C / RW Joni Ikonen - Ilves Tampere, Liiga (2017, 58th, MTL)

[thomast]

I like him more than Vesalainen. He can create offense with little space and time out of nowhere.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Can any Frölunda fans comment on the likelihood that Joni will stick with the big club this year?

 

[Aahlstroem]

Can any Fr�lunda fans comment on the likelihood that Joni will stick with the big club this year?

It depends a bit on if Lias Andersson and Carl Grundström makes the NHL after their training camps or if they come back to us, since it would open up two roster spots. Joni is part of a group of younger players (Oliwer Fjellström, Jacob Peterson and Kalle Miketinac are others in that group) that probably will be practicing with the mens team and be given a chance to grab a spot.

I don't think that he'll have a permanent role but I'm sure that he will get ice time during the season.

 

[NotProkofievian]

It depends a bit on if Lias Andersson and Carl Grundström makes the NHL after their training camps or if they come back to us, since it would open up two roster spots. Joni is part of a group of younger players (Oliwer Fjellström, Jacob Peterson and Kalle Miketinac are others in that group) that probably will be practicing with the mens team and be given a chance to grab a spot.

I don't think that he'll have a permanent role but I'm sure that he will get ice time during the season.

Thanks. Are there any rumblings that he would go back to Finland if he can't crack a spot? Can he even do that? (I'm not sure how Vesalainen ended up back in Finland).

 

[Lays]

Great pick and as a Rangers fan I'm jealous as ****. Had him in my own first round

 

[VictorLustig]

I like him more than Vesalainen. He can create offense with little space and time out of nowhere.

Agree. Having seen a lot of Frölunda J20 games this season, Ikonen was definitely their best and most talented forward. Think his transition to he SHL could be a smooth one next season.

I also can't believe a player like Filip Westerlund was chosen ahead of Ikonen.

 

[Neil Hamburger]

It depends a bit on if Lias Andersson and Carl Grundstr�m makes the NHL after their training camps or if they come back to us, since it would open up two roster spots. Joni is part of a group of younger players (Oliwer Fjellstr�m, Jacob Peterson and Kalle Miketinac are others in that group) that probably will be practicing with the mens team and be given a chance to grab a spot.

I don't think that he'll have a permanent role but I'm sure that he will get ice time during the season.

I believe Grundstrom is expected to play with the Marlies next season. He came over after Frolunda's season ended and played in 6 playoff games with the Marlies.

 

[IPreferPi]

I also can't believe a player like Filip Westerlund was chosen ahead of Ikonen.

You're telling me.

 

[Aahlstroem]

Thanks. Are there any rumblings that he would go back to Finland if he can't crack a spot? Can he even do that? (I'm not sure how Vesalainen ended up back in Finland).

No, I haven't heard anything like that. Vesalainen felt that he wasn't treated fairly or given a chance or something like that. I think both the club and himself are disaponted with how the season went and that this was the best solution.

I believe Grundstrom is expected to play with the Marlies next season. He came over after Frolunda's season ended and played in 6 playoff games with the Marlies.

http://www.expressen.se/gt/sport/jag-stannar-garnai-frolunda-ett-ar-till/
"- If it stands between AHL and Frölunda, what will it be?"
"- Then I believe it will be Frölunda."

http://www.frolundaindians.com/artikel/2lasaj45d-24601/olofsson-stannar
The 19 year old will cross the atlantic to participate in Toronto Maple Leafs' rookie- and main-camp with the goal to grab a roster spot.
- That's how it is, but if he doesn't stick in the NHL he returns to us. (Frölunda GM Fredrik Sjöström)

Since he's drafted outside the first round and had a contract for 17/18 we have the right to have him play in the SHL if he does not end up in the NHL. However we hade the same situation with Tom Nilsson a couple of seasons ago and let him go play in the AHL. If Grundström himself really would want to play in NA I'm sure we'd let him go. I think that he will develop better in SHL though, like Janmark and Lehkonen did.

 

[jnk96]

I like him more than Vesalainen. He can create offense with little space and time out of nowhere.

I agree, although I wouldn't necessarily say I like him better than Vesalainen. Different player types, with Vesalainen having better NHL chances due to his size and two-way play. That said, I strongly believe Ikonen was one of the major reasons why Vesalainen had such an impressive U18 tournament. Ikonen really shone as a playmaker with elite vision, after being known mostly for his shot by most (that shot is excellent too, by the way).

I also can't believe a player like Filip Westerlund was chosen ahead of Ikonen.

Westerlund went right where I had him ranked; I was only surprised Ikonen was still on the board then. But choosing Westerlund over Ikonen isn't terrible. Westerlund is an extremely smart transition player who can play perfect breakout passes, and he has some upside as a two-way guy. If you don't like Ikonen's tendency to hold on to the puck for too long, always making the extra move, then that's fair in my opinion.

 

[Spectra]

Westerlund will break out next season in Frolunda and I thought he went right where he was supposed to. I thought Ikonen was a first round talent though and possibly a bit of a steal!

 

[Franck]

Glad that the Habs managed to pick at least one of the players I wanted them to.

 

[Naslund]

Not surprisingly, Ikonen did amazing this week at the Habs' Development Camp. Still can't believe we got this guy at 58. Will be a top 6 players for the Habs in three years and a fixture on our powerplay for a decade. Drouin and Ikonen on the powerplay will be deadly.

 

[jnk96]

Not surprisingly, Ikonen did amazing this week at the Habs' Development Camp. Still can't believe we got this guy at 58. Will be a top 6 players for the Habs in three years and a fixture on our powerplay for a decade. Drouin and Ikonen on the powerplay will be deadly.

I had him at 17 on my list. Might've been a tad too high, who knows, but I can't believe he dropped as far as he did either.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

Is Ikonen a Finnish citizen or a second generation working class Finmigrant like me?

 

[vaiski]

Is Ikonen a Finnish citizen or a second generation working class Finmigrant like me?

He was born in Finland and only played in Sweden for the last two years. Although his father did play in Frölunda for the first three years of his life, I doubt he has a Swedish passport.

 

[mattihp]

He was born in Finland and only played in Sweden for the last two years. Although his father did play in Frölunda for the first three years of his life, I doubt he has a Swedish passport.

It would be weird for him to have a Swedish passport with that history. I am born in Sweden (as is my mother, also a finnish citizen) and have lived here all my life. Not a swedish citizen

 

[lakai17]

Great selection by the Habs.

 

[VictorLustig]

Seems like he's leaving for Finland. Apparently he demanded a spot on the senior team, Frölunda said no. Nothing official yet though.

http://blogg.gp.se/rylanderjohan/2017/07/17/nytt-ikonen-lamnar-frolunda/

 

[NotProkofievian]

Can he just bolt, or does Frölunda have to release him from his junior contract?

 

[PuckPoise]

Can he just bolt, or does Frölunda have to release him from his junior contract?

Frölunda could stop him if they wanted to. I doubt they'd want a player around who don't want to play there so they are probably just going to get as much money as possible out of this and let him go.

 

[SoupyFIN]

KalPa lost a lot of their top players during the offseason and didn't really replace any of them with notable names, so there's potentially a big role for grabs there. Style wise probably the closest Liiga team to SHL too, unless Kapanen completely turns it around from last season (which is unlikely considering the success they had).

 

[rickardr]

I doubt they'd want a player around who don't want to play there

Yeah, they have made that pretty clear with Ehrnberg and some other player

 

[GC]

Seems like he's leaving for Finland. Apparently he demanded a spot on the senior team, Frölunda said no. Nothing official yet though.

http://blogg.gp.se/rylanderjohan/2017/07/17/nytt-ikonen-lamnar-frolunda/

Ikonens player agent responds to Rylander:
"Team FIN U20 Training camp starts in 4 days...that's why Joni Ikonen does not have his hockeygear at Frölundaborg. Joni Ikonen is under contract with Frölunda - if he would play in some other team it would be accepted by Frölunda and Montreal Canadiens."

 

[Aahlstroem]

Ikonens player agent responds to Rylander:
"Team FIN U20 Training camp starts in 4 days...that's why Joni Ikonen does not have his hockeygear at Frölundaborg. Joni Ikonen is under contract with Frölunda - if he would play in some other team it would be accepted by Frölunda and Montreal Canadiens."

Do you have a link?

Rylander isn't the best source, he might be just straight out wrong like he's been before.

Edit: I found the tweet. To bad he didn't elaborate.