Prospect Info: #73OA - Hurricanes Select LW Patrik Puistola

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Puistola is loaned to Mikkelin Jukurit SM liiga team from his original liiga team Tappara.
Tappara couldn't give more icetime for Puistola so they decided loan him to Mikkelin Jukurit.

Mikkelin Jukurit management staff or coaches aren't commented Puistola's injury.
Is very likely Puistola will miss U20 WJC's ( especially then if he has concussion and other injuries) in Czech Republic.

Puistola is added Team Finland's U20 WJC preliminary training camp list.
Official Team Finland U20 WJC training camp roster announcement is next week.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Scott Wheeler does a series for the Athletic called “The Gifted”, focusing on prospects who have an extraordinary talent that separates them from the pack. He does 10 per year. Last year he focused on Necas’ use of speed bursts to create openings for playmaking. This year, #10 is Patrick Puistola.

Article goes into a lot of detail (and a lot of video) about Puistola’s talent for carrying the puck to develop scoring chances. Key skills include baiting the defense/goalie by showing them the puck for a split-second, leaning on his edges to make quick cuts to the slot without losing control, and carrying the puck off faceoffs when most players would dump it to the point. The main takeaway is that he’s a player who needs the puck on his stick, and needs his linemates to be good away from the puck. When those factors align, he can make magic happen.

On the other side of the coin, he is a boom-or-bust prospect. 2019-20 went sideways for him as he never earned the trust of his coaches at Tappara and ended up bouncing between leagues. He certainly isn’t going to slot into a “safe” non-scoring role, so the trust and patience of his coaches is vital.


The Gifted: Hurricanes prospect Patrik Puistola controls the...

 

[MinJaBen]

Scott Wheeler does a series for the Athletic called “The Gifted”, focusing on prospects who have an extraordinary talent that separates them from the pack. He does 10 per year. Last year he focused on Necas’ use of speed bursts to create openings for playmaking. This year, #10 is Patrick Puistola.

Article goes into a lot of detail (and a lot of video) about Puistola’s talent for carrying the puck to develop scoring chances. Key skills include baiting the defense/goalie by showing them the puck for a split-second, leaning on his edges to make quick cuts to the slot without losing control, and carrying the puck off faceoffs when most players would dump it to the point. The main takeaway is that he’s a player who needs the puck on his stick, and needs his linemates to be good away from the puck. When those factors align, he can make magic happen.

On the other side of the coin, he is a boom-or-bust prospect. 2019-20 went sideways for him as he never earned the trust of his coaches at Tappara and ended up bouncing between leagues. He certainly isn’t going to slot into a “safe” non-scoring role, so the trust and patience of his coaches is vital.


The Gifted: Hurricanes prospect Patrik Puistola controls the...

Trade him now. Or at least soon, while his value is growing. He doesn’t sound like a player that will be able to break into the league the way Rod likes new kids to come in.

 

[vorbis]

gooble gobble. I have 5 (five) 30-day free passes to the Athletic to give to anyone who's interested.

 

[DaveG]

Beat me to posting that Tarheel. He's definitely one of the more unique talents in hockey today. The question is how to get it to work here since you can't exactly fit him in the lineup with just anyone. We knew it when we drafted him though, the guy is either going to be a star or he's flat out going to never make it. Good news is I think a Swiss army knife like Rees would compliment his game nicely.

 

[tarheelhockey]

the guy is either going to be a star or he's flat out going to never make it. Good news is I think a Swiss army knife like Rees would compliment his game nicely.

Yeah, I think this starts with getting him on an AHL line with a guy like Rees and letting them simmer together for a while. Best case, maybe you build the foundation of a future NHL line. Even if that doesn't work out, at least they have an environment to grow and be successful at the AAA level. Then when the next opportunity rolls around, you've got a confident and mature player instead of a basket case.

This is one of those things where our choice of affiliate dramatically affects our options.

 

[Bunch of Jurcos]

gooble gobble. I have 5 (five) 30-day free passes to the Athletic to give to anyone who's interested.

If one is still available I would like one please.

 

[vorbis]

If one is still available I would like one please.

you can PM me the email to send it to and I'll get it done

 

[Vagrant]

for those that saw the article, that cut that they identify directly into the box is going to be hellish to defend because nobody else is really doing that with any frequency. it's basically a dead spot of responsibility at the convergence of 4 responsibilities and taking the territory before the defense has time to suss out who he belongs to. the trailer sort of falls in line behind him and makes his stick available higher in the slot. you could tell his linemates were prepared for it. it's almost gimmicky but it's an exploit of the 0.5 seconds when a defense is falling into structure after a 50-50 in the neutral zone and just slamming the gas.

it seems like a lot of his game is based on being less reactive offensively and more proactive and bringing the game straight to the defense and straight into sticks trusting that he will come out with it because he trusts his technical skills. that would explain why he thrives internationally when systems are inarticulate and simplified. it doesn't bode well for when he reaches levels where they're just going to play straight through him which is why his skating is going to have to improve. if he's going to play frogger he can't just be a decent skater. that aspect of his game will have to be elite. especially if the philosophy of your entire line is going to depend upon what he does upon entry and his linemates having to improvise off of his choices.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

I wonder how much Tappara dicking around not playing him has slowed down his development.

 

[Unsustainable]

 

[FlyingSquirrels]

I was more excited about Puistola than Tieksola as a prospect. It appears I may be wrong.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

AAAAAAAND Puistola gets his first assist on the first line in Jukurit. See what happens when players with his offensive potential actually get played in the Liiga? I guess there is that thing called "team fit", but still, it was maddeningly frustrating to see a young guy like Puistola just sitting on JYP's bench doing nothing. Good for him to get out of there and go to a team that actually wants him.

 

[Kaljis]

 

[jonlin]

Fun stuff - His dad is a coach for the opposing team. At 0.43 this video shows his dad hiding his smile. You can see the look in his eyes though, that hes proud...

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I was more excited about Puistola than Tieksola as a prospect. It appears I may be wrong.

But were you?

 

[Jukurit]

Puistola scored 16 goals and 24 points in 54 games with Jukurit, which on paper looks good, but 10 of his goals and 54.2% of his points were on power play. So he is a power play specialist. I don't think Puistola ever plays a game in NHL. Sometimes he makes nice plays, but most of the time he is just invisible. I think he has high end skill, but lacks in hockey IQ and skating.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Puistola scored 16 goals and 24 points in 54 games with Jukurit, which on paper looks good, but 10 of his goals and 54.2% of his points were on power play. So he is a power play specialist. I don't think Puistola ever plays a game in NHL. Sometimes he makes nice plays, but most of the time he is just invisible. I think he has high end skill, but lacks in hockey IQ and skating.

Could he become a Hornqvist-type? Is that a fair potential comp if somehow he does make it over here? Appreciate the update though, sounds like he’s not long for our radar.

 

[Jukurit]

Could he become a Hornqvist-type? Is that a fair potential comp if somehow he does make it over here? Appreciate the update though, sounds like he’s not long for our radar.

No.

 

[bleedgreen]

I think if he’s not signed this summer it says it all about what we think of his chances. We’ve signed others we probably had lower hopes for.