Prospect Info: Niko Mikkola (127th Overall in 2015) - Signs 2 year ELC

[MissouriMook]

This is what I hate most. If kid showed his first stint of 5 NHL games progress and quick adjusting from AHL level. Its just what else he has to do and prove to coaching staff to get chance for icetime? Feels like its really hard to crack on team.

I really feel bad for Mikkola. He's such a promising dmen. Maybe this 2-year deal was bad for him and mistake. Blues is too deep in d-core and coaching staff value more NHL experience no matter if prospect could be much better option for lineup.

I really wish the kid had been given more of a shot to prove what he could do at the NHL level this season. I will say in Army's defense, though, that the stretch run and the playoffs is no time to find out that a young player experiences some regression. This is why I think it was the right move to go out and get a player with experience playing in a Top 4 role. If Mikkola had been here most of the year and had 50 games under his belt instead of 5 I would probably feel differently.

As far as his future here, it is bright. It is just not now. There is no reason to believe at this point that he will not be given every opportunity to win a permanent NHL roster spot next season, with or without Bouwmeester in the mix. His 2 year extension wasn't bad for either side.

 

[BlueDream]

This is what I hate most. If kid showed his first stint of 5 NHL games progress and quick adjusting from AHL level. Its just what else he has to do and prove to coaching staff to get chance for icetime? Feels like its really hard to crack on team.

I really feel bad for Mikkola. He's such a promising dmen. Maybe this 2-year deal was bad for him and mistake. Blues is too deep in d-core and coaching staff value more NHL experience no matter if prospect could be much better option for lineup.

The only other option is if you keep ignoring the games. If Blues management sees that the TV ratings in Finland have taken a slight dip, it might be enough to make them reconsider.

 

[Brian39]

This is what I hate most. If kid showed his first stint of 5 NHL games progress and quick adjusting from AHL level. Its just what else he has to do and prove to coaching staff to get chance for icetime? Feels like its really hard to crack on team.

I really feel bad for Mikkola. He's such a promising dmen. Maybe this 2-year deal was bad for him and mistake. Blues is too deep in d-core and coaching staff value more NHL experience no matter if prospect could be much better option for lineup.

I mean, yeah. It is really, really hard to crack the lineup of the defending Cup champs when that team has zero cap casualties.

I would have liked to see Mikkola get a couple games in the last week to build his case to stay in the lineup. I thought his play merited a chance to compete with Gunnar/Bortz for a spot (with the potential to earn more than that if he won that battle). But even if he had gotten that, he had no chance of winning a top 4 spot next to Parayko AND leaving the Blues with no backup plan. The defending champs aren't putting a rookie into that role with no backup plan. There was no scenario where the Blues don't make the Scandella trade based on less than 10 NHL games of data on Mikkola.

He'll be fine. He put some real money in his bank account with the call ups this year and got rewarded with a 2 year, 1 way deal that gives him $1.575M in guaranteed money no matter where he plays. He will almost certainly be on the NHL roster out of camp next year as a 24 year old. We're not wasting this kid's career.

 

[Ranksu]

Mikkola send back to AHL?

 

[Blueston]

Mikkola send back to AHL?

Yep. He is Finnished.

 

[Ranksu]

Call me crazy, but that lateral movement and back skating its excatly what Jbo's had. Very smooth and effortless. Very similar technique.

Btw who was that dmen vs. Mikkola in that goal? #48?

I thought he was excellent out there. Very confident, skated extremely well. I thought he defended well and his puck movement was pretty good. He didn't waste too much time with the puck. He just kills a lot of plays. For me he looks real confident right now.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

I want him in the top 6 now.

 

[Ranksu]

I want him in the top 6 now.

Well I think that is impossible.

Krug - Parayko
Scandella - Faulk
Dunn - Bortuzzo
Gunnar

This might sound crazy, but I've feeling he might even better fit for Faulk than Scandella. Who is imo overpaid and his term sucks.

Well, I've preach over 1-year that Mikkola - Parayko would be monster shutdown pair.

But overally its really promising he came in to camp ready!!!!

This is good problem to Chief and team is hype to Perunovich. We've so much depth in this team. Only if we could ditch couple of those jokers out.

 

[rumrokh]

Call me crazy, but that lateral movement and back skating its excatly what Jbo's had. Very smooth and effortless. Very similar technique.

Btw who was that dmen vs. Mikkola in that goal? #48?

46, which is Walman, who I've rarely seen defend anywhere close to NHL level. Perunovich is 48 and he was playing right defense there.

 

[De Montreal]

First goal by him tonight! How did he look so far?

 

[Ranksu]

 

[MissouriMook]

First goal by him tonight! How did he look so far?

He's been excellent defensively so far. He still has a lot to work on with his puck movement and I'm not sure his lack of offensive instincts will ever allow him to be more than a bottom pairing defender, but he's been great in that role at a time when we really needed it.

He's almost 25 and still has issues making good, quick decisions with the puck in break outs and still struggles a bit knowing when to pinch and when to stay back, so I'm not sure he'll ever be a force offensively, which is a shame because he seems to have at least average physical tools relative to his shot and his passing.

 

[Blueston]

@Ranksu JR with nice feature on Miko in Athletic today.

 

[Ranksu]

@Ranksu JR with nice feature on Miko in Athletic today.

Really good article By jr

 

[Blueston]

Really good article By jr

Articles like this are his strength.

 

[simon IC]

Articles like this are his strength.

Agreed. I wish he would stick to this kind of journalism instead of trying to be a Blues gossip columnist.

 

[Celtic Note]

Agreed. I wish he would stick to this kind of journalism instead of trying to be a Blues gossip columnist.

Agreed. I have been pushing on him to do more analysis pieces too. He has responded fairly well to those recommendations and has gotten better at writing them. He is still not where I would hope, but progress is something I view very favorably.

 

[Ranksu]

This is the year where we see what type of players he will become. No more debutante, he has enough time to adjust NA rink and play.

Now he has to show is he the man for top6 role.

Mikkola vs Walman. It will be interesting. Potentially it could be that Bortuzzo is odd man out. Even Scandella isn't safe if kids has step up their game.

Krug - Parayko
Scandella - Faulk
Walman - Mikkola
Bortuzzo/Perunovich

 

[ChicagoBlues]

46, which is Walman, who I've rarely seen defend anywhere close to NHL level. Perunovich is 48 and he was playing right defense there.

Walman is tough to figure. He was a forward and transitioned to defenseman, but I think the coaching staff should consider him going back to forward.

 

[rumrokh]

Walman is tough to figure. He was a forward and transitioned to defenseman, but I think the coaching staff should consider him going back to forward.

Wallman got better and better for the Blues. That might turn out to be a fluke, but he's the #3 left D going into the season as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Ranksu]

Wallman got better and better for the Blues. That might turn out to be a fluke, but he's the #3 left D going into the season as far as I'm concerned.

Hard to say. Mikkola did improve his game end of regular season and playoffs too.

But how good Walman is with puck I could see him replace Krug's spot. Hopefully he gets real opportunity to play powerplay. Black horse. Easily our best skater, top speed and lateral and maybe even better carrying puck up vs. Faulk.

 

[rumrokh]

Hard to say. Mikkola did improve his game end of regular season and playoffs too.

But how good Walman is with puck I could see him replace Krug's spot. Hopefully he gets real opportunity to play powerplay. Black horse. Easily our best skater, top speed and lateral and maybe even better carrying puck up vs. Faulk.

I really like Mikkola, too, and I prefer him to Bortuzzo as a regular, but Walman showed me more down the stretch. I'd love for one of Mikkola, Walman, and Perunovich to show they can perform on the right side and challenge Bortuzzo's spot.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

I really like Mikkola, too, and I prefer him to Bortuzzo as a regular, but Walman showed me more down the stretch. I'd love for one of Mikkola, Walman, and Perunovich to show they can perform on the right side and challenge Bortuzzo's spot.

MosDef!

I've been a cheerleader of Mikkola since he was drafted and want to see him take another step. He just turned 25 and it's all green lights for hm right now.

Walman has the skating and vision with a decent shot, but is simply not a good defender. Is he not good enough as a forward?

Didn't the Blues ice seven defensemen once or twice last season? Too lazy to look. If so, was Walman involved?

 

[rumrokh]

MosDef!

I've been a cheerleader of Mikkola since he was drafted and want to see him take another step. He just turned 25 and it's all green lights for hm right now.

Walman has the skating and vision with a decent shot, but is simply not a good defender. Is he not good enough as a forward?

Didn't the Blues ice seven defensemen once or twice last season? Too lazy to look. If so, was Walman involved?

They probably did play Santini and/or Walman at forward a game or two, but the forward idea is unnecessary because Walman was just straight up good in all aspects for a good stretch last year. He defended well. I trust Mikkola more on the pk and in a full-on shutdown role, but Mikkola was more inconsistent and they're a lot more likely to give big shutdown minutes to other guys until he really proves it.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

They probably did play Santini and/or Walman at forward a game or two, but the forward idea is unnecessary because Walman was just straight up good in all aspects for a good stretch last year. He defended well. I trust Mikkola more on the pk and in a full-on shutdown role, but Mikkola was more inconsistent and they're a lot more likely to give big shutdown minutes to other guys until he really proves it.

Mikkola was more inconsistent, but I also expected a lot more out of him than we saw. A little concerning.

Walman has the "it" factor. He was the lost prospect who arose from the ashes. That's how much drive he's got. He did get better as they season progressed; agreed. If he resumes that level of play, I will start be happier with him as a defenseman.

I think what it is with Walman, is that he is an enigma to me. I hope he can continue to define his game this season.