And signed Loui Eriksson and drafted Olli Juolevi in the same 6 week period.....grounds for dismissal, most other places....but calder finalists or something like that.
Former Canucks Thread (Dan Hamhuis retires)
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LuckyDay
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vadim sharifijanov
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- Oct 10, 2007
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listening to bieksa and kesler talking to kassian on their podcast gave me all the feels
PG Canuck
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- Mar 29, 2010
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Really good episode. I love when they go down memory lane.
PG Canuck
Registered User
- Mar 29, 2010
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Anyone just get super sad and miss the 2011 team? I’m in my feels right now. And not by just how good they were, just the characters it had. I miss having character guys like Bieksa - I think he would be an amazing fit to this current team and would be an awesome mentor for these young guys.
Seeing Bieksa joke around with Petey at the ASG was like two of my Canuck worlds clashing together.
Seeing Bieksa joke around with Petey at the ASG was like two of my Canuck worlds clashing together.
vadim sharifijanov
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- Oct 10, 2007
- 28,863
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felt the same listening to bieksa and kesler interview kassian on their podcast. they were so proud of him turning his career and life around. bitd they took care of the young guys and genuinely cared about them. you think loui gives a crap? and we already know about sutter, gudbranson, prust...
HelloCookie
Registered User
Do former draft picks count? There was a story about Canucks' 2010 6th round #175 pick G Jonathan Iilahti in the regional news that I translated for ya, since... I dunno hahah. Too much time on my hands I suppose. Hopefully someone finds it interesting enough what can happen with when drafting youngsters. It's not a piece from the athletic for sure, but decent enough for an article aimed for a wider audience than sports folks. I did take some liberties when translating the obscure names and locations to make it more readable.
From an NHL pick to invisibility - Jonathan Iilahti saved his career by breaking the taboo of hockey: "Finnish hockey player is supposed to bite their teeth together and not complain"
He was a hopeful future, who left behind future NHL-goalies in the U18 tournaments. A couple of years later he wasn't even a fit for the Mestis (2nd tier) league. Jonathan Iilahti tells about the career saving decision: he chose to seek help when he was at his strongest.
Midsummer 2010. The sun is shining and Anna Abreu's voice carries over the shoals of Kalajoki. Jonathan Iilahti sprints past the festival area. Not towards the stage but away from the crowds. His cellphone rings and he doesn't recognize the odd foreign number. As he picks up he hears the words he'll never forget: welcome to the Vancouver Canucks.
-it was the sickest feeling ever, Iilahti reminisces nine years later at YLE's Sportliv-series.
Would his road take him from the small municipality of Korsholm to the great wide world of hockey? All the signs were there. He had just backstopped team Finland to U18 bronze, eclipsing both Christopher Gibson and Sami Aittokallio who would eventually merit themselves with NHL-games.Though now, he had been drafted to the NHL.
At that moment he couldn't have foreseen that his name would practically be erased off the map of hockey. That he would have to travel alone to the idle, rural rinks for even a little time on the ice. That his days would be filled with uncertainty and the anxiety of a career that is about to end. Neither did he know that the decision he was about to make, would salvage that career.
A goal from the red line stayed haunting
The greatest dream? To play Mestis for Vasa Sport! A youngster from the Österbotten province isn't supposed to reach for the stars. His career was tracking to accomplish more than heroism on the second-highest level of hockey in Finland. Up to 20 years old he was projecting in a clear and rising fashion: he went through the national junior teams, won a WC-medal, got drafted in the NHL and debuted for the Blues in SM-Liiga.
-I had a good flow going and suddenly all these strangers were the best of buddies. A handful of teams were requesting for my services and I even had the possibility to turn down HIFK's offer.
There was one problem, however. Iilahti was mentally weak, or so he told himself. It was what his teammates at juniors had repeated to him every time a shot from the blue line got past him. It became standard banter in the locker room - and one side of the truth in his mind.
-teenagers tend to run their mouths, and my teammates thought it was funny to joke about my mental frailness. It was tough to handle for in that age people define themselves by how others think - Iilahti recalls.
"A finnish hockey player is supposed to dig deep and not complain."
Iilahti was starting to aim his goals from Mestis to brighter lights and knew that a mentally brittle netminder wouldn't make it in the NHL. So he went to fix things by diving into books about psychology. The idea of seeking professional help felt impossible. Iilahti didn't know a single player who had used a mental coach, and an appointment to the psychiatrist wasn't an option.
-back then the culture was that you had to be legitimately insane to see a shrink. You man up and shut your yap.
When Iilahti heard about the famous mental coach Andy Swärd he wanted to pick up the phone but hesitated. He was afraid to appear weak, was terrified of what others thought. After a few weeks of building up courage he made the call. It was the best decision of his career.
Jonathan Iilahti has occasionally hoped that he could explain his troubles with something. Anything would do from a serious injury to alcoholism - the reason wouldn't matter. But there is no one reason. His trajectory started to dive ever so slightly, and he didn't notice until it was in free fall. It all began after a failed trade in 2014. Iilahti had played a stellar season in Timrå, swedish 2nd tier Allsvenskan, and the top league Elitserien team AIK was intrested in the youngster. He had heard a lot of good about AIK's goalie coach and was excited. The signals were positive from Stockholm, so he ended up declining other offers.
-I wanted to take the risk. I figured that if this ****s the bed, then it does. But had I known that this would start the three years of hell I endured, I would've not done so.
The trade was canceled at the last minute. AIK chose someone else. Iilahti felt himself safe, however, he knew that his opportunity would be with some other team. Injuries are inevitable, and that is the time for emergency call-ups. The days went past without offers.
-I know that some GMs have thought that there is something wrong with this kid, because he was left without a team after the season in Timrå. It is really frustrating.
In the spring of 2015 Iilahti had the opportunity to play two games for Timrå and did well. After the season was done the team's message was - see you in august!
-But we didn't, Iilahti says wryly.
The exception became normal. Iilahti was used to be able to choose and now he didn't have a choice to begin with. He had to take responsibility over his own training. He drove to Malax or Nykarleby for ice time. Usually by himself. It's a 70 kilometer drive to Nykarleby from Vasa. He started browsing twitter and EliteProspects for a job. If he noticed that a team was looking for a goaltender he would react on the spot. He picked up the phone and called.
-Nine out of then calls ended with "no thanks".
He learned about humility. Now the same teams who had been rejected by him were returning the favor. Iilahti kept trying with the support of coach Swärd. The people close to him started noticing a change in him. A colleague and a close friend Victor Wik tells how he Jonathan would behave. He'd knock on Wik's door, sit on his sofa and browse his phone for jobs for an hour. Then he would go and say: "no, I have to practice" - and off he went. When Wik asked if something was amiss Iilahti would assure all to be good. That wasn't the case - the despair was creeping in, until he collapsed.
End of the career?
In January 2017 Jonathan Iilahti thought for the first time that his career was done and gone. Plenty of others had thought of it earlier. His friends had been implying that studying or finding a real job would be smart.
-I would've quit years ago without Andy Swärd and others who supported me. I don't believe that there are many who would've gone through what I did.
in 2016 Iilahti found himself in Södertälje's team in Sweden's 3rd division. Only after three games he was banned from the team's practice so that other netminders would get a shot at the position. It was a new, screaming low. And a problematic one since the trade window had closed. Iilahti was stuck.
-Swärd had taught me that how I reacted would matter the most. I wasn't allowing myself to be bitter and sad for myself.
So he kept working until the despair and panic got the best of him in early 2017. Iilahti knew that he hadn't had an actual team for almost four years. After 2014 he had played only 11 games. The market was frozen solid for him. Iilahti needed a miracle. He had to find a new team before the trade window would close, and he had a month to go. If he was without a team by then his career would be over for good. After wallowing in the sea of negativity for a couple of days he did what he had always done in those moments: He called to Andy Swärd.
-I told him I was anxious and tired living life like this. His answer was to carry on for a the next month - it would be all he'd ask from me. I agreed even though I wanted nothing more than to burn my hockey equipment at the time.
At the final hour, a call came. Mestis-team Jokipojat reached out to him and Iilahti accepted right away. He didn't care about the money, as long as he had a roof over his head he would be content. The only thing that mattered was his career.
Back to the Liiga - with Sport.
If the descent to darkness was slow, the ascension was quite the opposite. The stint at Jokipojat was a bullseye. In the fall of 2017 Iilahti was the starting goalie for Joensuu's Mestis team, playing convincingly night after night. Another phone call - this time it was his hometown's Sport, inquiring for his services in Liiga. Now he didn't hesitate even for one second.
-As a kid I didn't even imagine that it'd be possible to play in Liiga with Sport. It's a long road from the cold and dark rinks in Malax and Nykarleby to be playing against Tappara, HIFK or Kärpät. It symbolises for me that I have come back.
All's well ends well? Unfortunately not.
The stuck stench of sweat, whisky ad, Real Madrid's scarf, three whiteboards and one Fredrik Smulter. It's a tuesday evening in december, and the weight lifting legend is running the practice for Malax IF. Iilahti wears his gear and goofs around with his fellow players before stepping on the ice. In a lot of ways he is back to square one - but not quite. After a half a season with Sport Iilahti moved to Kuopio in the fall of 2018. The mirth was short-lived with KalPa after his season ended after nine games due to an injury at practice.
-It was unbelieveably tough. While I was laying at the hospital I didn't think I would stand up anymore. I had given up without trying.
But like always, he dug deep and now he is healthy again. And again - without a team. Which is why he is practicing with 3rd division Malax IF. Coach Smulter's throaty voice carries across the rink.
-if you have nothing better to do, you can fire at will towards Iilahti. But don't kill him! Smulter jokes.
During 3v3 Iilahti takes bumps and bruises and after the practice Smulter approaches him apologetically.
-I guess you've never been bulldozed like this by your own.
And so Jonathan Iilahti, 27, is back at the rink in Malax. Without a team, just like before but this time around his situation doesn't appear as dire. He's played in liiga only a year ago and in december he spent two weeks with a top tier team in Austria. He is able to look himself in the mirror without regrets.
-I've been willing to sacrifice a lot, because I want to see this through. It ends how it ends but at least I've given myself the best chances possible, Iilahti states sternly.
He feels safe again. He is confident that the phone will ring again. And until it does, he has his eyes peeled on twitter and EliteProspects.
-although it is easier when the teams are the ones calling.
From an NHL pick to invisibility - Jonathan Iilahti saved his career by breaking the taboo of hockey: "Finnish hockey player is supposed to bite their teeth together and not complain"
He was a hopeful future, who left behind future NHL-goalies in the U18 tournaments. A couple of years later he wasn't even a fit for the Mestis (2nd tier) league. Jonathan Iilahti tells about the career saving decision: he chose to seek help when he was at his strongest.
Midsummer 2010. The sun is shining and Anna Abreu's voice carries over the shoals of Kalajoki. Jonathan Iilahti sprints past the festival area. Not towards the stage but away from the crowds. His cellphone rings and he doesn't recognize the odd foreign number. As he picks up he hears the words he'll never forget: welcome to the Vancouver Canucks.
-it was the sickest feeling ever, Iilahti reminisces nine years later at YLE's Sportliv-series.
Would his road take him from the small municipality of Korsholm to the great wide world of hockey? All the signs were there. He had just backstopped team Finland to U18 bronze, eclipsing both Christopher Gibson and Sami Aittokallio who would eventually merit themselves with NHL-games.Though now, he had been drafted to the NHL.
At that moment he couldn't have foreseen that his name would practically be erased off the map of hockey. That he would have to travel alone to the idle, rural rinks for even a little time on the ice. That his days would be filled with uncertainty and the anxiety of a career that is about to end. Neither did he know that the decision he was about to make, would salvage that career.
A goal from the red line stayed haunting
The greatest dream? To play Mestis for Vasa Sport! A youngster from the Österbotten province isn't supposed to reach for the stars. His career was tracking to accomplish more than heroism on the second-highest level of hockey in Finland. Up to 20 years old he was projecting in a clear and rising fashion: he went through the national junior teams, won a WC-medal, got drafted in the NHL and debuted for the Blues in SM-Liiga.
-I had a good flow going and suddenly all these strangers were the best of buddies. A handful of teams were requesting for my services and I even had the possibility to turn down HIFK's offer.
There was one problem, however. Iilahti was mentally weak, or so he told himself. It was what his teammates at juniors had repeated to him every time a shot from the blue line got past him. It became standard banter in the locker room - and one side of the truth in his mind.
-teenagers tend to run their mouths, and my teammates thought it was funny to joke about my mental frailness. It was tough to handle for in that age people define themselves by how others think - Iilahti recalls.
"A finnish hockey player is supposed to dig deep and not complain."
Iilahti was starting to aim his goals from Mestis to brighter lights and knew that a mentally brittle netminder wouldn't make it in the NHL. So he went to fix things by diving into books about psychology. The idea of seeking professional help felt impossible. Iilahti didn't know a single player who had used a mental coach, and an appointment to the psychiatrist wasn't an option.
-back then the culture was that you had to be legitimately insane to see a shrink. You man up and shut your yap.
When Iilahti heard about the famous mental coach Andy Swärd he wanted to pick up the phone but hesitated. He was afraid to appear weak, was terrified of what others thought. After a few weeks of building up courage he made the call. It was the best decision of his career.
Jonathan Iilahti has occasionally hoped that he could explain his troubles with something. Anything would do from a serious injury to alcoholism - the reason wouldn't matter. But there is no one reason. His trajectory started to dive ever so slightly, and he didn't notice until it was in free fall. It all began after a failed trade in 2014. Iilahti had played a stellar season in Timrå, swedish 2nd tier Allsvenskan, and the top league Elitserien team AIK was intrested in the youngster. He had heard a lot of good about AIK's goalie coach and was excited. The signals were positive from Stockholm, so he ended up declining other offers.
-I wanted to take the risk. I figured that if this ****s the bed, then it does. But had I known that this would start the three years of hell I endured, I would've not done so.
The trade was canceled at the last minute. AIK chose someone else. Iilahti felt himself safe, however, he knew that his opportunity would be with some other team. Injuries are inevitable, and that is the time for emergency call-ups. The days went past without offers.
-I know that some GMs have thought that there is something wrong with this kid, because he was left without a team after the season in Timrå. It is really frustrating.
In the spring of 2015 Iilahti had the opportunity to play two games for Timrå and did well. After the season was done the team's message was - see you in august!
-But we didn't, Iilahti says wryly.
The exception became normal. Iilahti was used to be able to choose and now he didn't have a choice to begin with. He had to take responsibility over his own training. He drove to Malax or Nykarleby for ice time. Usually by himself. It's a 70 kilometer drive to Nykarleby from Vasa. He started browsing twitter and EliteProspects for a job. If he noticed that a team was looking for a goaltender he would react on the spot. He picked up the phone and called.
-Nine out of then calls ended with "no thanks".
He learned about humility. Now the same teams who had been rejected by him were returning the favor. Iilahti kept trying with the support of coach Swärd. The people close to him started noticing a change in him. A colleague and a close friend Victor Wik tells how he Jonathan would behave. He'd knock on Wik's door, sit on his sofa and browse his phone for jobs for an hour. Then he would go and say: "no, I have to practice" - and off he went. When Wik asked if something was amiss Iilahti would assure all to be good. That wasn't the case - the despair was creeping in, until he collapsed.
End of the career?
In January 2017 Jonathan Iilahti thought for the first time that his career was done and gone. Plenty of others had thought of it earlier. His friends had been implying that studying or finding a real job would be smart.
-I would've quit years ago without Andy Swärd and others who supported me. I don't believe that there are many who would've gone through what I did.
in 2016 Iilahti found himself in Södertälje's team in Sweden's 3rd division. Only after three games he was banned from the team's practice so that other netminders would get a shot at the position. It was a new, screaming low. And a problematic one since the trade window had closed. Iilahti was stuck.
-Swärd had taught me that how I reacted would matter the most. I wasn't allowing myself to be bitter and sad for myself.
So he kept working until the despair and panic got the best of him in early 2017. Iilahti knew that he hadn't had an actual team for almost four years. After 2014 he had played only 11 games. The market was frozen solid for him. Iilahti needed a miracle. He had to find a new team before the trade window would close, and he had a month to go. If he was without a team by then his career would be over for good. After wallowing in the sea of negativity for a couple of days he did what he had always done in those moments: He called to Andy Swärd.
-I told him I was anxious and tired living life like this. His answer was to carry on for a the next month - it would be all he'd ask from me. I agreed even though I wanted nothing more than to burn my hockey equipment at the time.
At the final hour, a call came. Mestis-team Jokipojat reached out to him and Iilahti accepted right away. He didn't care about the money, as long as he had a roof over his head he would be content. The only thing that mattered was his career.
Back to the Liiga - with Sport.
If the descent to darkness was slow, the ascension was quite the opposite. The stint at Jokipojat was a bullseye. In the fall of 2017 Iilahti was the starting goalie for Joensuu's Mestis team, playing convincingly night after night. Another phone call - this time it was his hometown's Sport, inquiring for his services in Liiga. Now he didn't hesitate even for one second.
-As a kid I didn't even imagine that it'd be possible to play in Liiga with Sport. It's a long road from the cold and dark rinks in Malax and Nykarleby to be playing against Tappara, HIFK or Kärpät. It symbolises for me that I have come back.
All's well ends well? Unfortunately not.
The stuck stench of sweat, whisky ad, Real Madrid's scarf, three whiteboards and one Fredrik Smulter. It's a tuesday evening in december, and the weight lifting legend is running the practice for Malax IF. Iilahti wears his gear and goofs around with his fellow players before stepping on the ice. In a lot of ways he is back to square one - but not quite. After a half a season with Sport Iilahti moved to Kuopio in the fall of 2018. The mirth was short-lived with KalPa after his season ended after nine games due to an injury at practice.
-It was unbelieveably tough. While I was laying at the hospital I didn't think I would stand up anymore. I had given up without trying.
But like always, he dug deep and now he is healthy again. And again - without a team. Which is why he is practicing with 3rd division Malax IF. Coach Smulter's throaty voice carries across the rink.
-if you have nothing better to do, you can fire at will towards Iilahti. But don't kill him! Smulter jokes.
During 3v3 Iilahti takes bumps and bruises and after the practice Smulter approaches him apologetically.
-I guess you've never been bulldozed like this by your own.
And so Jonathan Iilahti, 27, is back at the rink in Malax. Without a team, just like before but this time around his situation doesn't appear as dire. He's played in liiga only a year ago and in december he spent two weeks with a top tier team in Austria. He is able to look himself in the mirror without regrets.
-I've been willing to sacrifice a lot, because I want to see this through. It ends how it ends but at least I've given myself the best chances possible, Iilahti states sternly.
He feels safe again. He is confident that the phone will ring again. And until it does, he has his eyes peeled on twitter and EliteProspects.
-although it is easier when the teams are the ones calling.
Last edited:
Megaterio Llamas
el rey del mambo
David Bruce Banner
Nude Cabdriver Ban
Easily in the top 3 defensemen to ever play for us. If it weren't for the eye injury, I think he could have peaked as a Norris trophy candidate.
He was my friends nephew. I believe he quit hockey because he didn't like the role he was being asked to play, IE being a tough guy. I haven't asked what he is doing now, but I remember talking to her about him.
Frankie Blueberries
Allergic to draft picks
- Jan 27, 2016
- 9,202
- 10,677
I read on here a few years ago that he's selling insurance now lol.
Well there is decent money in that, plus I am sure a few years in show didn't hurt.
Frankie Blueberries
Allergic to draft picks
- Jan 27, 2016
- 9,202
- 10,677
Oh yeah, he's doing better financially than 99% of us. Didn't mean to throw shade. The drummer from Sum 41 did the same thing as well. It's just a funny contrast in career changes.
From his Wiki page: After his playing career ended Oreskovich spent two years working at Sun Life Financial, moving into a management position. In 2015, Oreskovich enrolled at the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario to complete his master's degree in Business Administration, which he received in 2016.[6] He subsequently took up a position with the Royal Bank of Canada.[7]
Well... objectively speaking he lacked drive and was a quitter in hockey terms. I mean he goes to college to OHL because he thinks weren't going well, quit hockey instead of giving the AHL a try, and then quit hockey again because he didn't like the role he was being asked to play? Good for him for having kept up his education though.
Well... objectively speaking he lacked drive and was a quitter in hockey terms. I mean he goes to college to OHL because he thinks weren't going well, quit hockey instead of giving the AHL a try, and then quit hockey again because he didn't like the role he was being asked to play? Good for him for having kept up his education though.
I don't know if drive is the right word. I would say desire. He just didn't want to be a face puncher essentially, and that is what teams wanted of him. I get it.
My mother is friends with someone whose son just flat out quit playing in the NHL one day, did it at a pretty young age too. This was back in the 90's I don't know the entire story, but if I remember correctly he basically finally made the NHL, played one season, then quit. Almost just doing it to prove he could.
I can't remember his name, but from Vernon, and then went to run hunting lodges in the Yukon I think.
mathonwy
Positively #toxic
- Jan 21, 2008
- 19,129
- 10,084
Thanks for the info. I'm not trying to be mean or anything I'm just speaking from a hockey fan perspective and it reflects a harsh reality. Generally speaking, we praise guys like Petey who is "driven" to be the best he could be. We don't like players who can't stand up to adversity and quit whenever they are faced with a situation they don't like. Oreskovich lacked the drive to succeed as a hockey player.
If a Canucks prospect goes from college to the play in the CHL because things weren't going too well for him in college that's fine. If he goes to training camp and quits hockey upon being sent down to the AHL you're not going to hear nice words from most of us here. But if that player comes back with renewed passion many of us would be open to giving him a second chance and understanding that there may be other things in life affecting him or a lack of maturity etc. But if he quits again because he doesn't want to be the type of player teams want him to be? Well that becomes a pattern.
It's just the reality of life. When Jake was in Utica he put in extra hours and practiced at the rink with the lights out. When he came to camp in less than ideal conditioning he was heavily criticized on here. But yes in real life if you don't want to do the work then just quit. That's a good thing and again good for Oreskovich for doing what he things is best for himself. At the same time, if you're the GM who drafted him and he quits your team upon being sent down to the AHL what would you think of him?
I understand your POV, and wasn't taking it as you being mean. I have never met him, I just knew his aunt through an old job.
I was just trying to clarify, that is was more the role he was playing he just didn't want. From talking to his coaches, at both levels (NHL and AHL) they wanted him to fight, and that wasn't in his nature, or his play. That is why he left, his desire to stay just to be a fighter wasn't there.
mathonwy
Positively #toxic
- Jan 21, 2008
- 19,129
- 10,084
RebuildinVan
Registered User
- Jun 25, 2017
- 2,254
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EpochLink
Canucks and Jets fan
Gudbranson is playing in the wrong era.
If this was the late'90's/early 2000's he would've thrived.
Heck, even the mid 2000/late 2000's he would've thrived.
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