G Veini Vehvilainen (2018, 173rd, traded to TOR)

[llwyd]

Just watching him play in game 1 of the FHL finals, I would certainly take a chance on him in a late round - why the hell not?

 

[Kevin Musto]

Chicago's backup next season?

 

[Kaako Kappo]

I can't think of a reason why you wouldn't use a late round pick on him (Unless you don't need a goalie ofc). He is very promising.

 

[FinPanda]

Has he got some mental coaching in Kärpät? If so, very impressive and I am excited about his future.

 

[llwyd]

Has he got some mental coaching in Kärpät? If so, very impressive and I am excited about his future.

I wonder if that shakiness is anyway bit overblown. It's well known that goalies develop slower and this season he has been very solid under pressure.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

I wonder if that shakiness is anyway bit overblown. It's well known that goalies develop slower and this season he has been very solid under pressure.

He just fundamentally had technique flaws as well

 

[FinPanda]

I wonder if that shakiness is anyway bit overblown. It's well known that goalies develop slower and this season he has been very solid under pressure.

Yle had a good article about him: Kärppien ykkösmaalivahti on jäänyt hämmentävästi ilman NHL-varausta, vaikka torjui Pikkuleijonat MM-hopealle – vaikeudet kasvattivat Veini Vehviläisestä Tapparan tähdet nollanneen sankarin

It was huge disappoinment for him not to get drafted in 2015. He traveled to Florida only to see not to hear his name called. I can't imagine how big disappointment that was as he was amazing at the U18's that year and nearly stole us the gold. Moving to Kärpät was the best thing what has ever happened to him. There are some other thing also in the article. Very good read even if you translate it via google translate..

I have to root for the guy. He has been amazing this year and really deserves to get drafted, finally.

 

[JJTT]

Kärpät up 3-0 in the finals, Veini is running out games to melt.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

Is he still draft eligible or does he need a contract?

Would hope the canes consider him either way.

 

[FinPanda]

Is he still draft eligible or does he need a contract?

Would hope the canes consider him either way.

He is still draft eligible this year.

 

[Esko6]

Veini's team won the title and he got a shutout. I think he could be the playoff MVP. Someone draft him now, he has proven that he does not fold under pressure.

 

[FinPanda]

I can't imagine what has been going on his head. There isn't a better team to play with than in Kärpät. His dad died just before the playoffs and the team has been very supportive for him. He got to raise the trophy with the captain Kukkonen. He could've been the playoff MVP. If he doesn't get drafted or signed this year, I don't know why. So much potential.

 

[desu]

I'm going to be surprised if he doesn't get a shot in the NHL within 3-4 years.

 

[JJTT]

 

[Killerjas]

I'm going to be surprised if he doesn't get a shot in the NHL within 3-4 years.

Probably will start in the AHL

 

[Kahvi]

Any rumours about NHL teams that might be interested drafting him this year?

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Any rumours about NHL teams that might be interested drafting him this year?

I wouldn't be surprised if Carolina picked him up, they seem to have a Karpat connection.

 

[Wintersun]

His one bad WJC can't prevent him to be drafted still, right?

The guy went .949 at u-18, then got demolished at u-20 but then was great the following year at u-20 and now was great in Liiga for a third season in a row...

 

[Congo Jack]

Any rumours about NHL teams that might be interested drafting him this year?

There was a strong rumor going around last month that the Avs are very interested in him

 

[BB88]

There was a strong rumor going around last month that the Avs are very interested in him

About everyone should be, he put up an MVP type season in Liiga and only turned 21y.

 

[JustaFinnishGuy]

Oof, forgot I had posted the thread and never really continued the discussion.

I wouldn't be surprised if Carolina picked him up, they seem to have a Karpat connection.

Their 'player observer' is Joni Pitkänen who works from Oulu so it makes sense.

Has he got some mental coaching in Kärpät? If so, very impressive and I am excited about his future.

Ari Hilli, the goalie coach, has been lauded as a 'peoples coach' like Manner, the head coach. Hilli helped springboard Bäckström, Rinne, and Tarkki (a former, popular Kärpät goalie) to their respective careers.

Vehviläinen surely has gotten the support of the team and the coaches on his side and it's rare for us to win a championship without having a goalie roulette nowadays, he stood still and took the #1 goalie spot as soon as Rynnäs screwed up against Ässät in the 3rd game of the playoffs and never looked back.

He was the definition of solid but I think he can still work on his positioning and awareness.
Some goals he let in were bad judgment calls in the regular season and in the series against IFK and in the Finals he got beat by some long-range shots which obviously could have been caught on his best day. That aside, he probably was the reason we won the championship since he caught all the ones that mattered. His stats were stellar for the playoffs.
11 wins and 4 losses with 3 shutouts. A 93,33 svs%, 1.57 GAA. Solid. Real solid.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

There was a strong rumor going around last month that the Avs are very interested in him

A finnish goalie coach + a finnish goalie. Yeah, i can see why they'd want that.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Finally got drafted. Wasn't sure it was gonna happen! Columbus. Future tandem of Vehvilainen and Korpisalo?

 

[JJTT]

Finally got drafted. Wasn't sure it was gonna happen! Columbus. Future tandem of Vehvilainen and Korpisalo?

Yeah, I don't think Columbus can afford to keep Bob after next season.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

f***ing ridiculous how many times he got skipped on by a lot less promising goalies. I wonder how badly he blew the psychology tests back in his draft year.... I mean this is a 21 year old goalie who was the best in Liiga last season..