Paulinvancouver
Gas station in Carbondale did not have fresh yams!
- Dec 19, 2015
- 4,001
- 1,024
it's just hard to take anyone seriously when they have "pancho villa" displayed proudly on their jersey.
Love the pick!
Love the pick!
Prospect Info: 130th overall: Vancouver selects Toni Utunen (D, Tappara)
- Thread starter Zombotron
- Start date
VancouverJagger
Not trying to fit in
Who did he vote for in the Finnish election?
Definitely my first thought when I saw his name......
Bitz and Bites
Registered User
Good pick,we need to stock up defencemen without creating a log jam in Utica in a couple years.Let him simmer in Europe for awhile and hope for the best.
me2
Go ahead foot
Absolutely, much rather chase someone with update than someone with dime a dozen, cheap 3rd pairing upside.
Brackett really doesn't seem to give a toss about size, we have drafted a lot of small or slight players. At some point they are going to need to add some muscle to prospect pool or we will become Montreal West. Shating is going to be excellent, eventually.
You're not obligated to answer the question if you don't know.
Since he's playing in Europe, Canucks have a lot of time to make a decision on him. If nothing else this draft added to their thin blueline prospect pool. Remains to be seen though whether it's 'quantity over quality'.
thefeebster
Registered User
Wow, not much talk for perhaps the best pick of the day.
He is on the smaller side, but he plays a competitive game. He battles hard on the boards and battles in front of the net well. Saw him lay a nice hip check. I thought he did a lot of heavy lifting for the Finns at the U18s, regular on the PK and 2nd PP (Honka was the only defender on PP1). Good first pass, passes more than rushes, but if ice open to him, he will skate it up. Good shot. Not flashy offensively though (which is why i hesitate to compare him to Vatanen). Little weakness in his game, just well rounded.
Working on a video as i type this!
He is on the smaller side, but he plays a competitive game. He battles hard on the boards and battles in front of the net well. Saw him lay a nice hip check. I thought he did a lot of heavy lifting for the Finns at the U18s, regular on the PK and 2nd PP (Honka was the only defender on PP1). Good first pass, passes more than rushes, but if ice open to him, he will skate it up. Good shot. Not flashy offensively though (which is why i hesitate to compare him to Vatanen). Little weakness in his game, just well rounded.
Working on a video as i type this!
Last edited:
Sorry kinda got into it after reading the whole thread lol
Seems like ANOTHER good pick
Our site has multiple short reports of Utunen
Toni Utunen | FinnProspects.com
I personally am not so sure about Utunen. He is not quite as good skater of offensively as I would hope for a player of his size and he isn't that special at the own end either. Not saying that he would be bad at those parts either, I'm just not so sure what would be the X factor what would make him NHL player. But he is solid all-round already and he played already in pretty good level during this season and this is why he is well worthy of 5th round pick.
Toni Utunen | FinnProspects.com
I personally am not so sure about Utunen. He is not quite as good skater of offensively as I would hope for a player of his size and he isn't that special at the own end either. Not saying that he would be bad at those parts either, I'm just not so sure what would be the X factor what would make him NHL player. But he is solid all-round already and he played already in pretty good level during this season and this is why he is well worthy of 5th round pick.
Derp Kassian
Registered User
Utunen is totally gonna have a great D1 and play at the WJC? Yeah people will be over celebrating this pick in no time
This is a real solid pick. Upside is that of a Dman who is good on D and in transitioning the puck.
It is a draft where D has the most depth. "Asset value" seems to be the term thrown about as well.
It is a draft where D has the most depth. "Asset value" seems to be the term thrown about as well.
I did comment on the pick previously but most of my posts from yesterday seem to have disappeared.
This looks like a good pick. Looking forward to watching him in next years WJCs
jeromemorrow
Registered User
I'm EXCITED about this pick 'cause you're excited about this pick.. Was reading all the posts so far & this pick has sort of gone under the radar... captained his u18(?) team too? Intangibles, smarts & skills are what we're going after these past few drafts.
Don't mind these picks on Europeans to give us versatility in managing our assets. Guess any dman @ the 130ish range with higher upside on Kristoffer Gunnarsson is a +++
I was just reading the thread on the main board discussing pre draft who would be the steals of the draft. This guys name came up the most. Seems like a lot of knowledgeable posters knew about him.
polarbearcub
Registered User
thefeebster
Registered User
Hmmm, not quite that small.
Not a longtime NHL player, but think Travis Dermott, in terms of style.
biturbo19
Registered User
- Jul 13, 2010
- 25,795
- 10,843
That's just his hockey brain. All that hockey IQ didn't fit inside his head for the picture i guess.
Canucks LB
My Favourite, Gone too soon, RIP Luc, We miss you
- Oct 12, 2008
- 76,795
- 29,404
Wise vs utunen
And the winner is?
And the winner is?
thefeebster
Registered User
The Iron Goalie
Formally 'OEL for Norris'
sting101
Registered User
- Feb 8, 2012
- 15,929
- 14,837
Thanks for the vid.
Really like what I've read and seen. Seems like a 2/3 round value for a 5th. His fundamentals are excellent should be fun following his development.
Really like the pic and will be nice to watch him live at the U20's this year.
Tv9924
Registered User
Thanks feebs! He's much more active offensively than I expected.
ihaveyuidonttouchme
MrShiftbyShiftGuy
surprised he got the man of the match or w/e the thing they call but he like just with everyone else had some meh and bad moments none stood out
having said that, he seems to be a good positional player with good hockey iq. seems to have a good understanding of the game
downside is he's sorely lacking food speed and upperbody strength for obv reason being small guy
should focus heavily on his skating
having said that, he seems to be a good positional player with good hockey iq. seems to have a good understanding of the game
downside is he's sorely lacking food speed and upperbody strength for obv reason being small guy
should focus heavily on his skating
Last edited:
Canadian Canuck
Hughes4Calder
Was at the game live yesterday and he was by far the best defenseman on the ice not named Dobson. He has tremendous hockey iq, passining ability and is very very sounds defensively using his positioning. His skating is good not great and needs some explosiveness. All in all he’s looking like a great pick.
Thats great to hear. Skating is something he can work on over the next couple a years too, we can send him to the Bo Horvat school of skating
From the above video too looks like he knows how to throw his weight too. Really liking this pick so far, thanks for the update from the tourney
LovemyNucks
Registered User
So the drafting of small players...defo agree. However it doesn't concern me really. It seems the nucks draft semi-talented beefy-cakey type players to augment the skillful undersize types. So for every Pettersson Hughes and Lind...there's a Virtanen Woo and Gadjovic. I'm super on board with taking these small skilled guys as that's the way the league is going and IMO it seems the nucks are slightly ahead of the drafting curve in that respect. But drafting the rough and tumble types to counter-balance these picks is 100% the right way to build it up. Have patience Nucks fans...I honestly believe the worst is over!
