C Aleksi Saarela - Lukko, Liiga (2015, 89th, NYR; traded to CAR, traded to CHI, traded to FLA)

[Kaako Kappo]

Too bad the Canes are going for the cup so they can't call anyone up from the NHL. No time for development.

 

[Ippenator]

He seems to play LW this year instead of full time C. Also comfirming he's a pure sniper. 121 shots in 58 games. 2,08 shots per games. Ranks him 81th in the league in shots on goal.

I think he could shot more. But it's really good for a first full season in the AHL.

If anyone has more info about in game scouting report it would be appreciated

I think he should not be a center really. He is not at all a playmaker, so there is no point in using him in that position. I have never liked pure goal scoring and shooting centers, as they make very difficult for their line to have a good and versatile passing game, as they can’t be the real link between the defenders and the wingers, in the way that the most efficient centers in hockey can be.

The only way how to make a line work somehow ok with the kind of center that Saarela is, would be by having two playmaking wingers that can also grind, with him. But even then I don’t see the line as ideal for very good passing game and involving all the five players on the ice in the plays.

He should definitely be a winger, although he does quite much think of himself as a center. I saw an interview about two years ago where he very much insisted on being a center and being unhappy about his coaches then wanting to play him as a winger mostly.

 

[Peeps]

Traded to CHI

 

[JJTT]

Traded to CHI

Man this thread is 8 years old already, hopefully he finally breaks out.

 

[Kotkaniemi15]

Nice get for Chicago

 

[Tryamkin]

Interesting deal.. his brother Antti was just drafted by Chicago..

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Has he been a disappointment? I was really upset we traded him for Eric Staal.

 

[FinPanda]

I hope we see him and his brother play for the Blackhawks in the future.

I wasn't surprised that they united them.

 

[Gsus]

His shot should see use at NHL level, it's very heavy. He had a great year winning the AHL championship.

This is great for the Hawks.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

I love how all of a sudden people are huge fans of Saarela again.

 

[Ippenator]

Great shot and maybe above average offensive skills, but not good defensively and can’t do much of playmaking. Absolutely shouldn’t play as a center, although he thinks very much himself that he is a center. At least in the past he was an entitled and selfish prick, whom was quite easily vocally questioning his coaches.

When he was in Lukko in Liiga, his coach Risto Dufva was telling him that he doesn't see Saarela really as a center and was playing him as a winger. Saarela complained afterwards (when he had switched from Lukko to Ässät, Lukko’s main rival team) about it openly in an interview and said that his previous coach was wrong and he knows that he is really a center. What a croak of crap! You better play like a good center plays, or just keep your complaints to yourself honestly.

And btw the same year Finland’s all time best coach Jukka Jalonen whom was then coaching the gold medal winning U20 WJC team, also saw that Saarela is not a center and played him as a winger in that gold medal winning team.

 

[Jussi]

Great shot and maybe above average offensive skills, but not good defensively and can’t do much of playmaking. Absolutely shouldn’t play as a center, although he thinks very much himself that he is a center. At least in the past he was an entitled and selfish prick, whom was quite easily vocally questioning his coaches. When he was in Lukko his coach Risto Dufva was telling him that he doesn't see Saarela really as a center and was playing him as a winger. Saarela complained afterwards (when he had switched from Lukko to Ässät, Lukko’s main rival team) about it openly in an interview and said that his previous coach was wrong and he knows that he is really a center. What a croak of crap! You better play like a good center plays, or just keep your complaints to yourself honestly.

And btw the same year Finland’s all time best coach Jukka Jalonen whom was then coaching the gold medal winning U20 WJC team, also saw that Saarela is not a center and played him as a winger in that gold medal winning team.

That team had a lot more centers so it was easier to play him on wing. He played center in the 4 on 4 OT to Kapanen though.

 

[Esq]

I love how all of a sudden people are huge fans of Saarela again.

Maybe if you all weren't a bunch of jerks you have have given him a shot with the big club.

Jerks.

 

[Ippenator]

That team had a lot more centers so it was easier to play him on wing. He played center in the 4 on 4 OT to Kapanen though.

Sure. But if he was really as good as a center as he himself thinks, Jalonen would have played him as the 2nd or 3rd line center. He just wasnt a good enough center for that, and he isn’t really a good center even nowadays, although he has developed as a player for sure. Still, can’t defend well enough and can’t do that much of playmaking to be a really convincing center.

And btw, Aho wasnt really considered that much as a center before that tournament. It was Jalonen whom exactly saw that Aho could work really well as a center. So Aho came in fact pretty much out of the blue as a number 1 or number 2 center. First he was more considered as the number 2 center when the tournament started, but of course he took quickly his position as the clear number 1 center for Finland in that tournament.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Great shot and maybe above average offensive skills, but not good defensively and can’t do much of playmaking. Absolutely shouldn’t play as a center, although he thinks very much himself that he is a center. At least in the past he was an entitled and selfish prick, whom was quite easily vocally questioning his coaches.

When he was in Lukko in Liiga, his coach Risto Dufva was telling him that he doesn't see Saarela really as a center and was playing him as a winger. Saarela complained afterwards (when he had switched from Lukko to Ässät, Lukko’s main rival team) about it openly in an interview and said that his previous coach was wrong and he knows that he is really a center. What a croak of crap! You better play like a good center plays, or just keep your complaints to yourself honestly.

And btw the same year Finland’s all time best coach Jukka Jalonen whom was then coaching the gold medal winning U20 WJC team, also saw that Saarela is not a center and played him as a winger in that gold medal winning team.

 

[MMC]

Traded for what is now the third time in his career already, this time to Florida.

 

[Ippenator]

Traded for what is now the third time in his career already, this time to Florida.

I think he’s pretty much done as an NHL player. Entitled attitude and way too glaring weaknesses to get a chance as an NHL center. I have quite big doubts on him even as a winger though. A player whose attitude clearly stinks unfortunately.

 

[Newfoundland]

i

I think he’s pretty much done as an NHL player. Entitled attitude and way too glaring weaknesses to get a chance as an NHL center. I have quite big doubts on him even as a winger though. A player whose attitude clearly stinks unfortunately.

I mean it dosen't help when he's literally not given a chance

 

[Ippenator]

i

I mean it dosen't help when he's literally not given a chance

Yeah, but don’t you think there are real reasons behind it that make it so that he doesn’t get those chances? I don’t think that two teams already didn’t want to give him chances just to be unfair towards him. He’s really just not that good of a player for the NHL level unfortunately.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Wow, I was pissed when the Ranger's traded him, thought he had a good NHL career ahead of him. Can't believe he got traded again.

 

[FinPanda]

Recalled and should get playing time: