Olli Juolevi makes his NHL debut

[Svencouver]

This clip here shows just how good Juolevi really is.

It's more subtle than the second fake, but look at his first pass to Horvat. The windup he does for it is SUCH a convincing wrister fake. Never turns his eyes or head towards horvat, goes halfway through a stick flex and then just lasers it perfectly cross ice. Even the way he leans his body into it is committed to selling the fake. Incredibly good pinch to take Fiala out of the play too. His IQ is honestly incredibly impressive to me so far.

 

[Disappointed EP40]

I'm really not sure about "sheltered minutes" there. To me, "sheltered" means against low-end competition with a low scoring threat and without much expectations, say with the 4th liners on the ice, playing for 0-0. While Juolevi only played for 6 minutes, he played with Pettersson and he played on the penalty kill. That's quite the opposite from "sheltered" to me, they won't make him play with Pettersson if they want him to just try to survive.

6 min is sheltered regardless of the competition

 

[kaczor]

6 min is sheltered regardless of the competition

Rubbish. This was a high pressure game. If he was truly being sheltered, he would not have been in the lineup.

 

[Hodgy]

"Sheltered" typically implies that a player is being handled in a way that accounts for some endemic shortcoming in their game. Juolevi was playing in his first ever NHL game, essentially in an elimination playoff game, after no game action for several months. You're technically correct that he was sheltered, but you're deliberately failing to mention that virtually any defenceman in this situation would be sheltered in exactly the same way.

Cale Makar player 14 minutes in his first ever game which was a playoff game, and 20 minutes the next game.

Hughes, played 15 minutes. Both these guys were younger than Juolevi.

At the end of the day if Juolevi was better he would have been played more. It isn’t just because of the circumstances. If that was the case, Makar wouldn’t have played twice the amount.

Frankly though, the fact our top ten pick from like four years ago was in the AHL this year, rather than in the NHL, is all the indication anyone needs about his current ability. Hopefully he improves though.

 

[Fatass]

Cale Makar player 14 minutes in his first ever game which was a playoff game, and 20 minutes the next game.

Hughes, played 15 minutes. Both these guys were younger than Juolevi.

At the end of the day if Juolevi was better he would have been played more. It isn’t just because of the circumstances. If that was the case, Makar wouldn’t have played twice the amount.

Frankly though, the fact our top ten pick from like four years ago was in the AHL this year, rather than in the NHL, is all the indication anyone needs about his current ability. Hopefully he improves though.

Were Makar and Hughes coming off recovering from two serious injuries?
OJ was drafted high because of his elite skills. Those skills are still there, and now he’s healthy. He’s going to be a 20 minute D man for us.

 

[Hodgy]

Were Makar and Hughes coming off recovering from two serious injuries?
OJ was drafted high because of his elite skills. Those skills are still there, and now he’s healthy. He’s going to be a 20 minute D man for us.

No, but they were much younger than Juolevi. Also, Juolevi has been healthy for how long now? Half a year? This “coming off of injuries” narrative isn’t overly accurate. Sure, injuries may have affected his development, but this isn’t a player that is just coming off of injuries, he’s been healthy for quite some time.

 

[Bankerguy]

I think people shouldnt look TOOO much into 6 minutes of play.

It's awesome news that he came in and didn't make any mistakes. It's good that he looked like he fit in, in a game that isnt some regular season means nothing game. This was a Wild elimination game, playoff stakes.
Lets keep our expectations grounded in reality here though....

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Rubbish. This was a high pressure game. If he was truly being sheltered, he would not have been in the lineup.

So what do you call it?

They did not want him on the ice for 90% of the game.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Cale Makar player 14 minutes in his first ever game which was a playoff game, and 20 minutes the next game.

Hughes, played 15 minutes. Both these guys were younger than Juolevi.

At the end of the day if Juolevi was better he would have been played more. It isn’t just because of the circumstances. If that was the case, Makar wouldn’t have played twice the amount.

Frankly though, the fact our top ten pick from like four years ago was in the AHL this year, rather than in the NHL, is all the indication anyone needs about his current ability. Hopefully he improves though.

I don’t think anyone thinks Juolevi is close to Makar or Hughes. Those two are special players. Playing his first NHL minutes in a playoff pressure type game though is a pretty big deal considering where he was at the beginning of the season. The reports of his improved play were being posted by those following Utica and then the reports out of this camp were very positive as well.
He’s not going to live up to his draft position but if he ever could become a second pairing D that’s huge for the team.

 

[604]

His ability to utilize lateral movement in defence is where most of the criticism of him has been.

Let's see if this issue has improved...should be easier in the playoffs as you can clutch and grab more.

 

[BB06]

 

[Hodgy]

I don’t think anyone thinks Juolevi is close to Makar or Hughes. Those two are special players. Playing his first NHL minutes in a playoff pressure type game though is a pretty big deal considering where he was at the beginning of the season. The reports of his improved play were being posted by those following Utica and then the reports out of this camp were very positive as well.
He’s not going to live up to his draft position but if he ever could become a second pairing D that’s huge for the team.

I agree in that Hughes and Makar are on different stratospheres compared to Juolevi. But my comment was in reply to bandwagonesque who claimed that “virtually any defenceman in this situation” would be sheltered like Juolevi, a statement I was able to disprove by spending a total of one minute thinking of Makar and Hughes. I am sure there others, but I think the “virtually any” threshold has been met given how little I thought about it. Funny how bandy is always complaining about Benning critics making technically incorrect arguments but yet he does so himself all the time.

 

[dombrova22]

Cale Makar player 14 minutes in his first ever game which was a playoff game, and 20 minutes the next game.

Hughes, played 15 minutes. Both these guys were younger than Juolevi.

At the end of the day if Juolevi was better he would have been played more. It isn’t just because of the circumstances. If that was the case, Makar wouldn’t have played twice the amount.

Frankly though, the fact our top ten pick from like four years ago was in the AHL this year, rather than in the NHL, is all the indication anyone needs about his current ability. Hopefully he improves though.

Juolevi hadn't played in a single NHL game up to that point.

 

[Fatass]

No, but they were much younger than Juolevi. Also, Juolevi has been healthy for how long now? Half a year? This “coming off of injuries” narrative isn’t overly accurate. Sure, injuries may have affected his development, but this isn’t a player that is just coming off of injuries, he’s been healthy for quite some time.

Physiologically it takes 12 to 18 months for nerve pathways to repair themselves. Considering OJ suffered these two injuries while he was also physically maturing and it’s clear he lost two years of development. He’s going to be very good for us, and he will (now healthy) improve very quickly.

 

[wetcoast]

Green, in his post game presser, actually mentioned the coaches didn’t realize how heavy a game OJ plays. Six minutes is a start. I suspect his minutes will go up. And playing PK is not sheltered.

He played a whopping 34 seconds on the PK and 6:16 overall.

There is no way to make any long term judgments from this but it is a start.

 

[I am toxic]

The jury has delivered its verdict.

 

[Wolfhard]

To me, his passing and vision are exceptional. But there was quite a few times where I questioned his positioning. Circling in and out of the right areas. He didn't get burned on it, but I could see several instances where if someone jumped into the space he left, we'd have been asking "what was he doing?".
Also there was one time in the defensive zone where he didn't seem to know where to be. He was arbitrarily jumping back and forth in front of his net as if uncertain if he should cover this guy, that guy, or chase the puck, and was actually spending more time covering nobody at all because of it.

That could also be due to him not feeling comfortable with the system, or having a feel for a steady partner or teammates. But if i had to nitpick, I'd say his defensive positioning made me very nervous several times. But the potential is definitely there for him to be a steady all around D with a dangerous breakout pass in the chamber

 

[Diamonddog01]

To me, his passing and vision are exceptional. But there was quite a few times where I questioned his positioning. Circling in and out of the right areas. He didn't get burned on it, but I could see several instances where if someone jumped into the space he left, we'd have been asking "what was he doing?".
Also there was one time in the defensive zone where he didn't seem to know where to be. He was arbitrarily jumping back and forth in front of his net as if uncertain if he should cover this guy, that guy, or chase the puck, and was actually spending more time covering nobody at all because of it.

That could also be due to him not feeling comfortable with the system, or having a feel for a steady partner or teammates. But if i had to nitpick, I'd say his defensive positioning made me very nervous several times. But the potential is definitely there for him to be a steady all around D with a dangerous breakout pass in the chamber

He definitely wasn't perfect and the glowing praise is getting a bit much. But there's a glimmer of hope there, and if anyone had told me 2 months ago Juolevi would be playing and playing ok (even for only 6 minutes) in the NHL I would've been shocked tbh. I think he makes the team as the bottom pairing LD next year and he will have a lot of work to do, no doubt about it. But as I said there's a glimmer of hope with this player which is pleasantly surprising.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

I think the only take away right now is that he didn't look out of place regardless of the amount of time he played.

That is a positive in any sense.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Well at least he played and didn't look like a chump.

Even if he does start to pan out, he's still got a bumpy road ahead of him. This was just step one.

 

[Gaunce4gm]

He looks like he will at least be given a real long look next season. I expect him to make it on the bottom pair, and. Expect him to show some legitimate upside and pot 5G 17A 22Pts +3

 

[zcaptain]

Cale Makar player 14 minutes in his first ever game which was a playoff game, and 20 minutes the next game.

Hughes, played 15 minutes. Both these guys were younger than Juolevi.

At the end of the day if Juolevi was better he would have been played more. It isn’t just because of the circumstances. If that was the case, Makar wouldn’t have played twice the amount.

Frankly though, the fact our top ten pick from like four years ago was in the AHL this year, rather than in the NHL, is all the indication anyone needs about his current ability. Hopefully he improves though.

So, Hughes and Edler sit to complete your vison? Really? In a playoff game?

Maybe Hughes and Makar booth played more because of depth, as with Juolevi, being his first game in his first year in the the league was eased into the line up

As Green inferred........he really doesn't have a good handle on Juolevi so it will take awhile......

Seems reasonable to me.

 

[zcaptain]

Further to my post above...........I mean both Makar and Hughes are elite, from the get go

A little unfair to compare Juolevi to 2 elite players who came into the league healthy and

better than most veterans

 

[Johnny Canucker]

OJ plays 6 sheltered minutes and takes a hit once and all of a sudden has fixed his longstanding weaknesses with physical play. And also has put on 10 pounds of PURE MUSCLE in less than a year.

Ok.

This sounds like something that I would post I mean I get it it’s OK to be sceptical but maybe let’s just take it for a positive the guy was drafted super super high and I never thought he was playing NHL game I still not sure if he’s gonna pay 50 NHL games or not but at least this is a positive yeah I was only six minutes but it’s still six minutes at HF boards you always know that if somebody does anything remotely good everybody exaggerates it in the super dramatic about it I think he’s a next best thing you just have to go with it sometimes

 

[NoRaise4Brackett]

Not much icetime, but clearly Juolevi is healthy and back on track. Shows poise with the puck in all zones, as well as realistic potential to play in all situations.

Top-4 potential for sure, and has become a strong PKer - perfect to replace Edler when the time comes, and perfect to take on the PK minutes so Hughes doesn't have to.

Juolevi still has to prove himself, but suddenly there is a lot to like about his game. Over the coarse of something like a year, he's basically gone from a near-bust, to a prospect we should be getting excited about.