Confirmed with Link: Eemil Viro signs 3 year ELC

[lhsgolf19]

Love it, kid was really good this year for Turku and at the WJC

Click to read more...

 

[Hen Kolland]

So I’ve wondered why this happens, and maybe someone can enlighten me if they know, but it seems that the Wings have historically signed defenseman prospects to ELCs quickly and may let forward prospects hanging out there for a while. Is there any logic to this? Am I making this up?

 

[Christien]

Well deserved by him after a fantastic season. Gotta love the development of our prospects on defense.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Another Hakan special.

 

[bedtime20]

Nice!

I think this kid has a lot of potential.

 

[golffuul]

So I guess that means he's coming over to NA for next season.

 

[FabricDetails]

Is he going to bring that super hyped announcer that covers his clutch goals?

 

[Filppula]

I really, really like this kid. Hopeful he can develop into a second pairing guy.

 

[ChadS]

That's great - he's very similar to Johansson one year ago in terms of skill set and development so far. Hopefully he can take that next step like AJ did this season, maybe even break into the national team tournaments after the WJC if things go very well. Both signed ELCs after one year but I don't really see any reason to bring over these young guys before they're 20 or 21.

 

[Henkka]

So I’ve wondered why this happens, and maybe someone can enlighten me if they know, but it seems that the Wings have historically signed defenseman prospects to ELCs quickly and may let forward prospects hanging out there for a while. Is there any logic to this? Am I making this up?

Think it's just career booster.

Viro will get the ELC signing bonus, very nice money for a young kid, but can (will very probably be) loaned back to TPS and stay there for one year.

How I see his development is:

19-year-old: - Next season at TPS (1st year of ELC)
20-year-old: - 2022-23 season at Grand Rapids (still 1st year of ELC thanks to ELC slide)
21-year-old: - 2023-24 season at Grand Rapids + some taste of NHL (2nd ELC year)
22-year-old: - 2024-25 season at Grand Rapids / NHL split (3rd and final ELC year) this is the phase where a guy like Cholowski is currently.
23-year-old: - 2025-26 season at Detroit (NHL regular with standard contract)

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

So I guess that means he's coming over to NA for next season.

not likely

 

[SantosHalper]

Another Hakan special.

Actually our scout in Finland, Antonin Routa Jr. is the one who found Viro. And Tuomisto & Kivenmäki.

I believe Draper said our scout Antonin Routa was the one that really loved Viro

Detroitin kykyjenetsinnän johtaja ihastunut suomalaispuolustajaan - "Olen ilman muuta tykännyt tästä pojasta koko kauden ajan" | Sportti.com

- (European scout) Antonin Routa did a great homework on this boy's attitude and what he has. Tyler Wright was certainly a little enamored with him. Tuomisto is a big and skinny dude. He is certainly able to gain more strength. He’s a really good skater and has an inherent edge to his game. He also has a heavy shot, Andersson said on the Detroit website.

https://www.nhlsuomi.com/2018/07/07...kupojan-olin-shokissa-kun-nain-hanen-kokonsa/

Antonin Routa, the European scout of Red Wings, has closely followed Kivenmäki's grip and saw a lot of potential from the 18-year-old.
- He looked like a little boy who skated around and was skilled. I paid attention to him and how he played right from the start, Routa said.
- He plays fearlessly. He is not tackled, and he is not ashamed at all to go into situations. It’s really impressive, Routa praises.
- I was a little shocked when I first saw him. He was a nice young guy. But quite honestly, his size shocked me.

 

[MBH]

Think it's just career booster.

Viro will get the ELC signing bonus, very nice money for a young kid, but can (will very probably be) loaned back to TPS and stay there for one year.

How I see his development is:

19-year-old: - Next season at TPS (1st year of ELC)
20-year-old: - 2022-23 season at Grand Rapids (still 1st year of ELC thanks to ELC slide)
21-year-old: - 2023-24 season at Grand Rapids + some taste of NHL (2nd ELC year)
22-year-old: - 2024-25 season at Grand Rapids / NHL split (3rd and final ELC year) this is the phase where a guy like Cholowski is currently.
23-year-old: - 2025-26 season at Detroit (NHL regular with standard contract)

Why even bother with a schedule for the kid.
If he comes over in 2022 and earns a shot midway through the year, great!

 

[Frk It]

Looks like he is listed at about ~172 lbs on the Liiga website.

We need to get this kid to gain some weight, actually think he's a pretty good player.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

That's great - he's very similar to Johansson one year ago in terms of skill set and development so far. Hopefully he can take that next step like AJ did this season, maybe even break into the national team tournaments after the WJC if things go very well. Both signed ELCs after one year but I don't really see any reason to bring over these young guys before they're 20 or 21.

He's a little more physical than Johansson and probably better defensively at the same age while not having (from the looks of it) the same kind of offensive potential. Still, I'm a huge fan of this pick. Phenomenal skating and a pretty good passer who can join the rush. He's also got a good head on his shoulders for defensive zone play.

 

[jaster]

This kid looks like a cross between Bart Lebda and Troy Stecher. The skating is fun, but I have a hard time getting excited about this kid. Someone convince me to be excited about this kid.

 

[Frk It]

This kid looks like a cross between Bart Lebda and Troy Stecher. The skating is fun, but I have a hard time getting excited about this kid. Someone convince me to be excited about this kid.

Is Bart Lebda an inside joke? Cuz wasn't his name Brett? I have seen Bart a few times now, lol.

 

[Henkka]

So I guess that means he's coming over to NA for next season.

It does not mean that or anything else.

Typically, these 19-year-olds will get signed, so they can get the signing bonus just a bit earlier. It's just signal from organization that he is developing maybe better than expected.

But he will still stay in Finland, playing for TPS. That's a good team to get a bigger spot for next season. GR is too crowded.

I'm 99% sure he will go over the pond not earlier than after next season 2021-22. Has to develop physics as a smaller defencemen from our prospects group.

Entyl level contract will slide, because he is only 19. So actually, it won't kick in until at 2022, if he stays in Finland.

 

[Konnan511]

It does not mean that or anything else.

Typically, these 19-year-olds will get signed, so they can get the signing bonus just a bit earlier. It's just signal from organization that he is developing maybe better than expected.

But he will still stay in Finland, playing for TPS. That's a good team to get a bigger spot for next season. GR is too crowded.

I'm 99% sure he will go over the pond not earlier than after next season 2021-22. Has to develop physics as a smaller defencemen from our prospects group.

Entyl level contract will slide, because he is only 19. So actually, it won't kick in until at 2022, if he stays in Finland.

Agreed

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

This kid looks like a cross between Bart Lebda and Troy Stecher. The skating is fun, but I have a hard time getting excited about this kid. Someone convince me to be excited about this kid.

Umm...how dare you.

So things that Viro does well:

Gap control is very strong because he is very smart defensively and uses his skating to his advantage. Though he's not a crusher on defense Viro is very good at angling his guy into the boards by keeping in front of them and on top of them.

Skating is top notch. He's not getting beat by many forwards on the rush. He also uses this to get the puck out of his zone pretty effectively when there aren't any passing outlets.

Passing and shot are pretty good. Not as good as Seider but Viro is still pretty good at finding his man on the breakout. He doesn't have an Al MacInnis slapper but Viro can get his shot through traffic.

Things he needs to improve:
Strength/conditioning, same as any 19 year old hockey prospect. He's willing to play physically but at his height and weight he will have trouble against some NHL sized forwards, but this kid is a battler.

Offensive aggressiveness. Viro has good offensive instincts but he's definitely a defense-first guy. I hope we can see him take more chances in Finland this year. This could be the difference between him becoming a decent bottom pair puck mover like Jensen to a pretty good second pairing puck mover.

Needs to shoot more. Definitely tied into the offensive aggressiveness. Viro has a good shot that he needs to use more.

You should be more excited about this kid because he could be a total steal.

 

[Frk It]

He reminds me of the kid Winnipeg drafted, Heinola. Maybe Viro is a little less offensive.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Is Bart Lebda an inside joke? Cuz wasn't his name Brett? I have seen Bart a few times now, lol.

Yes. The legend of Bart grew many moons ago shortly after he grabbed his spot on the 3rd pairing. Nate Jensen has nothing on Bart, the true legend.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Is Bart Lebda an inside joke? Cuz wasn't his name Brett? I have seen Bart a few times now, lol.

Dude did you just become a Wings fan during the shit years?

 

[Frk It]

Dude did you just become a Wings fan during the shit years?

No.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

No.

And you don't know about the legend of Bart Lebda and Floyd Devereaux? I call BS.