Confirmed Trade: [CAR/NJD] Sami Vatanen (50%), for Frederik Claesson, Janne Kuokkanen, and cond. 2020 4th round pick

MitchMurphy

Registered User
Nov 29, 2017
378
334
Kuokkanen seems like an intriguing prospect. 21 years old with good numbers in the ahl. Let’s see what he can do with an opportunity in NJ.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NinjaKick

Ole Gil

Registered User
May 9, 2009
5,694
8,843
Kuokkanen seems like an intriguing prospect. 21 years old with good numbers in the ahl. Let’s see what he can do with an opportunity in NJ.

He stuck with the team for a few games last season out of training camp. But he just doesn't seem to have 'it', that turns those kind of well rounded offensive AHL stars into productive NHL'rs yet.

But he's definitely an 'intriguing' guy. He's got some talent, especially as a playmaker. Just a matter of making that leap, which at 21 can still certainly happen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MitchMurphy

Mildan

Registered User
Jan 7, 2019
469
425
Kuokkanen has been really good in AHL for couple of years now, but for some reason never got a proper chance to play up. That being said I think Car won as I really think Vatanen signing for Carolina is very likely considering he is quiet guy from Jyväskylä which somehow reminds me of Carolina what comes to relative media hype. and he will have plenty of countrymen there which hasn't really had a chance to experience during his career this far (that I remember)
 
  • Like
Reactions: WWAD

Cardiac Jerks

Asinine & immoral
Jan 13, 2006
23,353
39,933
Long Sault, Ontario
Sweet deal for Carolina, really loading up on D

Not loading up so much as replacing injured guys.

Their two top rd are out long term. Hamilton has a broken leg and Pesce an undisclosed injury. Someone’s gotta be going on LTIR to make the cap work with acquiring Skjei and it’s likely Pesce, unfortunately.
 

Emperoreddy

Show Me What You Got!
Apr 13, 2010
129,831
75,222
New Jersey, Exit 16E
Problem with Vats is he is made of glass, and got hurt at the absolute worst time to maximize a return.

Devils have too much money tied up on the right side with literally nothing on the left. Giving Vats a big contract with his injury history would have been extremely dumb.

get what you can and wipe your hands of it.
 

ijuka

Registered User
May 14, 2016
22,157
14,648
Janne Kuokkanen is pretty highly regarded and does seem steep to give up such an established prospect.

If Vatanen wasn't a rental I might feel differently, but yeah. It's a lot to pay.
 

spockBokk

Registered User
Sep 8, 2013
7,080
17,655
Janne Kuokkanen is pretty highly regarded and does seem steep to give up such an established prospect.

If Vatanen wasn't a rental I might feel differently, but yeah. It's a lot to pay.

eh...I’m not sold on Kuokkanen ever being more than a 3rd liner. That’s nothing to sneeze at, but he was wasn’t sniffing the NHL in CAR any time soon.

Vatanen does fill an immediate need, when he finally can skate again, and should fit right in. I think there may be an outside chance that the Canes actually try to extend him.
 

PizzaAndPucks

New Jersey Angels diehard
Nov 29, 2018
2,665
4,077
I hope he hits the required amount of games so this becomes a 3rd for us and not a 4th. This trade has potential to amount to nothing for us but I like this Kuokkanen's AHL stats and feel like he might have potential to be a middle 6 players for us. He will certainly get a chance over here and it never hurts to have some extra offensive talent.
 

Plural

Registered User
Mar 10, 2011
33,703
4,852
eh...I’m not sold on Kuokkanen ever being more than a 3rd liner. That’s nothing to sneeze at, but he was wasn’t sniffing the NHL in CAR any time soon.

Vatanen does fill an immediate need, when he finally can skate again, and should fit right in. I think there may be an outside chance that the Canes actually try to extend him.

I have to think Carolina is thinking to extend him if he recovers from injury. I also think Vats seems like a likely guy to sign in Carolina.

I think this is a good trade, how good depends on how quick Vatanen is back to his former self. He's a good quality NHL defenseman and he's excellent on PP.
 

broman

Registered User
Mar 9, 2003
1,508
41
HEL's antechamber
Problem with Vats is he is made of glass, and got hurt at the absolute worst time to maximize a return.

Devils have too much money tied up on the right side with literally nothing on the left. Giving Vats a big contract with his injury history would have been extremely dumb.

get what you can and wipe your hands of it.

"Made of glass" is a gross exaggaration, "concussion history" would be a more accurate diagnosis. Vatanen plays feisty and bigger than his size which lands him in trouble occasionally. The Kucherov blindside got it started and Vatanen seemed to struggle through 2018-19 with the after effects, not to mention the Brassard hit.

Vats seems back to himself this year though and a freak bruise from blocking a shot hardly turns him into "glass" all of a sudden. His real injury history consists of a shoulder issue back when he was a Duck which may or may not have impacted his slapper at the time, however his weapon of choice is the threaded wrister, anyways.

Having said all that, I find it really hard to see how Canes would ever fit him in long term. Getting Skjei's contract on board spells it out all the more clearly. It's as clear a rental as they come, so up to Vats to enjoy the ride, prove his worth and earn his next contract. He will get something like 4x4.5M from some team somewhere.
 

The S5

Registered User
Jul 27, 2017
4,421
4,212
Has it been reported how many games Vats needs to play to make the 4th a 3rd?
 

GIN ANTONIC

Registered User
Aug 19, 2007
18,786
14,617
Toronto, ON
"Made of glass" is a gross exaggaration, "concussion history" would be a more accurate diagnosis. Vatanen plays feisty and bigger than his size which lands him in trouble occasionally. The Kucherov blindside got it started and Vatanen seemed to struggle through 2018-19 with the after effects, not to mention the Brassard hit.

Vats seems back to himself this year though and a freak bruise from blocking a shot hardly turns him into "glass" all of a sudden. His real injury history consists of a shoulder issue back when he was a Duck which may or may not have impacted his slapper at the time, however his weapon of choice is the threaded wrister, anyways.

Having said all that, I find it really hard to see how Canes would ever fit him in long term. Getting Skjei's contract on board spells it out all the more clearly. It's as clear a rental as they come, so up to Vats to enjoy the ride, prove his worth and earn his next contract. He will get something like 4x4.5M from some team somewhere.

Yeah there would have to be some weird off-season shuffling with Gardiner and/or Hamilton in order to sign Vats to an extension. Can’t see it really happening
 

NotOpie

"Puck don't lie"
Jun 12, 2006
9,218
17,638
North Carolina
kuokkanen getting snoozed on in this thread.

- Janne Kuokkanen has top 6 potential

Canes fan here - Kuokkanen is indeed underrated by many. He's an excellent scorer, but a better distributor than sniper. He does, however, possess a lethal shot that he doesn't use enough. He's very cerebral, is a good skater, and a solid defender.

During his two cups of coffee with the Canes, many thought him "meh". The issue to my way of thinking is he was too polite, almost always deferring to the "vets" or the "snipers". It simply left you wanting more. It feels like a coach who gives him more responsibility would see him shine.

That said, he is likely better characterized as having a middle-six ceiling and more likely slots in comfortably on a 3rd line. Using him as a 4th line grinder is a waste of talent.

Has it been reported how many games Vats needs to play to make the 4th a 3rd?

5 regular season games to trigger the 4th, 12 regular season games or 70% of post-season games to trigger the 3rd.
 
  • Like
Reactions: The S5

Jason MacIsaac

Registered User
Jan 13, 2004
22,221
5,935
Halifax, NS
Kuokkanen has been really good in AHL for couple of years now, but for some reason never got a proper chance to play up. That being said I think Car won as I really think Vatanen signing for Carolina is very likely considering he is quiet guy from Jyväskylä which somehow reminds me of Carolina what comes to relative media hype. and he will have plenty of countrymen there which hasn't really had a chance to experience during his career this far (that I remember)
You dont want to sign Vatanen, he is injury prone and not a very good 5 on 5 defensmen.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->