2016 NHL Entry Draft: Olli Juolevi

[S N Y P E R S 7]

This is Olli. ^{He's really good at Hockey.} _{In fact, considered by many to be the best defender available for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.^{I would agree.}}

6'2"
180 lbs
Born in Helsinki, Finland. 
 

• Defensive Game (Awareness/Shot Blocking/Stick Activity/Zone Clear): 9.5/10
• Mobility (Side Shuffle/Pivot/Acceleration/Backcheck): 9/10
• Vision (Positional Recognition/Decision-Making Quickness/First Pass/Teammate Usage): 10/10
• Creativity: 8/10
• Shot: 8.5/10
• Passing: 9.5/10
• Hockey IQ: 10/10
• Compete Level: 9.5/10
   
• Overall Skill Verdict: 9.25/10
   

 

Olli Juolevi is hands down my favorite player in this upcoming draft after Auston Matthews. One of the most complete players I have seen in a long time, his compete level is remarkable. He approaches the game aggressively and seeks to get better with each shift - and he does. He capitalizes on chances, and his willingness to use his skills to make those around him succeed in their roles is an aspect of his character as a player that has brought the London Knights 51 wins this season. He has been a factor in every win as both an offensive and defensive force.

 

He plays a North American style game. He battles hard for puck control and puck possession. He knows his role and always finds a way to make his presence felt. He plays with grit, hard-nosedness, drive, compete, and utterly remarkable skill. 

 

He excels under the microscope as he handles pressure situations with calmness and poise. The London Knights' #1 defenceman is trusted with key offensive and defensive roles. 

 

His defensive game is sound and simple. He doesn't make complicated or fancy moves, he just gets the puck out of the zone. While he isn't flashy, that doesn't take away from his talent display. His competitiveness and desire to win is shown through his pro-level ability to win battles and facilitate offensive opportunities.

 

Juolevi is a guy who doesn't take chances and plays a conserved, simple game. That being said, he consistently displays elite skill and all of the offensive ability you would ask for in an offensive defenceman. I wouldn't be surprised if he started out playing as a forward when he was younger because he understands what it takes to open up holes and lanes in the opposing defence. His defensive game is that of a shutdown guy who gets to his lanes and keeps the opposition's chances limited. He makes high-percentage decisions and it pays off with each shift. He's an exciting player to watch because he's a catalyst for positive happenings all over the ice.

 

 

[Bruce Boudreau]

But but what about Chychrun and Segachev? Both projected top 10 picks.

[Baer.]

29 minutes ago, Chip Kelly said:

But but what about Chychrun and Segachev? Both projected top 10 picks.

From what I've seen/been told, while Juolevi's ceiling may not be as high as Chychrun or Sergachev, he is the safest bet to make the NHL and be an impact player out of all the defensemen in the draft. Guys like Sergachev and Bean are very boom-or-bust.

[Down by the River]

Best dman in the draft. I'd take him with the 5th overall, maybe even 4th overall pick. 

[Bruce Boudreau]

11 minutes ago, Baer. said:

From what I've seen/been told, while Juolevi's ceiling may not be as high as Chychrun or Sergachev, he is the safest bet to make the NHL and be an impact player out of all the defensemen in the draft. Guys like Sergachev and Bean are very boom-or-bust.

Comes from a great junior program in London known to produce quality NHL ers.

 

Seems like a Olli Maata clone both similar size and games. I would prefer Chychrun though since he is the son of a former NHL er and is American who moved to Canada to play hockey and got Canadian citizenship. He too has been groomed well to be NHL ready faster than the other top D.

 

Honestly if I had to pick right now the top 2 DS in the draft are Juolevi and Chychrun.

 

Both seem to have high floors with decent ceilings as quality top 4 guys at worst if they don't become #1 or #2 d men as projected.

[MJDDawg]

The more I've looked into this kids game, the more I really like what I see. He can really move the puck effortlessly all over the ice, which takes the pressure off other defenders and the team. Getting it out of our end has been an issue for a long time now and it seems to me that most elite teams have one of these types of defenders.

 

It easier to fill out the rest of the D with all around guy, or tougher guys, or better shot blockers, but to get a d-man that can skate it out of trouble as well as he can is not as easy. 

 

I'd be ecstatic with either him or Chychrun.

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

Only a small sample, but his WJC showing was super strong.

 

He also fared well in the Top Prospects game.  Constantly involved in the play, super mobile and is a very smart passer.  Plays such a mature game on the backend for a young player.

 

First thing I thought of him, was that he seems like a replica of Olli Maatta.

[smithers joe]

i too, like juolevi more than chychrun, only because when i've seen him, he looked really good, while the only time i've seen chychrun, he didn't impress me...saying that, i'm sure benning and his crew will have dissected all the d-men and know all the intangables around them..craig button has stated that he thinks juolevi is the top d-man in the draft..

we could get a d-man is the 2nd round that turns out to be a very good nhl d-man...

[Alexandre]

On 3/20/2016 at 0:20 AM, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

Only a small sample, but his WJC showing was super strong.

 

He also fared well in the Top Prospects game.  Constantly involved in the play, super mobile and is a very smart passer.  Plays such a mature game on the backend for a young player.

 

First thing I thought of him, was that he seems like a replica of Olli Maatta.

Juolevi a clutch player? Comes up big for the big games.

[ForsbergTheGreat]

He’s not a backbone piece, he’s a strong asset.  Similar role to Kessel in Pits, he’s not the guy the team looks at to take control of the game but he has high end talent.

That may also just be because of the teams he’s played with were loaded with top end players and was never needed to be relied on.  In the WJC he played with two of the top 3 players in the tournament,  and London he plays with 3 of the top 5 scores in the league.  Realistically playing with that talent opens up time and space and makes the game easier.   Dumba, Fowler, Barrie and Brodie are all good players but in my opinion I think canucks need more a foundational piece and leader on the back end.  A player that controls the pace of the game.  A Weber, Suter, Doughty, Peitrangelo, Hedman type.  Isn’t that what canucks have been in need of, A true #1 D?

[Odd.]

I feel like every single d-man in this draft are either boom or bust. I have no idea why.

[Canuck Surfer]

2 hours ago, ForsbergTheGreat said:

He’s not a backbone piece, he’s a strong asset.  Similar role to Kessel in Pits, he’s not the guy the team looks at to take control of the game but he has high end talent.

 

That may also just be because of the teams he’s played with were loaded with top end players and was never needed to be relied on.  In the WJC he played with two of the top 3 players in the tournament,  and London he plays with 3 of the top 5 scores in the league.  Realistically playing with that talent opens up time and space and makes the game easier.   Dumba, Fowler, Barrie and Brodie are all good players but in my opinion I think canucks need more a foundational piece and leader on the back end.  A player that controls the pace of the game.  A Weber, Suter, Doughty, Peitrangelo, Hedman type.  Isn’t that what canucks have been in need of, A true #1 D?

 

A surprising amount of plays for Finland, in London, start / started on his stick. A guy who got the puck, then got it to Gretzky should not be completely discounted either. Its still a valid play. Last time I checked there was more than one HHOF hanging off Gretz, Lemieux too for that matter. It all starts somewhere?

[ForsbergTheGreat]

28 minutes ago, Canuck Surfer said:

A surprising amount of plays for Finland, in London, start / started on his stick. A guy who got the puck, then got it to Gretzky should not be completely discounted either. Its still a valid play. Last time I checked there was more than one HHOF hanging off Gretz, Lemieux too for that matter. It all starts somewhere?

 

Sorry, that wasn’t meant to be a negative.  I think Kessel, Gaborik, Vbrata, Ehrhoff (in 2011), Ellis, Letang and Brodie are fantastic pieces to a team. I’m just not sure were strong enough (top end prospect depth wise) yet.  Players like that would be relied on and expected to lead past their comfort zone, very similarly to what we currently do with Edler.  Edler on a team like LA, with Doughty taking the brunt of the work, would make a unreal #2. 

 

I think this team needs to find a true #1 and then we can look at going after the strong complementary pieces.  We need to find our anchor, our defensive leader.  Characteristics you see in both Chychrun and Sergachev. 

[aGENT]

17 minutes ago, ForsbergTheGreat said:

 

Sorry, that wasn’t meant to be a negative.  I think Kessel, Gaborik, Vbrata, Ehrhoff (in 2011), Ellis, Letang and Brodie are fantastic pieces to a team. I’m just not sure were strong enough (top end prospect depth wise) yet.  Players like that would be relied on and expected to lead past their comfort zone, very similarly to what we currently do with Edler.  Edler on a team like LA, with Doughty taking the brunt of the work, would make a unreal #2. 

 

I think this team needs to find a true #1 and then we can look at going after the strong complementary pieces.  We need to find our anchor, our defensive leader.  Characteristics you see in both Chychrun and Sergachev. 

IMO if we're choosing between Chych/Juolevi a lot may be based on what (if any) moves we make on D in the mean time before the draft.

 

If we manage to move say Edler for Hamonic, I think Hamonic could be that 'anchor' D you're describing and we could then draft the more dynamic Juolevi. If we move Edler for say Barrie on the other hand, we'd likely be better off picking Chycrun.

 

Either look like they'll be phenomenal D and there's not really a wrong pick there talent wise IMO.

[Monty]

If not drafting top 3, Benning and Co. need to think long and hard about drafting either Juolevi, Sergachev, or Chychrun (in that order).

[cripplereh]

maybe we trade Sbisa,Vey and a 2nd as we have two and pick someone else but trade for him or a spot to pick him!

[Canuck Surfer]

4 hours ago, ForsbergTheGreat said:

 

Sorry, that wasn’t meant to be a negative.  I think Kessel, Gaborik, Vbrata, Ehrhoff (in 2011), Ellis, Letang and Brodie are fantastic pieces to a team. I’m just not sure were strong enough (top end prospect depth wise) yet.  Players like that would be relied on and expected to lead past their comfort zone, very similarly to what we currently do with Edler.  Edler on a team like LA, with Doughty taking the brunt of the work, would make a unreal #2. 

 

I think this team needs to find a true #1 and then we can look at going after the strong complementary pieces.  We need to find our anchor, our defensive leader.  Characteristics you see in both Chychrun and Sergachev. 

In a perfect world you could have Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermyer on the same top pair? How good would it have been to be a fan of Anaheim that year?

 

Either so good a two way defender for two completely different combinations of skill sets and physical tools.

 

I also dream of the guy who can dominate physically and still command play on the way, and when you get up ice? So I'm lobbying for Chychrun as our first choice. This is a guy as fast as Virtanen, taller, stronger physically, and more agile. If he does not learn to command the offense from the blue line; he will still be a superb pro. Nor is Juolevi as dynamic as Niedermeyer. But he still wins the puck and moves it to the right guy so consistently its eerie? And where he does not have SN's speed, he still has a gear few share. And is 6'2'' or 6'3''.  The guy never seems to be playing D for long before the puck is up ice and his forwards have it in scoring position. He's an anchor in a different way. I would not be upset at all if we picked him! I can see the argument that picks Juolevi 4th.

 

Sergachev? He is bigger. And pretty fluid for a big guy at that. Probably better with the puck offensively than Chychrun? But I don't see the same speed and athleticism. It's why I would pick him after Chyc / Juo. I still see him as a great top 10 pick.

[Rush17]

On 3/20/2016 at 8:55 PM, S N Y P E R S 7 said:

This is Olli. ^{He's really good at Hockey.} _{In fact, considered by many to be the best defender available for the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.^{I would agree.}}

6'2"
180 lbs
Born in Helsinki, Finland. 
 

• Defensive Game (Awareness/Shot Blocking/Stick Activity/Zone Clear): 9.5/10
• Mobility (Side Shuffle/Pivot/Acceleration/Backcheck): 9/10
• Vision (Positional Recognition/Decision-Making Quickness/First Pass/Teammate Usage): 10/10
• Creativity: 8/10
• Shot: 8.5/10
• Passing: 9.5/10
• Hockey IQ: 10/10
• Compete Level: 9.5/10
   
• Overall Skill Verdict: 9.25/10
   

 

Olli Juolevi is hands down my favorite player in this upcoming draft after Auston Matthews. One of the most complete players I have seen in a long time, his compete level is remarkable. He approaches the game aggressively and seeks to get better with each shift - and he does. He capitalizes on chances, and his willingness to use his skills to make those around him succeed in their roles is an aspect of his character as a player that has brought the London Knights 51 wins this season. He has been a factor in every win as both an offensive and defensive force.

 

He plays a North American style game. He battles hard for puck control and puck possession. He knows his role and always finds a way to make his presence felt. He plays with grit, hard-nosedness, drive, compete, and utterly remarkable skill. 

 

He excels under the microscope as he handles pressure situations with calmness and poise. The London Knights' #1 defenceman is trusted with key offensive and defensive roles. 

 

His defensive game is sound and simple. He doesn't make complicated or fancy moves, he just gets the puck out of the zone. While he isn't flashy, that doesn't take away from his talent display. His competitiveness and desire to win is shown through his pro-level ability to win battles and facilitate offensive opportunities.

 

Juolevi is a guy who doesn't take chances and plays a conserved, simple game. That being said, he consistently displays elite skill and all of the offensive ability you would ask for in an offensive defenceman. I wouldn't be surprised if he started out playing as a forward when he was younger because he understands what it takes to open up holes and lanes in the opposing defence. His defensive game is that of a shutdown guy who gets to his lanes and keeps the opposition's chances limited. He makes high-percentage decisions and it pays off with each shift. He's an exciting player to watch because he's a catalyst for positive happenings all over the ice.

 

 

This makes him sound like a sure fire pick!  

[aGENT]

We may be picking to high to take Juolevi at this rate 

 

 

[Odd.]

On 3/23/2016 at 1:27 PM, J.R. said:

We may be picking to high to take Juolevi at this rate 

 

 

nah