Gurglesons
Registered User
I think a lot of frustration came from unreal expectations. For where we took Olli, he was a great player and completely fufifilled his draft pedigree.
Olli Maatta Appreciation Thread
- Thread starter Gurglesons
- Start date
I think a lot of frustration came from unreal expectations. For where we took Olli, he was a great player and completely fufifilled his draft pedigree.
Ryder71
Registered User
- Nov 24, 2017
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He started off better than anyone realistically could have expected. The player now however is a far cry from that guy. I wish him well but I'm glad he's gone.
Gurglesons
Registered User
It really isn’t. People didn’t realize that Niskanen was the one doing the heavy lifting on that pairing (myself included.)
Maatta dropped in the draft because of his skating.
Ryder71
Registered User
- Nov 24, 2017
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Ollie was a bit more visible offensively also. His ability to aptly read the play was a huge positive. You can attribute some of his success to Niskanen, but OM was really ahead of the curve for his age. Excellent hockey IQ which accelerated his development to get into the league that early.
Gurglesons
Registered User
Ryder71
Registered User
- Nov 24, 2017
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My point was that is extremely rare a defensemen taken in the latter part of the first round has that sort of impact immediately. And since that time his game has regressed as the league has gotten faster.
Son Goku
henlo u stinky egg
Tacitus Kilgore
Registered User
Will always have a soft spot for Maatta because we took him in the 1995 birth year (my birth year too) draft, that being 2012 draft. So it was crazy for a bit to have someone my age in the nhl and watching them get older as i do. I kinda hope he makes it back to the pens one day as a bottom pairing guy.
Jacob
as seen on TV
- Feb 27, 2002
- 49,545
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I legit hope Maatta catches on in Chicago and becomes one of their go-to guys, and I think he will.
His only deficiency is skating, and yeah it's a big one, but I think on literally any other team that provides even a modicum of puck responsibility and back pressure from the forwards it won't be an issue. Most teams don't turn pucks over in dangerous areas and leave their blueliners out to dry like we have in the last few years. Hopefully he won't have to deal with some speed demon coming at him at Mach 1 while he's either standing still or moving up ice as much as he did here.
Seems like him and Jokiharju is a great match.
His only deficiency is skating, and yeah it's a big one, but I think on literally any other team that provides even a modicum of puck responsibility and back pressure from the forwards it won't be an issue. Most teams don't turn pucks over in dangerous areas and leave their blueliners out to dry like we have in the last few years. Hopefully he won't have to deal with some speed demon coming at him at Mach 1 while he's either standing still or moving up ice as much as he did here.
Seems like him and Jokiharju is a great match.
Turin
Registered User
- Feb 27, 2018
- 22,346
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Maybe I'm just remembering the 2016 run more fondly than I should but I just feel like that was a run where literally every player on our team was 100% doing their job and doing it well, even the guys who would have otherwise been scratches or whatever. Like even Zatkoff came in and got us going. It was the biggest team-based Cup I can recall for us.
Like yeah there was some of that in 2017 too and everyone pulled together nicely without Letang but my enduring memory of that run is mostly that we wouldn't have had a chance in hell but for Sid, Jake, Geno, and Maf/Murray. Everyone else did what they had to at times but we got so hard carried by our stars.
But 2016? That run had so many gigantic performances out of depth players.
Big McLargehuge
Fragile Traveler
I was always careful to say the words "poor man's" beforehand...but his early days distinctly reminded me of a younger Lidstrom.
Of course the skating never got better, health problems took their toll (likely leading to the skating regressing rather than being worked on), and he was being asked to just do more with less in a system that underlined his flaws rather than hid them.
Regardless of what he ended up being I've never seen a teenage defenseman look so comfortable on the ice in a Penguins jersey...hence why his jersey is hanging in my closet.
HandshakeLine
A real jerk thing
Empoleon8771
Registered User
I feel like everyone should be sad about Maatta leaving, even if you feel like it was time to move on. The guy went through hell and back over his career with the Penguins and was one of the longest tenured Penguins by the end of it. He won 2 cups with the Penguins, you can't take that away from him.
Empoleon8771
Registered User
They should go back to that goal song, I like that goal song more than party hard. I didn't realize they were still using that as of 2014.
Longest tenured Penguin after the Big 3. Cancer along with hip and shoulder injuries have pulled the life out of his last couple of years. I'm sad that it has come to this but you can't keep declining players, praying to a recovery. I hope he rebounds but I hope Kahun is better.
Now let's see GMJR find a home for Johnson.
Now let's see GMJR find a home for Johnson.
Man am I gonna miss that kid! He had a special place in my heart since he was from my hometown.
Thanks for all the great memories Olli, I wish the best for you!
LGP!
Thanks for all the great memories Olli, I wish the best for you!
LGP!
Randy Butternubs
Registered User
Got to meet Olli at a bar in Shadyside when the Pens were on a western road trip while he was injured (hand surgery, I think). Cool, friendly dude. Likes IPAs, doesn't care much for darker beers.
Sad to see my "buddy" go but I get why he was moved. I'm glad he's been able to have a successful career despite all the injuries and illnesses.
Best of luck in Chicago Olli!
Sad to see my "buddy" go but I get why he was moved. I'm glad he's been able to have a successful career despite all the injuries and illnesses.
Best of luck in Chicago Olli!
Michael Farkas
Celebrate 68
I was a big fan. I have a lot of time for high IQ, low maintenance players that you can just put out for 20 minutes a night and not really have to worry. He did a terrific job of keeping pucks out of the net and was instrumental in a couple of Cup wins. Wish him nothing but the best.
madinsomniac
Registered User
Like I have been saying.. with our D its all about fit. Our division got a ton faster, maattas weak spot was skating speed so occasionally he got exposed badly, but overall he was solid but in a way that didn’t fit the rest of our D
billybudd
Registered User
- Feb 1, 2012
- 22,049
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He was good at straightjacketing people everywhere. Nobody ever had a free stick in scoring position if Maatta was supposed to be marking him. Shame so many other things suffered with him after all those trips to IR.
Will Hunting
Immortal Adams
Loved him as a rookie, absolutely loved him. Not all his fault that he is what he is now, but yeah he is what he is. Very good guy, very average player and worse skater.
That game 1 vs Islanders though, I will unfortunately remember that performance forever. Was one of the historical bad ones as a single Penguin. I had a wish after that game that hopefully I won´t ever see him in a Pens uniform again and I got it... Not that I feel so good about that now, Olli doesn´t deserve that hate. And he brought back a great value, so yeah.. Thanks Olli and wish him all the best and only the best in his hockey career and life.
That game 1 vs Islanders though, I will unfortunately remember that performance forever. Was one of the historical bad ones as a single Penguin. I had a wish after that game that hopefully I won´t ever see him in a Pens uniform again and I got it... Not that I feel so good about that now, Olli doesn´t deserve that hate. And he brought back a great value, so yeah.. Thanks Olli and wish him all the best and only the best in his hockey career and life.
