LW Kristian Vesalainen (2017, 24th, WPG)

[Kaako Kappo]

Why is he not actually playing games in the AHL?

He is too bad for AHL.


Or he is injured. Like he is.

 

[Hammer Slammer]

Why is he not actually playing games in the AHL?

Minor upper body injury, he should be back soon.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

The thing about him is he's good enough for the NHL, the problem is he wouldn't likely get ice-time for the Jets. He's just too good for the AHL.

 

[wings5]

The thing about him is he's good enough for the NHL, the problem is he wouldn't likely get ice-time for the Jets. He's just too good for the AHL.

Strong full year in the AHL didn't hurt Rantanen, let him stick it out there.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Strong full year in the AHL didn't hurt Rantanen, let him stick it out there.

Yeah and next year he'll have something better than a 4th line role, i think.

 

[GTA]

He's just too good for the AHL.

unless he is putting up 2ppg+, this is an absolutely silly homerish thing to say

 

[FinPanda]

Sounds like he is coming back to Europe to play for Jokerit. I don't get it, but at least he will play at the WJC.

He was PPG in the AHL.

Kristian Vesalainen palaamassa Winnipegistä Eurooppaan - Jokerit hankki huippulupauksen oikeudet!

 

[Jack DiBiase]

Sounds like he is coming back to Europe to play for Jokerit. I don't get it, but at least he will play at the WJC.

He was PPG in the AHL.

Kristian Vesalainen palaamassa Winnipegistä Eurooppaan - Jokerit hankki huippulupauksen oikeudet!

Terrible career move. Just terrible.

 

[FinPanda]

Terrible career move. Just terrible.

He has made these decisions before with Frölunda and HPK/Kärpät. I wouldn't doubt his decisions too much, I bet he'll do anything to be on the opening lineup with the Jets next year and hopefully to play with them for the whole year.

 

[BB88]

Sounds like he is coming back to Europe to play for Jokerit. I don't get it, but at least he will play at the WJC.

He was PPG in the AHL.

Kristian Vesalainen palaamassa Winnipegistä Eurooppaan - Jokerit hankki huippulupauksen oikeudet!

Should have stayed to get comfortable, and be ready to rock next year.

 

[ijuka]

Terrible career move. Just terrible.

Yep, it's not great... It's probably better for his salary but...

Well, there's the thing that Marjamäki's sort of known for being a good development coach.

 

[Jussi]

Yep, it's not great... It's probably better for his salary but...

Well, there's the thing that Marjamäki's sort of known for being a good development coach.

Not since his Espoo Blues days. Had basically an all-star roster at Kärpät. And please don't bring up Aho, Marjamäki had little role in his development, he would have panned out under any coach.

 

[Patrik Barkov]

He really likes switching teams

 

[Esko6]

KHL hockey is so different and the skills needed there do not translate that well to the NHL, seems like a risky move.

 

[BL92]

Dumb move.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

He probably saw what the Oilers did to Puljujärvi.

 

[BB88]

He probably saw what the Oilers did to Puljujärvi.

Oilers are Oilers and hasn't mattered for Pulju whether has it been AHL or NHL, they've never tried to actually develop him.

 

[Legend123]

Dumb move.

smart individual move. Hes gonna cash in big time considering the talent he is.

 

[SaekkiPaelli]

smart individual move. Hes gonna cash in big time considering the talent he is.

Depends on what you consider "cashing in big time", Jokerit has an internal limit of max 800k a year to one player, add in the finnish taxes and how far the KHL season has gone, he'll make a max of like 300k this year. I'm assuming he wants to go to the NHL next year, so if this hinders his development for his big NHL contract, this is actually not as good a financial decision as staying COULD be

EDIT: smart financial move maybe if he wants to hedge his options if the NHL doesn't work out for him, but if he is a PPG player in the AHL, even if the NHL doesn't work out he'd get a chance in the KHL

 

[Legend123]

Depends on what you consider "cashing in big time", Jokerit has an internal limit of max 800k a year to one player, add in the finnish taxes and how far the KHL season has gone, he'll make a max of like 300k this year. I'm assuming he wants to go to the NHL next year, so if this hinders his development for his big NHL contract, this is actually not as good a financial decision as staying COULD be

but 300k>80k (before taxes)
Then he joins the NHL directly. Ez money for him. It also pressures them to play him on the roster, earning more.

 

[Stive Morgan]

Should have stayed in the AHL this year.

 

[BL92]

smart individual move. Hes gonna cash in big time considering the talent he is.

Won't be one long term if this hinders his ability to play in the NHL and thus gets a worse contract. Risky move, should've just stayed in the AHL.

 

[Legend123]

Won't be one long term if this hinders his ability to play in the NHL and thus gets a worse contract. Risky move, should've just stayed in the AHL.

He can sign a one year contract and then go back to the NHL, pressuring the jets to keep him up.
Regardless, ahl players dont seem to transition well to the NHL these days (just an observation I've seen from recent sample). The KHL will make him a better player and maybe one day a star.

 

[BL92]

He can sign a one year contract and then go back to the NHL, pressuring the jets to keep him up.
Regardless, ahl players dont seem to transition well to the NHL these days (just an observation I've seen from recent sample). The KHL will make him a better player and maybe one day a star.

We'll have to see. I like him as a player and hope the best for him.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Way more kids go to AHL because their teams tell them to & because they don't have an option like Finnish youngsters now have in Jokerit. I'm sure he'll develop just fine there. Many Europeans come straight from Euro leagues into the NHL. Saying that AHL is better for development is hogwash, unless the kid has obvious difficulties in transitioning to the NA game. Vesalainen doesn't seem to have these problems, looking how he did in the AHL.