Player Discussion Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (2017, 54th)

[Doug Prishpreed]

Is the ECHL pretty safe these days ? Wonder if they just keep him down there for the season.

I could've sworn I read something that confirmed that the organization plans to keep him down there all season, regardless of results. I'm guessing there would have to be a crap load of injuries for him to get any pro games this year.

 

[Kyndig]

Serious truth here. I am amazed how some people on these boards think its like leveling up in video games and you just plug in the shiny new object. Ullmark is 26 and played his first NHL season last year at 25. That is a very normal and typical goalie development path. Jonas Johansson is on the same path playing a full season in the AHL at 24, doing very well and if all goes well gets #1 goalie time in Rochester or backup duty in Buffalo next year at 25. Luukkonen is only 20 years old playing his second year of post draft hockey with a major surgery in the middle. He needs to stay in Cincy this entire year and then likely 2 more years in Rochester. Then we can see where we are. We have a healthy slow perk layered goalie plan right now. Just let it brew.

Oh, look there.....its a 6'6 210lb Swedish goaltender....he's so shiny.....he will save our franchise and therefore our purpose for living......we just drafted him....but put Portillo in net for every game...for the rest of the season...….. and we will win the Stanley Cup!!!!!!!!!

There's not a one shoe fits all development plan and trying to say there is one is dumb, players develop at different rates. UPL is ready whenever he's ready, he could be ready next year or a few years from now. You can't just say he will be ready at X age.

Olofsson came into the league at 24 so Cozens shouldn't get a sniff of the NHL until then . That's pretty much what you're saying..lets just ignore the fact one goalie was drafted in the 6th round and the other in the 2nd. Also Johansson has done nothing but struggle in the ECHL...but hey lets ignore that too cuz reasons.

 

[mechaworm]

6K missed a training camp and Rochester and Buffalo have no injury problems, so it is what it is. He stays in Cincy until next training camp or injury strikes.

Next year, Hammond is gone. 6K, Hutton, and Johansson can compete to be the NHL backup, with Hutton winning if it's close. If 6K is really all-world, he'll be good enough to demote Hutton in 2020. There's really not a big problem with the line of succession here. All he's got to do to make the show is come to training camp playing like an NHL starter while Carter Hutton plays like a 34 year old career backup on the downswing.

If 6K is in the same ballpark as Hutton next fall, we should be glad that he gets the chance to start the bulk of Rochester's games until he's head and shoulders better than Hutton.

 

[Bendium]

There's not a one shoe fits all development plan and trying to say there is one is dumb, players develop at different rates. UPL is ready whenever he's ready, he could be ready next year or a few years from now. You can't just say he will be ready at X age.

Olofsson came into the league at 24 so Cozens shouldn't get a sniff of the NHL until then . That's pretty much what you're saying..lets just ignore the fact one goalie was drafted in the 6th round and the other in the 2nd. Also Johansson has done nothing but struggle in the ECHL...but hey lets ignore that too cuz reasons.

I see I hit a nerve there. Take a deep breath.

First I am just going to ignore the whole "dumb" thing because it is unproductive. It seems you are making an argument against an argument I did not make, so I will leave that alone too.

"UPL is ready whenever he's ready, he could be ready next year or a few years from now." On this point we agree. Not all players develop the same, on the same timelines or to the same levels. I was not suggesting you force a player into a typical development path any more than I agree with forcing them into an atypical one. However, that is a discussion of the present status of a player and what they are ready for vs an organizational plan of for the expected development and use of the player in the future.

My argument was concerning the latter, and based on the foundation of what is typical. It is more logical to expect a typical development pathway for a player than an atypical one, especially when planning for the future. I hope at this point you can see that the Olofsson vs Cozens argument was a misfire at an unknown and possibly random target.

Lastly, I personally am among that contingent that does not put much faith in draft status. When drafting 18 year old kids based on a very short period of metrics, you do your homework, go with the statistics and eyeball experiences in the organization, and make the best selections you can. You do this knowing that these are teenage minds and bodies that have many years of growth and develpment in front of them before you really know who and what they will be as men. You should develop them all from day one with the same expectation of success, and if you help them all be the best versions of themselves, then your organization with have far greater long term draft success across all rounds.

 

[Buffaloed]

Sabres’ Luukkonen headed to ECHL All-Star Game
This afternoon, it was announced that Cincinnati Cyclones goaltender and Buffalo Sabres prospect, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen would represent his squad in the 2020 ECHL All-Star Classic. In his first full season of professional hockey in North America, the 20-year-old netminder has posted 11 wins and a save-percentage of .919 in 18 games. His steady performance between the pipes has helped the Cyclones remain in first-place in the ECHL’s Central Division.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Recalled to Roch, lot of pressure on him with all the goaltending fails this year

 

[Ace]

It has begun. The Luukkonening.

 

[Fearnot]

Whole franchise is on his shoulders and he might not even know it.

 

[flashsabre]

Is someone hurt? Could an Amerks goalie be heading to Buffalo? We can only hope.

 

[WeDislikeEich]

Rochester calls up goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Rochester has lost six-of-seven games and has called up Cincinnati All-Star goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The rookie is 12-5-3 with the Cyclones with a .917 save percentage and 2.12 goals against.

Jonas Johansson is an All-Star for the Amerks going 11-3-3 with a 2.23 goals against and .924 save percentage, but after winning nine in a row, he’s lost his last two.

Andrew Hammond is not playing well at all lately as the veteran goaltender has six straight losses. He’s 10-8-2 with a 2.61 goals against and .902 save percentage.

Could just be about trying to fix the Amerks goaltending.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

Don't sing it, just bring it!

 

[old kummelweck]

 

[Jim Bob]

Pronman: 2019-20 midseason NHL prospects ranking

Pronman: 2019-20 midseason NHL prospects ranking

GOALIE RANKINGS

Very Good/Legit Bubble


4. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buffalo (Cincinnati-ECHL)
March 9, 1999 | 6-foot-4 | 196 pounds
Drafted: 54th-overall (2017)
Previous ranking: No. 9
After a great 2018-19, Luukkonen has been a major part of why Cincinnati has one of the fewest goals against totals in the ECHL. He also got a call to the ECHL All-Star game. Luukkonen is a goalie who checks all the boxes. He’s a big goalie, he’s athletic, can make the tough lateral saves and has great hockey IQ. It would be nice to see him outside the ECHL soon, though, to see how he performs against better competition.

 

[Chainshot]

Re-assigned to Cincy today:

 

[Der Jaeger]

Smart. Get him a bit of AHL time, go back to the ECHL and clean up his game.

 

[Chainshot]

Smart. Get him a bit of AHL time, go back to the ECHL and clean up his game.

Some of the GA in Rochester reminded me of his first spin at the U20's. Having seen him put in the work and improve, I'm not too concerned right now. He got a taste of the next level, has things to work on and likely will.

It may be backwards, but I'm glad he didn't instantly dominate games in the AHL. The hue and cry to have him in Buffalo now! would have been loud.

Also:

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Getting roasted tonight for Rochester. 5GA thru 2, at least 2 of which I consider bad goals. Hopefully they arent rushing him with the injuries, he hasnt looked good in almost every game for Rochester.

 

[Bendium]

All the Sabres pipeline goaltenders have the same talent....size. Using size to your advantage vs quickness requires more hockey sense and experience to get the game in front of you to slow down. To see the play coming and be in the right spot almost before it happens. Each level up the speed is faster, the puck comes off the shooters stick quicker, less predictably, and is moving faster. I noticed both him and Johansson have such long lower legs that you can put a basketball thru their 5 hole. Its good for them to get challenged at the next level to continue their development.

 

[Chainshot]

Getting roasted tonight for Rochester. 5GA thru 2, at least 2 of which I consider bad goals. Hopefully they arent rushing him with the injuries, he hasnt looked good in almost every game for Rochester.

Can we draw any parallels with his initial U20 performance being poor and then how he improved significantly for his second? I'm hopeful that he has the ability to adapt to the next competition bump in the same way as he did from his first to his second WJC's. Not super hopeful - that would be out of character - but that the kid has leveled up his game when challenged previously.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

This neither proves nor disproves my theory: Goalies are voodoo.

 

[Chainshot]

This neither proves nor disproves my theory: Goalies are voodoo.

Very true. At least there is noticeably reduced fan urge to throw the kid to the wolves early with the pressure of having to be the team savior.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Very true. At least there is noticeably reduced fan urge to throw the kid to the wolves early with the pressure of having to be the team savior.

that’ll come when he is killing it by next winter. Be patient for the organization’s impatience...it’ll come

 

[Chainshot]

that’ll come when he is killing it by next winter. Be patient for the organization’s impatience...it’ll come

Goaltending development seems to never be linear. And it's great that he was awesome with the Wolves last year and his second U20's, and that he was good in Cincy. Same with Portillo in the USHL - enjoying their success now but projecting arrival on goaltenders? Ouija boards and Magic 8-Balls are probably as accurate.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Goaltending development seems to never be linear. And it's great that he was awesome with the Wolves last year and his second U20's, and that he was good in Cincy. Same with Portillo in the USHL - enjoying their success now but projecting arrival on goaltenders? Ouija boards and Magic 8-Balls are probably as accurate.

the only reason I can predict his arrival is because of our organizations love of rushing prospects! I can’t predict his development lol

 

[Kyndig]

Only caught his first AHL game this year. His positioning was sound but I felt like he was too passive and sitting back in his net instead of challenging the shooter. I generally don't pay that much attention to goalies, so maybe I'm just seeing things.