Olli Juolevi makes his NHL debut

[Fraser28]

I realize these are big IFs, but if Juolevi continues this new trajectory and Rathbone can step up, this could be our group in a couple years:

Hughes, Tanev, Edler, Myers, Juolevi, Rathbone. I don't think that's embarrassing anymore. And who knows, maybe Woo can work his way in somewhere. We'd still be one excellent #2 D-man away from having a great D-core though.

 

[bandwagonesque]

So what do you call it?

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

Pronger had his faults, too, apparently. Every team he played for didn't want him on the ice for over 50% of the game.

 

[Siludin]

Slow and steady, but now ready: Olli Juolevi

 

[Catamarca Livin]

Hope he plays. Now is not the time to play it safe, our team needs better defense play than the regular season. OJ has a higher ceiling than Fantenburg

 

[orcatown]

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.

Absolutely. To project anything beyond this is senseless.

 

[DarrenX]

I'd written him off personally and wasn't sure he'd ever play more than a handful of bad games in the NHL, so it's good to see him make the show and show some signs of being a player. I don't read too much into the ice time....when you're trailing and you have QH43 playing like a Norris candidate, you play his ass off.

OJ will almost certainly never live up to his draft position, but we can think of him as an intriguing prospect. "Found money" as another poster said. If he forces his way up into the top 4, so much the better.

 

[CRDragon]

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

I think I agree with everything except the last two characters. He will be a minus player.

 

[Bankerguy]

My guess is over 82 games, 3 goals, 19 points, 68 hits, minus 6, 28 PIMS, and better physical play than expected but no fights.

 

[Blue and Green]

He should be worthy of a roster spot next season and I think the organization will make decisions accordingly in the offseason on one or two other players based on that notion. Regular lineup spot? We'll see. He's shown that he's getting better and that being physically sound and fit has made a difference, but he still has to prove that he deserves a full-time position on the third pair.

 

[biturbo19]

As much a i think Corsi is overall, an overrated "statistic"...and completely useless in a hilariously minuscule sample of, approximately one half of a dozen minutes...This is what Juolevi was drafted to be.

For a lot of people, his projection has oscillated between "Hamhuis at best" defensive type, and "offensive PP specialist". But if he's actually going to make it in any sort of impactful Top-4D role with the Canucks, it's probably going to be in that "corsi cup all star" type role. Even if that means pinning him to the hip of a strong offensive possession line like Ehrhoff with the Sedins. The entire strength of his game Juolevi was drafted on, was made in his ability to waste absolutely zero time in moving the puck up to stud forwards. He did it with London Knights, and he did it especially prominently with the Finnish U20 team feeding Laine-Aho-Poolparty and allowing them all to just constantly be on the attack. If he's gonna make it...that's what he's gonna be.

 

[lawrence]

Juolevi's entire game in a video.

The team wants to groom him ready for the following year at least when Edlers contract is up.

 

[HockeyNightInAsia]

Completely agree we should not shy from playing Juolevi now. However, it’s puzzling how his skating concerns (lateral movement? Pivoting?) seem to have evaporated enough. Would love to hear some Utica thoughts on this.

I am another who had written off him and is now pleasantly surprised.

 

[CpatainCanuck]

Juolevi's entire game in a video.

The team wants to groom him ready for the following year at least when Edlers contract is up.

Watching that, he looks great. He's got a surprising amount of mobility as well as being very smart. The fact that he so often does a one-touch pass instead of carrying the puck is just a feature of his high iq playing style, not a weakness.

 

[CpatainCanuck]

Completely agree we should not shy from playing Juolevi now. However, it’s puzzling how his skating concerns (lateral movement? Pivoting?) seem to have evaporated enough. Would love to hear some Utica thoughts on this.

I am another who had written off him and is now pleasantly surprised.

In that 6:16 of ice time, he looks like one of the Canucks faster and shiftier defenceman. Not close to Hughes, but as quick as anyone else.

 

[Diversification]

Juolevi's entire game in a video.

The team wants to groom him ready for the following year at least when Edlers contract is up.

All I can get from that video is that his skating looks fine and was able to get in some decent poke checks. Not sure those poke checks will be nearly as effective against the Blues. Guess we'll see how he plays the body in this series.

 

[I am toxic]

iirc @Bad Goalie had indicated Juolevi had difficulty turning to one side in particular when rotating from backwards to forwards skating as puck carrier would go by. If that was only because of injury that is now healed, then there is hope.

But if that issue is still there while healthy, then the book will be out on him quickly and NHL forwards will feast on that.

Still prefer Juolevi in lineup over Fanta, but either way good to have lots of healthy bodies, playoffs is a grind and depth will be called on and needs to step up.

 

[tantalum]

No offense but 6 minutes of ice means precisely nothing. Good to see he had a good camp and even got some ice when it mattered, but 6 minutes really is meaningless. Hell Corrado nearly played 20 minutes a game his first 3 games at the end of the regular season straight from the OHL and then over 12 minutes a game in his limited playoff action that year.

 

[m9]

Not much has changed in regards to Juolevi for me. He's a top 10 prospect in the system who hasn't shown he's ready for the NHL. Due to the circumstances on the left side (Benn, Fantenberg, Rathbone) he's temporarily up the depth chart a bit but I'm not sure what it means for the future.

 

[supercanuck]

No offense but 6 minutes of ice means precisely nothing. Good to see he had a good camp and even got some ice when it mattered, but 6 minutes really is meaningless. Hell Corrado nearly played 20 minutes a game his first 3 games at the end of the regular season straight from the OHL and then over 12 minutes a game in his limited playoff action that year.

Unless the Canucks go on an incredible run this fall with Juolevi playing noticeable minutes, I still think it makes more sense for his development to have him start in Utica (if there is a season). Give him call ups if need be and if he proves himself for the first half season then bring him up permanently. We've already waiting this long. Makes no sense to rush him.

 

[iceburg]

The team has consistently used 9 or 10 D-men per season for the last few years. Juolevi is definitely in that group and this coming year will likely show what his NHL future could look like. He will get sufficient NHL minutes even if he isn't considered in the top 8.

 

[Blue and Green]

Unless the Canucks go on an incredible run this fall with Juolevi playing noticeable minutes, I still think it makes more sense for his development to have him start in Utica (if there is a season). Give him call ups if need be and if he proves himself for the first half season then bring him up permanently. We've already waiting this long. Makes no sense to rush him.

He won the competition over Sautner and Brisebois in the July camp; they've been the callups on the left side in the past two seasons. It's time to find out what Olli's got at the NHL level; I'd rather carry him as the 7th defenceman than send him down to the AHL. Utica is probably a better spot for Rathbone next season.

 

[Svencouver]

No offense but 6 minutes of ice means precisely nothing. Good to see he had a good camp and even got some ice when it mattered, but 6 minutes really is meaningless. Hell Corrado nearly played 20 minutes a game his first 3 games at the end of the regular season straight from the OHL and then over 12 minutes a game in his limited playoff action that year.

I do get this take, but I feel like it ignores the context a little. He had a strong camp, and looked great within those 6 minutes. It's sort of hard to judge his game too much in those 6 minutes, as it could have just been a good night for him where he may get exposed on D any other, but he was making good decisions on D, facilitating with the puck on his stick, and playing in all situations. And remember, this was an elimination game against a very rough and tumble team in Minnesota that came to play for their lives. This was the least sheltered game possible to have his debut in.

Everything within those 6 minutes was indicative of at least bare-minimum NHL readiness to me. His body and skating just needs to hold up, his processing of the game at that level is there.

 

[Fatass]

He won the competition over Sautner and Brisebois in the July camp; they've been the callups on the left side in the past two seasons. It's time to find out what Olli's got at the NHL level; I'd rather carry him as the 7th defenceman than send him down to the AHL. Utica is probably a better spot for Rathbone next season.

OJ is up to stay now. He’s a far better option than Fanta or Benn because he’s a way better puck mover. Canucks need to play fast, and moving the puck from D to Forwards is very important to that. Plus, he’s a big boy, who (as Green noted) plays a heavy game.

 

[Blue and Green]

OJ is up to stay now. He’s a far better option than Fanta or Benn because he’s a way better puck mover. Canucks need to play fast, and moving the puck from D to Forwards is very important to that. Plus, he’s a big boy, who (as Green noted) plays a heavy game.

I wouldn't say that Juolevi plays a heavy game but the physicality aspect seems to be coming around now; in the past it was one of the issues.

 

[GetFocht]

He will be a regular in the line-up next season as the 5th LD without a doubt.