Prospect Info: Oskari Laaksonen (2017, 89th) 2018-19 Ilves - Traded to Dallas

[FinPanda]

Do you have a link for the concussion ? I browsed the web for 10 minutes and couldn’t find anything mentioning a concussion

I searched "oskari laaksonen aivotärähdys" (concussion) and got this first: Ilvekselle karmea ottelu: Tappara torppasi kaksi avainpakkia aivotärähdyksistä sairauslomalle - tulisena käynyt Karri Kivi: ”Kaikki oli meitä vastaan" also found this: Ilves-puolustus hupeni liki puoleen − Kivi: "Laaksosella ja Generousilla aivotärähdykset − eivät pelaa tiistaina".

This news said that he didn't have a concussion: Ilves saa kaivattua apua puolustukseen – Perjantain ottelussa kolhiintunut Oskari Laaksonen on pelikuntoinen, puolustukseen myös kaksi debytanttia. Their doctor thought that first based on first examination, but it turned out later he didn't have it.

Very easy to find in Finnish.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

At his age there's no reason he should be playing the same week as that hit. When you're slumped down like that it's because the lights went out.

 

[Yultron]

I searched "oskari laaksonen aivotärähdys" (concussion) and got this first: Ilvekselle karmea ottelu: Tappara torppasi kaksi avainpakkia aivotärähdyksistä sairauslomalle - tulisena käynyt Karri Kivi: ”Kaikki oli meitä vastaan" also found this: Ilves-puolustus hupeni liki puoleen − Kivi: "Laaksosella ja Generousilla aivotärähdykset − eivät pelaa tiistaina".

This news said that he didn't have a concussion: Ilves saa kaivattua apua puolustukseen – Perjantain ottelussa kolhiintunut Oskari Laaksonen on pelikuntoinen, puolustukseen myös kaksi debytanttia. Their doctor thought that first based on first examination, but it turned out later he didn't have it.

Very easy to find in Finnish.

Ok thanks so much and I’m relieved he didn’t get a concussion . If the kid plays like this he could easily crack the NHL Roster at the end of next season after spending some time with the Amerks or he might wanna stay in Finland another year . Either way it’s grest too see him having the success he is having

 

[vivalavili]

Laaksonen has been such a hit this season. He's been easily our best defender and he's 4th best defensemen with 10 points (leader has 13). IMO he has the assets to be the best rookie in this year's Liiga, and thats saying a lot. He could pass Kakko and Heponiemi if he and Ilves can keep up the pace they are now. Future top 4 defenseman for Buffalo for sure.

E: Take that back, not sure if he's a rookie after all since he played 16 games last year.

 

[Gabrielor]

Can’t say I know who this guy is, but my tempered excitement for Laaksonen is starting to bubble into “omg, he could be a top talent steal that the Sabres haven’t seen since Miller”

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Can’t say I know who this guy is, but my tempered excitement for Laaksonen is starting to bubble into “omg, he could be a top talent steal that the Sabres haven’t seen since Miller”

I mean, Oloffson, but I get your point.

 

[Reddawg]

If Laaksonen becomes even half the player Heiskanen is, I'm buying everyone on the Sabres' scouting staff a cookie.

 

[Washed Up 29YearOld]

18

2

9

11

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Laaksonen

Good for .61 PPG

At 19 he's already a GOOD defenseman. Impressive .


For reference, Pilut was: .73 PPG

52

8

30

38

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Pilut was the best defenseman in the SHL last season and was already 22. Not too far off as a 19 year old.


So far, this 3rd round pick is looking like a steal. He has so much potential, untapped raw skill to refine.

(Of course these are just stats but it definitely adds context)

 

[sabrebuild]

If Laaksonen becomes even half the player Heiskanen is, I'm buying everyone on the Sabres' scouting staff a cookie.

Special cookies!

 

[Thorton02]

I would love to get a late round steal. Not holding my breath, but one of my eyebrows has been raised.

 

[Dingo44]

No one knew who this kid was on draft day but at least one Sabres scout did. Kudos to him.

We have a LOT of promising D in the pipeline.

 

[Genny Screamer]

It will be interesting to see him in the World Juniors.

 

[Ace]

The moment I knew he must be a good prospect.

 

[Gabrielor]

I mean, Oloffson, but I get your point.

For sure. Olofsson has me hopeful that he has the Role of a top 9 player, pp time. Love me some olofsson.

But some of the buzz about Laaksonen that’s gone around, him scoring as high as Dahlin at the tourney, Twitter posts of his numbers being consistent with top 5 draft picks, and what I saw myself at the challenge (massive talent, raw structure), it does make me wonder if he’s a karlsson that no one knew about. That kind of find would put us over the top with the group we already have. Exciting as hell.

 

[Snippit]

For sure. Olofsson has me hopeful that he has the Role of a top 9 player, pp time. Love me some olofsson.

But some of the buzz about Laaksonen that’s gone around, him scoring as high as Dahlin at the tourney, Twitter posts of his numbers being consistent with top 5 draft picks, and what I saw myself at the challenge (massive talent, raw structure), it does make me wonder if he’s a karlsson that no one knew about. That kind of find would put us over the top with the group we already have. Exciting as hell.

It is exciting for sure but Heiskanen was a year younger when he put up those numbers.

I think his potential is very high though.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

3+10 in 21 games now. +12.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

 

[Genny Screamer]

Based on his performance, if someone told me he was a 1st rd pick then I would believe him. Now, he just has to fill out physically for the NA game.

 

[sincerity0]

Pronman called him one of the most interesting draft picks of the last few years. Corey also said Laaksonen is projected to be Finland’s #1 D at U20 4 Nations with noting “[Laaksonen] projects as a legit NHL player...”

Pretty incredible scouting work here. Botterill said he let the scouts make some of these picks based on who they liked. At this time Botterill was hired only weeks before the draft — so he probably had to lean on buffalos in house scouting staff more than other GMs.

Iirc when Laaksonen was drafted many pundits, including Pronman, had no idea who this kid was. He wasn’t ranked by central scouting. Laaksonen himself he was hoping to be drafted, let alone in the third round.

 

[DolanPlsGoSabres]

0 + 0 in a Friday loss to TPS (3-5), but still got 2nd star. Got 10 + 2 PIM for a check to the head in a 0-3 loss to KalPa Saturday.

Ilveksen Oskari Laaksoselle kolmen ottelun pelikielto
Seems like he gets 3 games for the check

 

[threeVo]

Oskari Laaksonen, D, Buffalo

The main point of this column is to highlight errors I’ve made and how I’ve learned from them. In the case of Laaksonen, I don’t think I made a glaring error. At the time of his pick, I had never heard of the guy. He was never at an international event but there was no way with my current process I would have ever watched him play live or on tape and deemed him not a prospect. Yet Buffalo picked him in the third round in 2017, surprising some in the industry. Two years later it looks like a very shrewd pick. Laaksonen regularly leads his Liiga team in minutes, he skates very well, he’s skilled and he has good offensive instincts. He’s gone through a growth spurt lately and has come out of it looking like a real prospect.

I don’t think I made an error in judgment here, but I didn’t even know about a now 19-year-old player who was drafted at 17 and seems on track to become an NHL player in the next few years. That’s a mistake regardless of the reason. It’s also one of the gutsiest and best picks I’ve seen in the past few years with the caveat that Laaksonen still needs to prove it at the NHL level.

Pronman: Prospects I was wrong about, the 2018 edition

 

[flashsabre]

Oskari Laaksonen, D, Buffalo

The main point of this column is to highlight errors I’ve made and how I’ve learned from them. In the case of Laaksonen, I don’t think I made a glaring error. At the time of his pick, I had never heard of the guy. He was never at an international event but there was no way with my current process I would have ever watched him play live or on tape and deemed him not a prospect. Yet Buffalo picked him in the third round in 2017, surprising some in the industry. Two years later it looks like a very shrewd pick. Laaksonen regularly leads his Liiga team in minutes, he skates very well, he’s skilled and he has good offensive instincts. He’s gone through a growth spurt lately and has come out of it looking like a real prospect.

I don’t think I made an error in judgment here, but I didn’t even know about a now 19-year-old player who was drafted at 17 and seems on track to become an NHL player in the next few years. That’s a mistake regardless of the reason. It’s also one of the gutsiest and best picks I’ve seen in the past few years with the caveat that Laaksonen still needs to prove it at the NHL level.

Where is this from?

 

[Jim Carr's Rug]

Where is this from?

Corey Pronman's latest article in the Athletic.

Pronman: Prospects I was wrong about, the 2018 edition

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Where is this from?

About to say, that was a startling level of personal responsibility a poster was willing (delusional) to take regarding a mid round prospect.

 

[Jim Bob]