2014 Draft - 94 Overall)

[STL fan in MN]

They are pros in a sense. Husso's own words talked about how many of his teammates with the Mavericks knew they didn't have a long future for the sport, so they didn't take it as seriously. He didn't have a full-time goalie coach or a team workout facility. Technically the ECHL is a pro league, but not one that many people think of. It's not like the minors in baseball where there is still some funding from the big club to provide proper coaching staffs and facilities.

I don't mean to insult the players, but many of the players in the AHL and ECHL will need some sort of income to supplement their salaries, and will definitely need it when they retire, even if those incomes are hockey related. I am sure they are very professional, there is just a difference in how much time can be invested in training and development in those leagues.

My point is, expecting a quick jump from ECHL to NHL is a bit too optimistic.

Well yeah, getting back to Husso, we shouldn't expect him to be NHL ready anytime soon. Goalies generally take a long time to develop and while Husso is talented, it still takes time to adapt to the N.A. style of game.

And I'm not sure it's fair to take some of Husso's quotes to a Finnish newspaper as how things are in the ECHL in general. Maybe things were that bad in Independance Mo earlier this season. Or maybe some stuff was lost in translation and it's really not that bad. We don't really know and only heard one side of the story...and it was in Finnish, thus with potential for their to be even greater confusion/misunderstanding. And yes, many ECHL clubs do get funding from parent clubs but obviously they're not quite on par as the AHL in many levels. And I'm not familiar with any AHLers having to supplement their salaries. But yes of course, a career minor leaguer will have to find a different career once their playing days are over. That's...pretty obvious. But doesn't change the fact that one can make a very good living playing pro hockey, even if they never make the NHL.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

https://yle.fi/urheilu/3-9784076
Large article of Ville Husso by YLE sport.

Based on comments by Ville Husso's father if Ville won't get 40-50 games in AHL this season and he gets assigned again to ECHL.
Ville's father says in that situation it's better for Ville to come back to Finland or Europe.

Husso didn't like much of his time in ECHL so what's St Louis's management plan to develop Husso if he won't make NHL roster.
Chicago Wolves is now Las Vegas's AHL affiliate so they won't have any interest to get icetime or any AHL starts for Husso.

 

[Em etah Eh]

Isn't he supposed to be the starter for the Rampage this season?

 

[The Note in MI]

He will have to earn a starting spot but if he plays how he's supposed to playing time will present itself.

 

[Ranksu]

https://yle.fi/urheilu/3-9784076
Large article of Ville Husso by YLE sport.

Based on comments by Ville Husso's father if Ville won't get 40-50 games in AHL this season and he gets assigned again to ECHL.
Ville's father says in that situation it's better for Ville to come back to Finland or Europe.

Husso didn't like much of his time in ECHL so what's St Louis's management plan to develop Husso if he won't make NHL roster.
Chicago Wolves is now Las Vegas's AHL affiliate so they won't have any interest to get icetime or any AHL starts for Husso.

Good sum up for article, but Husso has been really fed up about the hole situation in St Louis and how they have handle AHL and ECHL. Husso was demanding to come back Europe and talked to his agent when he get send down to ECHL, but his agent get change Husso's mind.

This hole Blues don't have AHL team really is messing up players heads now. I just hope everything goes well and we don't see any European player (Kostin, Husso) pissed out that much they dump NA career and come back to Europe to play hockey (KHL)

 

[The Note in MI]

It's certainly a possibility. One that I really hope doesn't come to fruition. But ultimately not much we can do about it when we don't own a minor team. It's the business side of hockey. Husso did well to earn his spot in the A last year and I suspect he will do just fine again this year.

Kostin is likely to spend at least a half year in the A. All these young guys expecting playing time in the NHL need to understand that's not how it works you have to earn your stripes. Blues system is chock full of good players. That means you have to rise above.

 

[Ranksu]

He will have to earn a starting spot but if he plays how he's supposed to playing time will present itself.

Husso was just puzzled how he was send down to league where training facilities were extremely poor. Guy is first year in NA and he get send to league where teams don't have goaltender coach. Everything is new, atmoshpere, NA rink and you are left out there alone without proper training system.

You don't treat your top goaltender prospect like garbage. It leaves out that in St. Louis front office and generally coaching stuff doesn't have understanding for professional coaching enviroment or their system just sucks if things like these happends.

I wonder why in Finland we get so many good goaltenders compare to NA goaltenders?

 

[ManyIdeas]

I wouldn't even be mad if he went back this year, if he doesn't get games in AHL.

I'd hope that he still comes over next year(?) when the Blues have their own AHL team.

 

[Dbrownss]

If Husso looks good and plays well, they will find a team in the AHL for him. That's up to him to EARN his ice. The Blues tried to get a team in Kansas and it didnt happen. Blues are making the best of the situation and its only for 1yr

 

[Ranksu]

I wouldn't even be mad if he went back this year, if he doesn't get games in AHL.

I'd hope that he still comes over next year(?) when the Blues have their own AHL team.

No single team doesn't give icetime for another team goaltender prospect. Its totally different for forwards or defenders. Husso will sit in bench majority of time at AHL.

I hope he comes back to Europe and comes back next year to NA when Blues AHL team is settled and they can develope their prospects properly not amateur level.

 

[The Note in MI]

I swear some of our posters are either the most pessimistic I've ever seen or aren't a Blues fan and actually Hawks fans in disguise here to stir the pot...

 

[SirPaste]

I thought JR said Husso was going to San Antonio this season

 

[Dbrownss]

I thought JR said Husso was going to San Antonio this season

That actually sounds right.

 

[joshyhockey26]

I thought JR said Husso was going to San Antonio this season

That's the plan but the starting gig is never guaranteed. Husso just needs to focus on the things he can control, his play on the ice and the games will come. It's a mess for a ton of these prospects but it'll just be this way for one season. Sadly I think this is why another Finnish prospect Niko Mikkola changed his mind to play over here this year. That was the original plan.

 

[Ranksu]

I swear some of our posters are either the most pessimistic I've ever seen or aren't a Blues fan and actually Hawks fans in disguise here to stir the pot...

Change my avatar face in to this photo. Then I can use it as a avatar. I love when people are disrespecting own fan base members.

Btw remember to change avatar size so I can use it. Ty m8

 

[The Note in MI]

I don't know if mikkola would have seen playing time in the AHL.

Butler lindbohm Walman Dunn plus borque and Noel.

 

[Celtic Note]

I would prefer Husso is in the AHL or back in Finland. The ECHL isn't somewhere I want a guy in a critical year of development, when he needs higher level competition.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Husso's the one prospect I feel could be negatively impacted the most because of the lack of an AHL affiliate this season. It sounds like he's destined for San Antonio but it's TBD how good of a situation that'll be for him. If he truly won't get many starts anywhere in the AHL (again, we'll see. Personally, I think he's got a good chance of playing well enough to get starts), then I agree that it'd be best if he returned to Finland for this season.

Returning to Finland or not wouldn't be up to him though. He could ask or push for it but he's in year 2 of a 3 year contract with the Blues. They have 100% of the say of where he plays. Now, I would expect them to take his wishes into account but it's not like he could just leave and go play in Europe if the Blues didn't allow it. For him to play in Europe, the Blues would have to 1) be agreeable to that and 2) come to some sort of agreement to loan him out to a Euro club for this season.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I don't know if mikkola would have seen playing time in the AHL.

Butler lindbohm Walman Dunn plus borque and Noel.

Bourque and Noel aren't AHL eligible as they were drafted from CHL teams.

There does appear to be a decent glut there, particularly on the left side, but it was reported at one point that Mikkola was to come to N.A. for this season. Then when it became known that the Blues wouldn't have their own AHL affiliate, it was reported that Mikkola would be staying in Finland for the year. I think it's reasonable to think it's connected.

While there would've been quite a few guys vying for AHL jobs, Mikkola's a good d-man. I would've expected him to make the Blues AHL team...if they had one. I expect him to play in N.A. for 2018-19.

 

[joshyhockey26]

Bourque and Noel aren't AHL eligible as they were drafted from CHL teams.

There does appear to be a decent glut there, particularly on the left side, but it was reported at one point that Mikkola was to come to N.A. for this season. Then when it became known that the Blues wouldn't have their own AHL affiliate, it was reported that Mikkola would be staying in Finland for the year. I think it's reasonable to think it's connected.

While there would've been quite a few guys vying for AHL jobs, Mikkola's a good d-man. I would've expected him to make the Blues AHL team...if they had one. I expect him to play in N.A. for 2018-19.

He's currently signed for the 18-19 season but that hasn't stopped players in the past.

 

[Alklha]

Husso has every right to be furious about how last season started. It's easy to sit here and say he needs to earn it, but he wasn't really given a fair opportunity to do that initially. He came over from a good League, with proper coaching and facilities, to play in a significantly inferior League for the first half of last season. I highly doubt that the Blues got him signed with that sales pitch.

That said... it's in the past now. He is our #1 minor league goalie, we'll be doing everything to put him in a position where he'll be getting as many games as possible in the AHL next season.

 

[Robb_K]

Isn't he supposed to be the starter for the Rampage this season?

I think I remember JR saying that Husso was slated to be one of 6 players sent to San Antonio, and he'd share the goaltending with The Rampage's own AHL contracted goalie (with Husso likely to win the starting job). No other NHL-owned goalie is scheduled to be sent to San Antonio. I'm not too worried about Husso not getting enough AHL games in.

 

[Ranksu]

Looks like in Rampage Spencer Martin (50GP) had last year #1 gig, Cannata (6GP) split few games after that. If Husso is playing in Rampage I doubt he'll get more then 20 GP which in my mind isn't any near as enough for him. Looks like Rampage have acquire another goaltender for next season too Sam Brittain, who's ECHL/AHL caliber goaltender.

So they have now 4 goaltenders (Martin, Cannata and Brittain + Husso)

No need to be worried?

 

[The Note in MI]

Husso is an NHL caliber prospect he will be fine...

 

[Chubbinz]

Looks like in Rampage Spencer Martin (50GP) had last year #1 gig, Cannata (6GP) split few games after that. If Husso is playing in Rampage I doubt he'll get more then 20 GP which in my mind isn't any near as enough for him. Looks like Rampage have acquire another goaltender for next season too Sam Brittain, who's ECHL/AHL caliber goaltender.

So they have now 4 goaltenders (Martin, Cannata and Brittain + Husso)

No need to be worried?

If Husso can't beat out an AHL goalie who had a 2.9GAA and .904 SV% last year for a starting job he doesn't deserve the minutes.