Olli Määttä

[MrBurghundy]

I'm feeling pretty good about my prediction right now.

 

[Shrimper]

I'm feeling pretty good about my prediction right now.

Which was?

 

[MrBurghundy]

Which was?

I'm on my phone or I'd quote the post. Anyway, I said by the end of next season he'll be our best defensemen.

 

[Get To Our Game]

A few people noted this in the GDT last night, but watch this highlight of Maatta's first goal last night:

[NHL]2013020947-48-h[/NHL]

Look at the kick pass he makes 3 seconds in. He makes the read to pinch, gets his stick tied up, and makes a perfect area kick pass to Goc, who is drifting right into where Maatta kicks it. He sees Glass is covering his point, so he immediately drives the net as the shot is taken. He makes one quick touch to take the puck around Niemi, then bangs it home. That's the kind of stuff you expect from Sid and Geno.

He has a smart shot selection, knows when to wrist it quickly or wind it up. He makes a lot of slap passes to teammates around the side of the net, and he also has shown glimpses of a cannon of a slapper. There have only been a few times he's really laid into one with a big windup, but the ones that he has gotten off have looked really hard. I'm remembering at least one from a set faceoff win. None of them have hit the net though, to the best of my memory. I think he already has the best outlet pass on the team. He has made lots of hard, flat passes right onto a teammate's stick from his own zone to the neutral zone. He makes extremely accurate passes along the opposition blueline, and he's showed a good ability to keep the puck in the zone. He's shown high levels of creativity and has been more willing to join the rush recently. He has gotten caught a few times (which will happen to any defenseman that pushes up with regularity), but overall has showed great decision-making.

He has phenomenal gap control and defensive stickwork, especially for a defender his age. He's smart at getting in the way of shots, and has good blocking technique. He's not overly physical in board play, but he's shown good willingness to battle, especially after getting beat, and is good at poking the puck out of scrums or from an opposition player with a one-handed stick check.

On top of all that, he seems like a respectful, humble kid in interviews and such, and from all accounts he is a hard worker off the ice. He also has an awesome name (if only people would take the two seconds to look up how to spell it correctly).

I really do my best to temper expectations with young players, especially defenders, because there have been so many I've seen that have started off so well and didn't meet expectations... but I can't help myself with Maatta. The only other players this young I've been this excited for were Crosby & Malkin ('84 was before my time). I hope he's patrolling the blue line for our team for the next two decades.

 

[Muscles4Malkin]

A few people noted this in the GDT last night, but watch this highlight of Maatta's first goal last night:

Kudos to your post. Didn't want to reply the whole text, but I agree 100%. It will be fun to see what Pouliot also turns to be and could Harrington partner Määttä at some point, like they did in OHL.

 

[Michael8771*]

I'm on my phone or I'd quote the post. Anyway, I said by the end of next season he'll be our best defensemen.

I can't argue against it. Nisky has had an excellent season in his own right but this kid is coming on like a freight train.

 

[Zirakzigil]

You know whats ironic? How many people wanted to or had him in trade proposals last year.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

It's really starting to get annoying at how dense Canucks fans are in thinking Maatta is available for Kesler.

 

[madinsomniac]

I don't think he had a good night last night but then again not one defenseman paired with Orpik has had much success this season... too much covering for him IMO

 

[Ugene Magic]

It's really starting to get annoying at how dense Canucks fans are in thinking Maatta is available for Kesler.

Someone told me Maatta was the one they were asking for and I totally understand not doing it, now. Not sending out Maatta plus the rest of what was being said going. I'd have a very hard time doing Maatta straight up for Kesler. Maybe Kesler at 25/26 years old, but not at 30.

 

[gordie]

It's really starting to get annoying at how dense Canucks fans are in thinking Maatta is available for Kesler.

See: Shero covets Winnipeg Forwards. Same type of response but different part of Canada.

 

[Burgs]

You know whats ironic? How many people wanted to or had him in trade proposals last year.

That's because he was the one D prospect with no obvious outstanding ability. Good skater but not really fast, decent size but not actually big and mean, good puck-mover but not a great shot. His biggest strength by far is his hockey sense and calmness, and those are hard to judge unless you see a guy play often enough. It's more surprising that he fell to 22nd overall because you'd think NHL scouts would have figured him out better.

 

[WVP]

He's been unbelievably good. Looking like the kind of "almost lucky" draft pick that anchors a franchise for a decade or two.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I still laugh about him falling to 22nd. It's probably Shero's proudest moment now.

 

[eXile59]

It's really starting to get annoying at how dense Canucks fans are in thinking Maatta is available for Kesler.

There is a thread on the main board where more than a couple people have called him the next Tyler Myers. If you are going to the main boards for intelligent hockey discussion you are going to be disappointed.

 

[wej20]

There is a thread on the main board where more than a couple people have called him the next Tyler Myers. If you are going to the main boards for intelligent hockey discussion you are going to be disappointed.

His game is clearly nothing like like Myers.

 

[madinsomniac]

Drafts are still primarily done based on measurable qualities, success in sports for an athlete is as much about the intuition and reactions as the physical side of things, and those arent as measurable... That is why there will always be guys drafted high that bust and always be guys taken low who if you redrafted would go at the top or near the top of a draft

 

[JTG]

Maatta has been so awesome this year, such a bright spot on such a terrible team. He deserves to get all the minutes he can, he has shown he can handle any situation.

If you think t his team is terrible, you should have seen the time Dick Tarnstrom lead the team in scoring.

I still laugh about him falling to 22nd. It's probably Shero's proudest moment now.

He was rated way higher than he went too, if you remember. Why he dropped? Who knows. All it takes is for a team to have a bigger need to like a guy just a little bit more for a guy to start tumbling. It's the same way it only takes 1 team to really fall in love with a guy to take him a little higher than he should of went.

In that 1 round I think we saw both of these scenarios.

 

[KIRK]

I still laugh about him falling to 22nd. It's probably Shero's proudest moment now.

Given Shero's draft history, I'm not sure that's saying much.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

I'm on my phone or I'd quote the post. Anyway, I said by the end of next season he'll be our best defensemen.

If he is a better defensive D man than Martin by the end of next season, then we're doing pretty darn good. I still counter with maybe our best 2 way defenseman.

Martin: best shut down man
Letang: best offensive D man
Maatta: best two way guy

Most physical by end of next year?

Simon Despres

I realize that I'm really looking forward to seeing this D corp grow up. If Letang could manage to become the player he can be, we'll be a very dynamic group.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

He has a smart shot selection, knows when to wrist it quickly or wind it up. He makes a lot of slap passes to teammates around the side of the net, and he also has shown glimpses of a cannon of a slapper. There have only been a few times he's really laid into one with a big windup, but the ones that he has gotten off have looked really hard. I'm remembering at least one from a set faceoff win. None of them have hit the net though, to the best of my memory. I think he already has the best outlet pass on the team. He has made lots of hard, flat passes right onto a teammate's stick from his own zone to the neutral zone. He makes extremely accurate passes along the opposition blueline, and he's showed a good ability to keep the puck in the zone. He's shown high levels of creativity and has been more willing to join the rush recently. He has gotten caught a few times (which will happen to any defenseman that pushes up with regularity), but overall has showed great decision-making..

Remember his first goal of the Olympics, huge blast high blocker. He's got a rocket.

 

[KIRK]

If he is a better defensive D man than Martin by the end of next season, then we're doing pretty darn good. I still counter with maybe our best 2 way defenseman.

Martin: best shut down man
Letang: best offensive D man
Maatta: best two way guy

Most physical by end of next year?

Simon Despres

I realize that I'm really looking forward to seeing this D corp grow up. If Letang could manage to become the player he can be, we'll be a very dynamic group.

Despres and Borts are our most physical defensemen now, and it's not even close.

Maatta is our best defenseman now. Better than Martin when he returns? Maybe, although I'll grant Martin is a far better babysitter for Orpik than Maatta has been (so far).

 

[Sideline]

Despres and Borts are our most physical defensemen now, and it's not even close.

Maatta is our best defenseman now. Better than Martin when he returns? Maybe, although I'll grant Martin is a far better babysitter for Orpik than Maatta has been (so far).

I love Olli, but Martin is just a tier below guys like Ryan Suter. Look at how dreadful Orpik has been these past few games. The only reason he didn't look this bad to start the year is Paul Martin.

Maatta doesn't have the years of experience to know when and how he can cheat to help his partner like Martin does so well for Orpik. At this point Maatta plays near perfect hockey 101; the stuff each kid learns if he treats his coaches word as gospel. Sometimes moving just slightly out of the correct position can insulate a partner without exposing you. That skill set only comes to guys with age.

 

[cygnus47]

Maatta's ability to adjust to the pro game has been very impressive. His skating and passing has improved so much since training camp. DAE remember how awkward he looked pivoting at the start of the year and making all those unnecessary slap passes that kept skipping off sticks? As of now, the only thing I can fault him on is his lack of acceleration and the fact that he doesn't play as strong on the boards as he could. That's it! That's insane growth.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Despres and Borts are our most physical defensemen now, and it's not even close.

Maatta is our best defenseman now. Better than Martin when he returns? Maybe, although I'll grant Martin is a far better babysitter for Orpik than Maatta has been (so far).

The one aspect missing from Despres' physical game is his willingness to step up for a big hit. He's more than capable. Just needs a steady partner and confidence.

He's a beast along the boards now, and more than fine at clearing the net front.