Speculation: Teemu Hartikainen Signs With Ufa (KHL)

[SDig14]

The biggest issue is you don't really improve your game playing in the KHL.

You develop terrible habits because the game simply isn't that close to the NHL game.

I am sure he will improve his offensive game, but if he does come back he's likely going to even worse defensively, which was already a concern. I think it will lead him to having to work even harder getting adjusted back to the NHL.

 

[joestevens29]

The biggest issue is you don't really improve your game playing in the KHL.

You develop terrible habits because the game simply isn't that close to the NHL game.

I am sure he will improve his offensive game, but if he does come back he's likely going to even worse defensively, which was already a concern. I think it will lead him to having to work even harder getting adjusted back to the NHL.

IF he improves offensively it won't matter that his defensive game is lacking.

The guy doesn't have to be a two-way physical player. 2 of 3 would be enough to get him regular NHL employement.

 

[OttawaOilers]

I liked Harty. Wasn't committed, though.

 

[Oi'll say!]

JF Jacques part II. Good in the AHL, below average in the NHL.

Best of luck Teemu!

Jacques never showed anything in the nhl, Harski could dominate along the wall holding the puck a couple shifts per game. Never translated into anything big yet, he was inconsistant as hell, but he was definitely a guy the Oilers needed to develop. Huge mistake if he gets away.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I don't know it Harti would have ever been a difference maker at the NHL level. Likely bottom line material... sure he might have played 3rd line minutes but from what I saw at the NHL level it's no great loss. Seems to be one of those players who's solid at the AHL level, but never translates to the NHL.

May still make me eat those words in the future if he gets back to the NHL... but so be it. Oilers have to get better material for the 3rd line.

 

[Master Lok]

Jacques never showed anything in the nhl, Harski could dominate along the wall holding the puck a couple shifts per game. Never translated into anything big yet, he was inconsistant as hell, but he was definitely a guy the Oilers needed to develop. Huge mistake if he gets away.

So you just described JF Jacques. I recall many posters suggesting early on, that Jacques would be a mistake if the Oilers failed to use him too.

 

[Samus44]

So you just described JF Jacques. I recall many posters suggesting early on, that Jacques would be a mistake if the Oilers failed to use him too.

Jacques hurt his back and was never the same. Hartikainen is a vastly superior player, this isn't close in fact it's a ridiculous comparison.

 

[LoudmouthHemskyfan#1]

So you just described JF Jacques. I recall many posters suggesting early on, that Jacques would be a mistake if the Oilers failed to use him too.

Jacques was completely allergic to the puck. Always was. Couldn't make or take a pass to save his life.

Completely different hockey players.

 

[Groucho]

MacT talked about Teemu in his Tier 1 fan question and answer period.

Basically nobody around the NHL was willing to give Teemu a one way contract, so he saw the writing on the wall. To be fair to him, he never pulled any punches about it. He wasn't shy about saying he felt NHL or bust on his next contract. Maybe we'll see him back here in a year or two.

 

[BowDangles]

MacT talked about Teemu in his Tier 1 fan question and answer period.

Basically nobody around the NHL was willing to give Teemu a one way contract, so he saw the writing on the wall. To be fair to him, he never pulled any punches about it. He wasn't shy about saying he felt NHL or bust on his next contract. Maybe we'll see him back here in a year or two.

Does Edmonton hold on to his rights? And for how long? Maybe once he develops a bit more he can come play for Edmonton next year or the year after..

 

[Groucho]

He left as an unsigned RFA so my understanding is yes, we retain his rights.

 

[ArtVandelay1987]

Damn I will miss him if he leaves he is one of my favourite players.

 

[joestevens29]

MacT talked about Teemu in his Tier 1 fan question and answer period.

Basically nobody around the NHL was willing to give Teemu a one way contract, so he saw the writing on the wall. To be fair to him, he never pulled any punches about it. He wasn't shy about saying he felt NHL or bust on his next contract. Maybe we'll see him back here in a year or two.

I have to assume MacT told his agent to find a team and we'll make a deal? Because otherwise how would we really know this?

 

[Master Lok]

Jacques hurt his back and was never the same. Hartikainen is a vastly superior player, this isn't close in fact it's a ridiculous comparison.

never the same after back injury? Notice the same consistent AHL Scoring rate in 2011-12 - nearly identical to his rate in 2005-06.

Vastly superior? Certainly not what history or statistics show. Teemu showed a slighter greater scoring touch than JFJ in the NHL, but was getting worse with every year.

JF Jacques. 6'3, 231 lbs.
@age 20. 44 pts, 65 games 131 PIMs in AHL. 0.676 ppg (2005-06)
0 pts in 7 NHL games.
@age 21. 27 pts in 29 AHL games. 0.93 ppg (2006-07)
0 pts in 37 NHL games.
@age 22. 25 pts in 38 AHL games. 0.657 ppg (2007-08)
0 pts in 9 NHL games.
@age 23. write off due to injury.
@age 24. 11 pts in 49 NHL games. (2009-10)
@age 25. 5 pts in 51 NHL games (2010-11)
@age 26. 40 pts in 65 AHL games. 0.615 ppg (2011-12)
0 pts in 6 NHL games.

Teemu. 6'1, 215 lbs winger.
@age 20. 42 pts in 66 AHL games. 0.636 ppg(2010-11)
5 pts in 12 NHL games.
@age 21. 32 pts in 51 AHL games. 0.627 ppg(2011-12)
5 pts in 17 NHL games.
@age 22. 37 pts in 47 AHL games. 0.78 ppg (2012-13)
3 pts in 23 NHL games.

 

[ArtVandelay1987]

He left as an unsigned RFA so my understanding is yes, we retain his rights.

If that is the case I hope the situation does not become Omark 2.0.

 

[Groucho]

I have to assume MacT told his agent to find a team and we'll make a deal? Because otherwise how would we really know this?

Something like that. That or Mac T shopped Teemu and was asking what other GM's thought of an extension, but I think Mac T mentioned Teemu's agent specifically.

I don't know if its on the video that the Oilers posted, and I didn't make it to the luncheon, but @mental_gas was tweeting from the luncheon and I think that's where I read it.

 

[Oi'll say!]

MacT talked about Teemu in his Tier 1 fan question and answer period.

Basically nobody around the NHL was willing to give Teemu a one way contract, so he saw the writing on the wall. To be fair to him, he never pulled any punches about it. He wasn't shy about saying he felt NHL or bust on his next contract. Maybe we'll see him back here in a year or two.

Typical MacT, always has something bad to say about his players. ****in *******. He couldn't just lie and say "he got offered a bigger role blah blah blah, we're looking forward to see what progress he makes... "

Like him or not harski is still an asset of the org, it just comes down to whether he's a Plyer here, traded for a 2nd round pick, whatever. Why talk his trade value down?

 

[aleshemsky83]

Yes reminds me when him and Moreau trashed Pitkanen on his way out the door.

 

[Supermassive]

Typical MacT, always has something bad to say about his players. ****in *******. He couldn't just lie and say "he got offered a bigger role blah blah blah, we're looking forward to see what progress he makes... "

Like him or not harski is still an asset of the org, it just comes down to whether he's a Plyer here, traded for a 2nd round pick, whatever. Why talk his trade value down?

You think MacT talked his trade value down?

He specifically noted that no team would trade for him and give him the 1-way. Teemu didn't want a 2-way. He had no trade value because of it. So he's in Europe. That doesn't sound like dumping on the player, that sounds like honesty and transparency.

Quite the little vendetta some of you have brewing.

 

[Oi'll say!]

You think MacT talked his trade value down?

He specifically noted that no team would trade for him and give him the 1-way. Teemu didn't want a 2-way. He had no trade value because of it. So he's in Europe. That doesn't sound like dumping on the player, that sounds like honesty and transparency.

Quite the little vendetta some of you have brewing.

What MacT did was fine if he was running a taco stand but he's running a $100M business.

If you're selling your truck you don't say "it sucks gas, it's noisy, the stereo is crap and my wife hates it" you say "it's got beastly power and it starts on the first turn at -30. I don't need a heavy duty truck anymore because I have a crew of guys who do all my gruntwork for me, I'm going to get a little F-150 or a Prius."

MacT needs to say **** like "We feel like Teemu is on his way to becoming an impact player and the opportunity for him to develop properly isn't here for him right now because of the logjam of talent we have up front right now. This is a great opportunity for him and we look forward to seeing him back in Edmonton".

 

[Connor McOilers]

What MacT did was fine if he was running a taco stand but he's running a $100M business.

If you're selling your truck you don't say "it sucks gas, it's noisy, the stereo is crap and my wife hates it" you say "it's got beastly power and it starts on the first turn at -30. I don't need a heavy duty truck anymore because I have a crew of guys who do all my gruntwork for me, I'm going to get a little F-150 or a Prius."

MacT needs to say **** like "We feel like Teemu is on his way to becoming an impact player and the opportunity for him to develop properly isn't here for him right now because of the logjam of talent we have up front right now. This is a great opportunity for him and we look forward to seeing him back in Edmonton".

Considering the trade value was already 0, I'd rather have the honest GM than the one spewing BS constantly.

 

[Supermassive]

What MacT did was fine if he was running a taco stand but he's running a $100M business.

If you're selling your truck you don't say "it sucks gas, it's noisy, the stereo is crap and my wife hates it" you say "it's got beastly power and it starts on the first turn at -30. I don't need a heavy duty truck anymore because I have a crew of guys who do all my gruntwork for me, I'm going to get a little F-150 or a Prius."

MacT needs to say **** like "We feel like Teemu is on his way to becoming an impact player and the opportunity for him to develop properly isn't here for him right now because of the logjam of talent we have up front right now. This is a great opportunity for him and we look forward to seeing him back in Edmonton".

Except MacT didn't start listing deficiencies or trashing his player. And he doesn't need to hand Teemu a bouquet of roses and blow smoke up his ass through the media.

 

[Oi'll say!]

Except MacT didn't start listing deficiencies or trashing his player. And he doesn't need to hand Teemu a bouquet of roses and blow smoke up his ass through the media.

He needs to talk positively about an asset of the Edmonton Oilers, period. He can't just come out and say "nobody in the nhl thinks he's good enough for a 1-way contract".

That's not primarily for the benefit of TH either. The other 29 gm's don't all call each other and tell each other the details of the conversation they had with the Oilers about Harski. Some gm's would have "seen him good", maybe thought he was worth an asset the Oilers would be willing to accept. Now they all know that his trade value has been capped at "2-way contract - his current org and the other 28 gm's don't think much of him".

FWIW, keeping Harski happy by saying nice things in public isn't a concern for MacT, I'll grant you that. But talking negatively about any of your players in public less than 2 weeks before ufa deadline day is just plain ****in stupid. Any player with 29 other options isn't swaying towards the one team he knows for sure will badmouth him if things don't go perfectly.

I believe every little thing counts. That's not to say that everything has to be done perfectly, but you can never do the absolute worst job possible on anything. That's what you get with MacT, he's proven time and again that he's the guy who makes any bad situation worse.

Katz and KLo were just completely insane to hire him. They need to change their logo to a chair flying through a room full of slack-jawed yocals.

 

[Groucho]

You're making a mountain out of a molehill.
What difference does it make if MacT said that after the fact it proved to be true?
How is he affecting his trade value at all by stating the fact that Teemu and his agent were given permission to see if there would be demand for him around the league on a 1 way contract, and didn't find any ?

 

[Supermassive]

He needs to talk positively about an asset of the Edmonton Oilers, period. He can't just come out and say "nobody in the nhl thinks he's good enough for a 1-way contract".

That's not primarily for the benefit of TH either. The other 29 gm's don't all call each other and tell each other the details of the conversation they had with the Oilers about Harski. Some gm's would have "seen him good", maybe thought he was worth an asset the Oilers would be willing to accept. Now they all know that his trade value has been capped at "2-way contract - his current org and the other 28 gm's don't think much of him".

FWIW, keeping Harski happy by saying nice things in public isn't a concern for MacT, I'll grant you that. But talking negatively about any of your players in public less than 2 weeks before ufa deadline day is just plain ****in stupid. Any player with 29 other options isn't swaying towards the one team he knows for sure will badmouth him if things don't go perfectly.

I believe every little thing counts. That's not to say that everything has to be done perfectly, but you can never do the absolute worst job possible on anything. That's what you get with MacT, he's proven time and again that he's the guy who makes any bad situation worse.

Katz and KLo were just completely insane to hire him. They need to change their logo to a chair flying through a room full of slack-jawed yocals.

I don't think you're grasping what MacT said. He said that every other GM declined any sort of trade notion because those GMs would not offer Harti a one-way contact. MacT tried to get Harti a one-way contract with any other team when Harti said he wouldn't sign a two-way with the Oilers. There were no takers. It's not like 5 GMs were gone fishing and would have taken Harti on a one-way contact, if only they'd been given the chance. And he said nothing negative about Harti at all. You're spinning this way to hard to suit your views of MacT.