Confirmed Signing with Link: [CGY] D Joni Jurmo signs ELC with the Flames (2 years, $850k AAV; begins 2024-25)

[innitfam]

Best of luck to him. I had hopes when he was drafted of him being a roster player. It wasn't likely to ever happen I'm Vancouver so his involvement in the trade was no big loss.

 

[HighLifeMan]

Over the last 15 months or so around here this kid went from having a good chance at being a bottom pair defender to having "no shot" at an NHL career, all at the age of 21. Pretty wild.

It's likely he ends up as a career minor leaguer, but his physical tools are incredibly intriguing, and with Jurmo signed Calgary only has 31/50 contract spots accounted for next year.

 

[Zarpan]

Excellent physical tools for sure, but he was also a frequent healthy scratch in his D+4 year in Finland, even after being traded to a non-playoff team.

I suppose if Calgary has tons of contract spots available, there's not that much harm in giving him a two-year contract though.

 

[krutovsdonut]

i am the patron saint of lost cause canuck finnish dman draft picks, but i really think it will be a huge surprise and massive accomplishment if calgary can turn this guy into an nhl player.

 

[tyhee]

Gotta love Vancouver fans hating on a former prospect. Keep coping.

People being people there will always be fans that will disparage anyone their team traded away, but I think most Canuck fans were happy for his sake to see him included in the Lindholm trade as it meant he was going to a team that thought more highly of him than the Canucks, who we expected would not offer him a contract.

 

[Rowlet]

I don't see him as an NHL player either. Conroy is a pretty strong talent evaluator though. He must think there is a shot at him making a big progression. I don't see it myself, but I've only watched clips of him so my opinion isn't worth much.

More likely the Flames are desperate for defensive prospects and will take as many lottery tickets as they can get their hands on

 

[Bond]

More likely the Flames are desperate for defensive prospects and will take as many lottery tickets as they can get their hands on

Yeah, nowhere close to the contract limit so may sa well.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Over the last 15 months or so around here this kid went from having a good chance at being a bottom pair defender to having "no shot" at an NHL career, all at the age of 21. Pretty wild.

It's likely he ends up as a career minor leaguer, but his physical tools are incredibly intriguing, and with Jurmo signed Calgary only has 31/50 contract spots accounted for next year.

I don’t believe this was ever the case on the Canucks board.

 

[credulous]

i am a canucks fan and was (and am) a huge jurmo fan. he doesn't know how to play hockey but if he ever figures that out he has all the physical tools to be a star. i don't think he has a great chance of working out but i think it's definitely worth the gamble of bringing him over to the AHL for a couple seasons to see if he can put it together

 

[Bounces R Way]

Sometimes a change of scenery can make a world of difference. Sometimes it doesn't. I think the smaller ice surface could be good for a guy who has decent physical attributes but struggles with processing the game.

Probably won't amount to much but could be worth a shot.

 

[Lunatik]

Pretty surprising, but if the Flames targeted him in the trade then there's no reason why he wouldn't have gotten a deal. Flames must see something in him but I don't think any Canucks fan thought he was getting a contract.

I believe someone on the Canucks board proposed switching Jurmo to wing given his size and speed... I would like to see Calgary try that.

I don't think he was targeted per se, I think the Flames wanted an extra small piece to take a flier on. Never hurts to have defensive depth in the AHL, as I pointed out on the Flames board, the Wranglers have used 15 different defensemen this year and a dozen of those have played 10+ games.

I don't really understand this at all. How does a player as terrible as Joni Jurmo get signed by NHL team?

Clearly their scouts see things they like and believe there is something they can possibly bring out of the guy. Remember, when looking at prospects it's about what they could be, not what they are now.

The critique of the signing is, in my opinion warranted.

It's a 2-year ELC at below the max, Flames have lots of contract space. It's a low risk signing, it's like whining about signing a college prospect. There is literally nothing worth complaining about. They bought a $1 scratch ticket and this ELC is them scratching it, they don't expect anything but are taking a chance.

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

Gotta love Vancouver fans hating on a former prospect. Keep coping.

We hated on him more when he was a nuck prospect. The kid will likely be a career Euro player.

You say we nuck fans talk shit because he's no longer our prospect despite us following him since he was drafted while flames fans all of a sudden are experts on players they never heard of a month ago

 

[Nanuuk]

He cant play defense or produce points but who cares, size and skating is all he needs!

Says who? You?

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

Jurmo has always been the "all tools, no toolbox" guy.

Big, fast, can shoot. Completely oblivious too often.

 

[MS]

I believe someone on the Canucks board proposed switching Jurmo to wing given his size and speed... I would like to see Calgary try that.

This has been me for literally years.

The guy has zero chance of ever playing in the NHL on D but he's big and fast and occasionally physical and if they'd converted him to forward back when he was 18 or 19 maybe they could have turned him into some sort of useful bottom-6 winger.

Probably too late now,

 

[madmike77]

I mean the Flames have plenty of contract room and no blue-chip defensive prospects, so why not?

 

[JJTT]

Says who? You?

Maybe try watching him play?

 

[Bitz and Bites]

I mean the Flames have plenty of contract room and no blue-chip defensive prospects, so why not?

Because it’s a waste of a contract slot on a player who struggles to stay in the lineup in his D+4 season in a league that’s equivalent to the ECHL. There will be better options out there who have performed better against higher level competition and have shown the progression that Jurmo hasn’t.
Obviously the Flames think they can try and mold him into something but after four more years, it doesn’t seem like he can improve on his inherent limitations.

 

[Nanuuk]

Maybe try watching him play?

So you've been watching him play over in Finland? Do tell.

You also realize that European teams tend to prioritize playing older players and give the younger players less ice time?

The kid is only 21. We will see how he progresses as a pro in North America.

 

[Guardian452]

So you've been watching him play over in Finland? Do tell.

You also realize that European teams tend to prioritize playing older players and give the younger players less ice time?

The kid is only 21. We will see how he progresses as a pro in North America.

Considering that the team that drafted him didn't offer him a contract after his D3+ season but chose to sign 4 other LHD prospects should say a lot about his progress.

 

[Lunatik]

So you've been watching him play over in Finland? Do tell.

That poster is from Finland Einstein