C/W Janne Kuokkanen (2016, 43rd, CAR; traded to NJD)

[Hulkacaniac]

Stinks for Karpat, but I suppose especially with the head coach leaving, joining London is really something you can't refuse. Should be a great year for them.

 

[BB88]

Last years team, particularly on D was surprisingly young. The big loss is obviously Dvorak and most likely Marner. Losing Berisha will also hurt. Granted, if Van and Calgary both keep Juolevi and Tkachuk (which I don't think would be smart) the team's chance at repeating will be significantly diminished.

I'd say Juolevi is going back, they have spoken highly about London and their development and being patient with Juolevi.
Tkatchuk should also join that team for next year.

Just watched last night U18y finals and was thinking what a find Kuokkanen could be, I'm looking forward to seeing a promising Finnish forward in London.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

London fans are going to be going cuckoo for Kuokannen.

 

[93LEAFS]

I'd say Juolevi is going back, they have spoken highly about London and their development and being patient with Juolevi.
Tkatchuk should also join that team for next year.

Just watched last night U18y finals and was thinking what a find Kuokkanen could be, I'm looking forward to seeing a promising Finnish forward in London.

I expect both back, but I also expected Virtanen and McCann back in junior last year, and even Horvat in 2014-15. So with how quickly Van is promoting guys it wouldn't shock me, although I would think Juolevi needs another year in the OHL and possibly two. I'm a fan of being fairly slow with defenders unless they are guys in the Jones/Ekblad/Doughty/Hedman tier of prospect.

I think Tkachuk is closer to NHL ready than Juolevi (D just take longer), but Flames will give Tkachuk a chance if he's ready. They brought up Bennett and Monahan fairly early, which has worked out well.

Either way, Knights will have a fairly strong team but Windsor will also be stacked.

 

[Gsus]

Wow I thought he was playing in Finland. Never doubted that. But that's great news. He's a very NA style player, so he'll fit right in.

I just hope my team would've picked him.

 

[fahad203]

London is becoming a farm team for NHL team. Not only they produce great players but they also grow them as well.

Hunters really know what they are doing

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKYHEbgcAMc
Janne Kuokkanen's first OHL regular season goal

 

[GoldiFox]

Kuokkanen has such great instincts and vision in all three zones. Throughout the Traverse tournament he was consistently coming up with pucks and turning those possessions into scoring chances.

I think he's in for a big year in London.

 

[Hokinaittii]

13 points in 11 games so far.

 

[JJTT]

After bit of a slower start with 6 points in 8 games, Kuokkanen has now scored 18 points in his last 8 games.

 

[sleb]

After bit of a slower start with 6 points in 8 games, Kuokkanen has now scored 18 points in his last 8 games.

That's some improvement right there. Just tripled his production rate from first 8 to latter. Wish this kid all the best.

 

[Snippit]

Kuokkanen has put up 22 points through 10 games (still a period to go in #10).

Didn't take him long to adjust to the North American game. Another Sebastien Aho for Carolina, perhaps?

 

[NotOpie]

Has slowed significantly and there's some question about what will happen next year w/Kuokkanen.

24 goals and 59 points in 56 games. Not terrible, but you'd like to see him at somewhat of a higher pace.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/hurricanes-agree-to-terms-with-janne-kuokkanen/c-288005266
Janne Kuokkanen has signed 3yrs ELC contract with Carolina Hurricanes.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

the checkers added yet more forward depth on the eve of their first calder cup playoff game, with junior forward janne kuokannen the latest to arrive.

Kuokkanen, 18, completed his junior season on tuesday when his london knights team suffered a game 7 overtime loss to the erie otters in the second round of the ontario hockey league playoffs. The hurricanes’ second-round draft choice (43rd overall) in 2016, kuokkanen is eligible to play for the checkers in the ahl calder cup playoffs beginning with game 1 against the chicago wolves on thursday.

A 6-foot-1, 188-pound native of oulunsalo, finland, kuokkanen (full name pronounced yah-nee kwoh-kuh-nehn) ranked fourth amongst knights skaters with 62 points (26g, 36a) in 60 games over the course of his first north american season. In the playoffs, he led the team and is tied for first among ohl skaters with 10 goals, while his 16 points also led the team and are tied for second in the league.

 

[GoldiFox]

Kuokkanen has been a pleasant surprise this Preseason. Will likely start the year on a line with Jeff Skinner. Probably the Canes best Calder candidate.

 

[JJTT]

Kuokkanen has been a pleasant surprise this Preseason. Will likely start the year on a line with Jeff Skinner. Probably the Canes best Calder candidate.

Is he expected to stay past 9 games?

 

[GoldiFox]

Is he expected to stay past 9 games?

Based on Preseason alone Kuokkanen has earned a spot on the team until Stempniak returns from injury. We don't know how long that will be, but certainly long enough for Kuokkanen to make a case for himself. He was also getting time on the #1PP as the Canes like to run 4F and 1D. That could continue as the PP has been clicking.

Teravainen - Staal - Williams
Aho - Rask - Lindholm
Skinner - Ryan - Kuokkanen/Necas
Nordstrom - Kruger - McGinn/Jooris

Stempniak could slot into that #4RW slot if Kuokkanen or Necas stick.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Based on Preseason alone Kuokkanen has earned a spot on the team until Stempniak returns from injury. We don't know how long that will be, but certainly long enough for Kuokkanen to make a case for himself. He was also getting time on the #1PP as the Canes like to run 4F and 1D. That could continue as the PP has been clicking.

Teravainen - Staal - Williams
Aho - Rask - Lindholm
Skinner - Ryan - Kuokkanen/Necas
Nordstrom - Kruger - McGinn/Jooris

Stempniak could slot into that #4RW slot if Kuokkanen or Necas stick.

The game I saw him play against Edmonton he's got the one-timer to be effective in that role.

 

[Dempsey]

Kuokkanen is now in the AHL with Charlotte and is off to a great start. 10 points (3G + 7A) in his first 9 games as a junior-aged player playing Pro.

 

[Ippenator]

Kuokkanen is now in the AHL with Charlotte and is off to a great start. 10 points (3G + 7A) in his first 9 games as a junior-aged player playing Pro.

Seems to be doing clearly better in the AHL than his much higher touted countryman Jesse Puljujärvi, whom is the same age and from the same Liiga club (Kärpät) originally. Of course the season is still young, but a big difference between Kooks and Pulju is that one of them has a pretty high hockey IQ and the other one doesn’t. I will let people make a guess on which one has it...

 

[Dempsey]

Seems to be doing clearly better in the AHL than his much higher touted countryman Jesse Puljujärvi, whom is the same age and from the same Liiga club (Kärpät) originally. Of course the season is still young, but a big difference between Kooks and Pulju is that one of them has a pretty high hockey IQ and the other one doesn’t. I will let people make a guess on which one has it...

Thanks, but I didn't bump this thread so people could go out of their way to trash Puljujarvi in it for whatever reason.

 

[Ippenator]

Thanks, but I didn't bump this thread so people could go out of their way to trash Puljujarvi in it for whatever reason.

Well ok, I guess I put it in a too harsh form towards Pulju. My main point was still to compare these two in that, that Kooks has been quite impressive compared to the small amount of hype that he has got so far, compared to Pulju. Lets put it still so that players with high hockey IQ can sometimes break through surprisingly well, compared to players that have dominated their junior careers with physical advantage that they have had.

I do definitely hope good success for both, Kooks and Pulju. I have just seen for quite a while some problems with Pulju’s hockey IQ. But I have to say that it looks like Pulju has made some progress with his play already this season. Last night he even scored a goal with a magnificent one-timer. Anyway, they both are very interesting prospects, although quite different as players.

 

[ookhaab]

This season in the AHL, there has been 2 prospects above the other.

Out of all players under 26, two just barely over 20 year olds have scored at over 1 P1/gp, Janne Kuokkanen with 1.00 and Drake Batherson with 1.06, the third best scorer is Victor Olofsson with only 0.86.

Batherson is already proving how talented he is in the NHL, I dont think Kuokkanen is as talented, but it's safe to say he has top 6 potential.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I think the biggest issue for Kuokkanen is that he plays a similar style as guys like Teravainen and Svechnikov. (offensive forward who isn't overly physical) So for the Hurricaines he brings more of the same and i think that will be a road block for him making it in the NHL in Carolina.

If he was ever traded to a team in need of a solid offensive winger he would flourish imo. He would be nice complementary piece for a team like Pittsburgh, Islanders, ect.