So who would be a perfect partner for Juolevi who’s on the team or who is/will be available on the market over the next year or two? I mean, Doughty would be nice. Haha.
I think Juolevi is an interesting one to project in this respect. I'm not really sure what the "perfect partner" would look like. He projects as a pretty adaptable defenceman who can work with different types of partner.
He might do well with more of a physical "defensive defender" who can alleviate some of that element for him, while asking Juolevi to be the primary puck-mover with his quick decisions and consistently slick outlet passes (the biggest strength of his game).
But he also seems like the type who could fit quite nicely taking the more reliable, relaxed, defensive role to a more aggressive, offensive-minded, puck-rushing partner too.
I think that's part of what's kind of exciting about Juolevi if he lives up to his potential. Stylistically, he's the sort of defenceman where you probably don't have to worry so much about "
the right partner". Should be able to find chemistry more easily than some others. In the same sense that Hamhuis (a trendy comparison for Juolevi) seemed pretty easy for a bunch of different types of partners to play with and look better for it. That's part of the value in what a player like Juolevi
projects as. Even if he's not tracking as a "True #1D" or whatever, it's nice to have defencemen who can kind of chameleon into different roles with different players.
Yep. Can’t really underestimate how “tough” it must be not being aware that there are a handful of people on the INTERNET who think you might not be the best thing ever.
How do they even muster the will to drive to the rink each day?
I don't think it's really just about what this board or "the internet" thinks. It's about the environment with the Vancouver Canucks media and fanbase as a whole. Where i think it'd be extremely naive to suggest there isn't an abnormal amount of pressure and oftentimes negativity to handle here. It's been mentioned many times by various insiders, ex-players, etc. It's a thing. Especially since the tumble from the peak of our most recent Cup run i think.
It's weird. In Toronto, there's also insane spotlight...but it feels like their prospects are all largely treated as
future superstars until proven otherwise. Whereas here...it seems to almost be flipped on its head. Our prospects are scrutinized with extreme intensity and often just torn down until they finally come good, or at least start to show truly remarkable progress (like Pettersson's magical season, Boeser coming in like a star, Gaudette winning the Hobey Baker, etc). I don't know if the massive overhype on that Hodgson+Schroeder duo broke us as a fanbase, or if it just comes with the chip on our shoulder having never won the big trophy. But there can very much be a pretty uniquely vicious character to the Canucks media and fanbase that doesn't seem to exist in a lot of other NHL cities for prospects (kids) to deal with.
Fortunately...i kinda get the impression Juolevi might actually be well-suited to that attribute of this market. He seems to have a pretty unflappable self-confidence in his abilities (sometimes maybe even unearned). Seems to let things roll off his back pretty well, which could serve him well here...as it did for the Sedins for so many years (especially in the tough ones).
