Player Discussion: Kristian Vesalainen [Update: Signed ELC]

[Gm0ney]

But playing a full season season in the AHL will in fact make his good NHL career a statistically less likely thing to happen. Euro players that get a clear top 6 role don’t come that often through the path of playing a full season in the AHL. And with Finnish players that is in fact incredibly rare.

Much more likely option to get a good top 6 based NHL career is getting a very strong international season after a very good European professional season. If a player of his age will really break through at the WHC it would be in fact much more useful knowledge about his true potential to play against the best players (that the WHC tournaments are stacked with) than having a very good season in the grinding league that the AHL definitely is.

I think you may be mixing up cause and effect a bit here.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I don’t think it makes a huge difference if he plays in the AHL or in Europe this season. Both will be fine for his development. I’m sure the jets would prefer him in Winnipeg but I doubt they have a huge issue with the other option.

I’m most excited to see what he can do on the smaller NA ice. I think his game will be even better here

I don't think there is a huge difference either way. But the AHL is a development league and would probably be a little better for his development.

The AHL also increases his chances of getting in some NHL games as an injury replacement, for what that may or may not be worth.

I can understand why he would choose Europe over the AHL. I can also understand the Jets preferring to have him in the AHL. At the end of the day I don't think it makes a lot of difference.

 

[Howard Chuck]

The biggest roadblock is our freaking abundance of talent on the wings! If Roslovic can be successful at C, that makes some room and also solves some other problems. Here's hoping!

 

[Board Bard]

Thank God this Euro clause is drawing attention away from his off-season training.

He's getting ready for Carcillo.

 

[204hockey]

Can we turn him into a centerman for laine and Connor!
E S W
C V L
P L R
C L T
Petan sent to China

 

[Cellee]

Is he wearing #93?

Hope so...bad ass number

 

[voyageur]

He definitely is in that position, if he will not fit to the Jets lineup after the 9 games. He has the Euro clause in his contract for a reason, and that is to give him the option to choose the path that he himself believes to be the best for his development if he doesn’t clearly fit to the NHL playing roster after the 9 NHL games.

Some of you seem to seriously believe that Vesalainen playing in Europe for one more season would be somehow a horrible thing for the Jets management. But if that would be the case, then they wouldn’t give him the Euro clause to his contract in the first place. It clearly implicates that they are fine with him maybe making the decision to play still in

European leagues are in fact very good leagues for player development and especially the top leagues like KHL, SHL, Liiga and NLA are in general better leagues for young European players to develop. The play is generally more based on pure skill and there are more tactical sides to the play. Not even close to as much of the dump and chase hockey that the AHL is so full of even nowadays.

The thing that can be challenging though is that the bigger rinks lend themselves more to east-west hockey. That was always Burmistrov's thorn. NHL is straighter lines. I hope he has a good enough camp to join the team in Finland, maybe get to play in
front of family.

If he stays in Finland, after that, well he will be watched again at Christmas time and back again for spring fever.

I am not as excited about this kid as others. He's in the same class as Robert Thomas or Gabe Vilardi, good prospect at this time. Guys like Appleton and Lemieux are coming to camp, knowing what is expected of them, what they have to do to be pros. Competing with the Petan and Danos playing for their career as pros, and a pension.

 

[KingBogo]

The thing that can be challenging though is that the bigger rinks lend themselves more to east-west hockey. That was always Burmistrov's thorn. NHL is straighter lines. I hope he has a good enough camp to join the team in Finland, maybe get to play in
front of family.

If he stays in Finland, after that, well he will be watched again at Christmas time and back again for spring fever.

I am not as excited about this kid as others. He's in the same class as Robert Thomas or Gabe Vilardi, good prospect at this time. Guys like Appleton and Lemieux are coming to camp, knowing what is expected of them, what they have to do to be pros. Competing with the Petan and Danos playing for their career as pros, and a pension.

A grouping of Vilardi, Thomas and Vesalainen is considerably above a grouping of Appleton, Lemieux , Petan and Dono. They may be younger and not quite ready but they are much more likely to be quality NHLers and hold much more value.

 

[Keduzin]

I am not that excited about Vesalainen either. I can’t really imagine him being a top6 player in Winnipeg at any point and he is not aiming to become a bottom6 type player either.
He could be a new Armia for the Jeta , most likely nothing beyond that

 

[voyageur]

A grouping of Vilardi, Thomas and Vesalainen is considerably above a grouping of Appleton, Lemieux , Petan and Dono. They may be younger and not quite ready but they are much more likely to be quality NHLers and hold much more value.

I agree with you in that respect. I think he is going to be a good player, top 9 material. I am looking for him to gradually replace Perreault, or get a real shot next year.


Hoping he takes away a lot from his first camp. He may want to stay in Winnipeg no matter what once he gets acclamitized to being a hockey hero in a hockey city, with a playoff fever still burning in the dressing room.

I think it would get him to the NHL faster. But I am definitely for sliding the first year of his ELC to keep him a Jet for the future.

 

[ffh]

I agree with you in that respect. I think he is going to be a good player, top 9 material. I am looking for him to gradually replace Perreault, or get a real shot next year.


Hoping he takes away a lot from his first camp. He may want to stay in Winnipeg no matter what once he gets acclamitized to being a hockey hero in a hockey city, with a playoff fever still burning in the dressing room.

I think it would get him to the NHL faster. But I am definitely for sliding the first year of his ELC to keep him a Jet for the future.

the team wont play dano or petan ahead of him if he is ready to play and they think he is the best option to play just to slide his contract.

 

[voyageur]

the team wont play dano or petan ahead of him if he is ready to play and they think he is the best option to play just to slide his contract.

Obviously, but I think a contending team is not going to give him the benefit of the doubt, just because. He has to break down the door. I don't see him doing it at 19 years old.

 

[KingBogo]

the team wont play dano or petan ahead of him if he is ready to play and they think he is the best option to play just to slide his contract.

I think what happens between Dano, Petan and Vesalainen is the most interesting question going into camp. Is one of Dano or Petan finally able to be everyday NHLers (at least on a strong team like the Jets) or has Vesalainen already passed them by. I think Vesalainen is much more in the Jets long term plans it is just a matter if he is ready now.

 

[Heldig]

Is Petan strictly a LWer now?

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Is Petan strictly a LWer now?

Sometimes he is a RW'er.

Assuming Roslovic plays C, the only vacancy in the top 12 is the Armia replacement at 3RW.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

"I don't like to look at the things that I'm not good at" Uff, the guy does come off a bit overconfident, which i already kinda knew.

 

[Howard Chuck]

"I don't like to look at the things that I'm not good at" Uff, the guy does come off a bit overconfident, which i already kinda knew.

I didn't take it like that. I took it as more of a little joke, answering "what do you need to work on" and then a little nervous laughter.

 

[Halberdier]

I am not that excited about Vesalainen either. I can’t really imagine him being a top6 player in Winnipeg at any point and he is not aiming to become a bottom6 type player either.
He could be a new Armia for the Jeta , most likely nothing beyond that

After his previous season and seeing him on those U-18 and U-20 games where Tolvanen was clearly superior (to my eyes at least), I had your opinion on Vesalainen. But then he had pretty cool season on FEL, and while he maybe wasn't good gt Liiga finals, his season on overall made me really hopeful for him to eventually make it into TOP-6/TOP-9.

Still not even close to the other Finnish winger on that same draft, but really an exciting player given his 20+ drafting position.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

I didn't take it like that. I took it as more of a little joke, answering "what do you need to work on" and then a little nervous laughter.

Well, i took it like that. I think he's always been a bit cocky. I don' mind as long as he can back it up.

 

[Whileee]

After his previous season and seeing him on those U-18 and U-20 games where Tolvanen was clearly superior (to my eyes at least), I had your opinion on Vesalainen. But then he had pretty cool season on FEL, and while he maybe wasn't good gt Liiga finals, his season on overall made me really hopeful for him to eventually make it into TOP-6/TOP-9.

Still not even close to the other Finnish winger on that same draft, but really an exciting player given his 20+ drafting position.

Vesalainen was top end at the u-18, and in some ways better than Tolvanen at the u-20, in my eyes. He played more of a pro style game in the u-20.

 

[Howard Chuck]

Well, i took it like that. I think he's always been a bit cocky. I don' mind as long as he can back it up.

You probably have better information than I do on this subject. I don't mind some cockiness either as long as it doesn't affect the 'room'. This is one of the reasons that I'm glad to have Wheeler and Buff long term

 

[nobody imp0rtant]

I didn't take it like that. I took it as more of a little joke, answering "what do you need to work on" and then a little nervous laughter.

It's hard to convey humour in a language you haven't mastered.

 

[Howard Chuck]

It's hard to convey humour in a language you haven't mastered.

Absolutely true. I always factor that in while speaking/listening/reading anyone from another country. Even if their command of the English language is pretty good, things don't always come off as desired.

 

[Trilliann]

It's like 2016 again

 

[larmex99]

It's hard to convey humour in a language you haven't mastered.

Most people have trouble conveying humor in their native tongue.......let alone in a foreign one.