RD Oliwer Kaski - Pelicans, Liiga (2013 Undrafted)

[Artorius Horus T]

6 foot 3 | 189 lbs | Offensive minded RD | Pori, Finland
- surprised that he didn't have a thread

Had a breakout season last year for HIFK,
went to play to Lahti, for the Pelicans this season,
kinda a big boo boo by HIFK letting him go.

Leads all d-men in goals, points and shot attempts this season
18-19 stats: in 43 games* 12*+22=34* (0.79 ppg) | +9* | 277 shot attempts* | 6 PP goals | 3 GWG*
* 2 goals tonight,+2, 6 shot attempts after 40 minutes, counted to the totals

2015-2016 in the NCAA (Western Michigan University) - 31 games, 12 points

Others (fellow Finns, who have seen him play this season)
can post other info about him, highlights and other stuff.

Click to read more...

 

[Artorius Horus T]

6 foot 3 offensive d-man Oliwer Kaski, Lahden Pelicans, Liiga
is playing really good hockey this season.

Already 15 goals 26 assists, 41 points in 48 games this season (0.84 ppg)
- He has 324 shot attempts this season.

Past 10 seasons Finnish d-men leading scorers:

17-18: Teemu Suhonen (29) 12 goals, 27 assists in 60 games
16-17: Jesse Virtanen (25) 9 goals, 30 assists in 60 games
15-16: Juha Leimu (34) 16 goals, 18 assists in 51 games
14-15: Esa Lindell (20) 14 goals, 21 assists in 57 games
13-14: Jere Karalahti (38) 8 goals, 27 assists in 57 games
12-13: Teemu Aalto (34) 6 goals, 22 assists in 58 games
11-12: Toni Söderholm (33) 8 goals, 39 assists in 60 games
10-11: Ville Uusitalo (31) 7 goals, 32 assists in 59 games
09-10: Markus Seikola (28) 17 goals, 22 assists in 55 games
08-09: Mikko Mäenpää (25) 11 goals, 26 assists in 58 games

Last Finnish D-man to reach 50 points: Timo Jutila, 51 (14+37) | 1.04 ppg, 95-96 season

50+ or point players:

Pekka Rautakallio: 53 (25+28) | 1.50 ppg, 78-79 season
Brian Rafalski: 53 (19+34) | 1.00 ppg, 98-99 season
Reijo Ruotsalainen: 51 (28+23) | 1.55 ppg, 80-81 season
Timo Jutila, 51 (14+37) | 1.04 ppg, 95-96 season
Cory Murphy: 50 (13+37 | 1.11 ppg, 06-07 season

 

[Newfoundland]

Massive improvement these past few seasons, he'll definealty get a contract

 

[FinlandPanther]

Yup just heard about him the other day from my uncle. Kid looks to be a stud.

 

[Esko6]

He is going to break some scoring records for defensemen if he keeps going.
Interesting player, very good on the offence but lacking in the defence. He is a big guy who does not play physical, so I think he has all the qualities needed to also be good at defence if he uses those attributes.

A bit of a shootout specialist, he does not deke but fires quick wristers and catches goalies by surprise.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

He used to play forward, which is the reason why he still plays like a forward.

 

[Esko6]

He used to play forward, which is the reason why he still plays like a forward.

That explains a lot, I thought about mentioning that he could switch to playing forward.

 

[Jack DiBiase]

Markus Seikola 2.0?

 

[JustaFinnishGuy]

Markus Seikola 2.0?

That's a name I've not heard in a decade. And I'm 20 years old.

 

[ijuka]

I think he'll definitely get signed by an NHL team in the summer.

 

[Matthews34]

Any NHL teams being rumoured to be front runners to sign Kaski?

 

[GetFocht]

Any NHL teams being rumoured to be front runners to sign Kaski?

Have heard Canucks are looking to make a serious pitch for him

 

[Esko6]

Any NHL teams being rumoured to be front runners to sign Kaski?

There are no rumours that I have heard. But I will start one now: he will go to Montreal because Kotkaniemi and Armia are from the same town as him.

 

[ookhaab]

There are no rumours that I have heard. But I will start one now: he will go to Montreal because Kotkaniemi and Armia are from the same town as him.

I doubt it, Montreal is already pretty stacked at RD with Weber, Petry and Juulsen.

Imo team like Dallas would make a lot of sense with Lindell and Heiskanen being there already and a wide open spot in top 4 RD. Dallas also could really use more scoring.

 

[LT]

I doubt it, Montreal is already pretty stacked at RD with Weber, Petry and Juulsen.

Imo team like Dallas would make a lot of sense with Lindell and Heiskanen being there already and a wide open spot in top 4 RD. Dallas also could really use more scoring.

We'd welcome him. We'll definitely be in the market for a defender or two this offseason, and obviously have 3 Finnish players in the NHL and a few more in the system.

He'd almost definitely get a shot with us.

 

[tellermine]

Someone said he has no defence.
Is It true?
You have to be quite a Coffey to get NHL deal If you cant defend.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Someone said he has no defence.
Is It true?
You have to be quite a Coffey to get NHL deal If you cant defend.

Haven't watched many*** Pelicans games but that's what the Liiga analysts keep saying.

***Fixed

 

[ijuka]

Someone said he has no defence.
Is It true?
You have to be quite a Coffey to get NHL deal If you cant defend.

It should be OK. But it's worth noting that he was a forward who switched to D.

Was a sniper.

 

[tellermine]

Haven't watched any Pelicans games but that's what the Liiga analysts keep saying.

That is bad. Also rumours that he is soft.

 

[ijuka]

Several different coaches have praised his attitude and his hockey IQ.

Source for those rumors, though?

 

[jonu]

He has a good stick defensively, decent movement overall so he isn't a hazard defensively but there's loads of room for improvement.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Oliwer Kaski was awarded with the Lasse Oksanen trophy, which is given to best player of the regular season.

After the season is done he will get at least another one; the Pekka Rautakalio trophy,
which is given to the best defenseman in the Sm-Liiga.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

2 goals, +2 in game 1 vs HIFK.
- Pelicans leads the series 1-0, after 6-0 beat down.

 

[Gardiner Expressway]

I don't watch a lot of Finnish hockey but last year also the Lahti Pelicans offense flowed through a young dman - Libor Sulak, who was 1 year older than Kaski is now. Sulak crushed it with over 7 shots a game in Liiga but it didn't translate well to NHL or even AHL.

Can anyone speak much to the differences between Kaski/Sulak and what Kaski's chances are of translating his skills to North America? Thanks!

 

[Fogelhund]

Oliwer Kaski was awarded with the Lasse Oksanen trophy, which is given to best player of the regular season.

After the season is done he will get at least another one; the Pekka Rautakalio trophy,
which is given to the best defenseman in the Sm-Liiga.

I've never seen him play, but you'd have to think that the Leafs would be very interested in this guy, if he has interest in the NHL. Their RHD is pretty poor at the moment, and he sounds like a guy Dubas would have interest in.