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

Loffer

Registered User
Sep 22, 2011
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this kid seems pretty darn good. great skater, good shot, slick stickhandler. i was wrong. kid looks great. (will he be) better than barkov...??
 

thomast

Registered User
Oct 23, 2009
3,784
681
Too early to go crazy about his first FEL game it looks very promising so far. I have been underwhelmed by him in 17WHC and ASM. It's interesting to see if he can keep it up.

But i can instantly say that his shot is elite, skating is very good with great balance and agility. Smart with the puck and he has very good to elite vision. Seems to be pretty strong for an 16 year old kid. I wouldn't say that size will be issue for him if he is build like wild boar with excellent skating. Looks alot like Kimmo Timonen in body type and skating.
 

jarnov

Registered User
Sep 24, 2012
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0
It's just one and half periods so far but Saarela has been brilliant. Especially the assist to Lukko's third goal was great work.
 

Jussi

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Feb 28, 2002
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Mojo Dojo Casa House

I know, I blame Göran Stubb for spreading false info on YLE Puhe (they corrected it later). If we go back to SM-sarja days, Pekka Rautakallio is the youngest at 15 years 7 days.

Another thing I heard from YLE Puhe, Timo Saarikoski commented on Saarela that it's easier for him to make the jump from A-juniors to SM-Liiga because the game is more structured and clearer. I mentioned this already in the Barkov thread but one of the reasons he had such a poor WJC because the game there is anything but structured, especially in Team Finland's case. That shouldn't be a problem on NHL level.
 

thomast

Registered User
Oct 23, 2009
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681
His pass was insane. Gave hits 2 of opposite players took the puck deked pass foward between the legs and passed an saucer pass to good scoring chance.
 

thomast

Registered User
Oct 23, 2009
3,784
681
I know, I blame Göran Stubb for spreading false info on YLE Puhe (they corrected it later). If we go back to SM-sarja days, Pekka Rautakallio is the youngest at 15 years 7 days.

Another thing I heard from YLE Puhe, Timo Saarikoski commented on Saarela that it's easier for him to make the jump from A-juniors to SM-Liiga because the game is more structured and clearer. I mentioned this already in the Barkov thread but one of the reasons he had such a poor WJC because the game there is anything but structured, especially in Team Finland's case. That shouldn't be a problem on NHL level.

Yeah this is the case and pretty good post. I would say that Barkov would be even more lost at U18 WC because game is an mess and everything. Barkov would look better at WC than U18 or WJC because of this. Barkov shouldn't have big problems in the NHL.

I stated before the WJC's that Barkov might look lost in the WJC's because his game is adjusted already in pro game.
 

Gaps

Registered User
Oct 3, 2012
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He seems to be very mature physically for a 16-year-old. He's not big, but he's strong, a good skater and has a great shot. One game is a very small sample size, but he's looked good so far.
 

YARR123

Registered User
Oct 30, 2010
1,718
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Nice to see a finnish prospect with that extra top gear, this guy is pretty fast
 

jarnov

Registered User
Sep 24, 2012
90
0
The most extraordinary move by Saarela in this game wasn't his assist or his goal, it was how he rammed Ville Nieminen to the wall in the end of third period when Nieminen tried to advance right flank. I'm amazed!
 

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