Olli Juolevi | #48 | D

[Fanuck]

It's been said over and over but I guess we all need confirmation now and again - OJ is going to be fine, just fine.

[Locke Lamora]

I was probably projecting a bit much when referring to Salo’s comments. He did say Olli’s dedication to conditioning needed work or something thing to that effect. I get that each human is wired differently but you know we will NEVER hear such things floating about our OTHER 5th overall pick.

 

Like I said, I hope he’s rehabbing like a dog and shows up to camp and shows glimpses of his true potential (these were hard to come by in previous camps I watched). 

 

My comments about him looking soft soft defensively had more to do with a noticeable lack of quickness and strength rather than an absence of “want to”. I’m a Canuck fan. A huge one. But I’m not such a blind homer (oh boy are there a few beauties on this forum) that I can’t critique our players and prospects when I see reason to.

 

 

 

[Clock Tower Prison]

2 hours ago, Horvat is a Boss said:

 

This seems to be the feeling around Juolevi. Some reports of lackluster to lazy defensive play in Utica, Salo bringing up lack of conditioning and physical commitment, reports about disinterested demeanor on the ice, etc. It seems to add up for the most part, yet he's always playing great in big situations. He was great for Finland at the WJC and also stepped up for TPS in the Playoffs in Liiga. But the one that sticks out to me the most is his OHL Playoffs in his draft +1 year, after the Knights had lost Marner, Dvorak and Tkachuk and were going up against the Memorial Cup hosts in Windsor (with DiPietro). He was arguably the most impactful player in the series. He scored two goals (the first goal of the series on the PP in game 1 and the last goal of the series as the GWG on the PP in game 7) and was great defensively. He was assigned the task of shutting down Vilardi and his line and did a great job. The Knights beat the eventual Memorial Cup champion Spitfires in 7 games largely due to Juolevi's play. 

 

It's really weird. It seems like the initial reports of Juolevi are founded, but then he has these brilliant flashed (usually at important times) where he calmly looks like the best player in the game. The challenge looks like it will be to increase the frequency of those flashes, which could be done with a healthy year of development and some training. 

There are two things about Joulevi that really stick out to me: 

 

1. At one of his post draft interview's he said he was confident that he would be the first defenceman taken because he felt he was the smartest. 

2. At the World Juniors the year after they won gold, Finland played appallingly, and there were reports that Joulevi criticized the coaching and team. 

 

I'm not a psychologist by any means, but it sounds like Joulevi is the type of guy that shines when the stakes are high and is lacklustre when the stakes are low because he's the type of person that needs to feel like something is at stake to feel passion and desire. I think Joulevi knows that he's a good player and on a regular day or game he doesn't feel like he has much to prove. But in competitions where a championship is involved there's the added appeal of being the best in the world or league. 

 

If this is the case, I don't necessarily see this as a bad problem. Perhaps once he makes the NHL there will be the appeal of becoming a top player in the world's best league. Or maybe it's just a matter of maturity and perspective, for him to see that every game counts towards the ultimate big one. 

[Kanukfanatic]

49 minutes ago, Locke Lamora said:

I was probably projecting a bit much when referring to Salo’s comments. He did say Olli’s dedication to conditioning needed work or something thing to that effect. I get that each human is wired differently but you know we will NEVER hear such things floating about our OTHER 5th overall pick.

 

Like I said, I hope he’s rehabbing like a dog and shows up to camp and shows glimpses of his true potential (these were hard to come by in previous camps I watched). 

 

My comments about him looking soft soft defensively had more to do with a noticeable lack of quickness and strength rather than an absence of “want to”. I’m a Canuck fan. A huge one. But I’m not such a blind homer (oh boy are there a few beauties on this forum) that I can’t critique our players and prospects when I see reason to.

 

 

 

I have decided I like blind homers much better than blind haters.

 

Edit: not saying you are either.

Edited July 13, 2019 by Kanukfanatic

[cyoung]

3 hours ago, Horvat is a Boss said:

 

This seems to be the feeling around Juolevi. Some reports of lackluster to lazy defensive play in Utica, Salo bringing up lack of conditioning and physical commitment, reports about disinterested demeanor on the ice, etc. It seems to add up for the most part, yet he's always playing great in big situations. He was great for Finland at the WJC and also stepped up for TPS in the Playoffs in Liiga. But the one that sticks out to me the most is his OHL Playoffs in his draft +1 year, after the Knights had lost Marner, Dvorak and Tkachuk and were going up against the Memorial Cup hosts in Windsor (with DiPietro). He was arguably the most impactful player in the series. He scored two goals (the first goal of the series on the PP in game 1 and the last goal of the series as the GWG on the PP in game 7) and was great defensively. He was assigned the task of shutting down Vilardi and his line and did a great job. The Knights beat the eventual Memorial Cup champion Spitfires in 7 games largely due to Juolevi's play. 

 

It's really weird. It seems like the initial reports of Juolevi are founded, but then he has these brilliant flashed (usually at important times) where he calmly looks like the best player in the game. The challenge looks like it will be to increase the frequency of those flashes, which could be done with a healthy year of development and some training. 

Keep in mind he's been coming to most camps fresh off surgeries or injuries. The guy needs to regain the trust of his body...it's hard to put 110% in when you are worried something is gonna pop, pull or break. 

 

And again, he's coming to this camp after being out of competitive hockey since December.... He will look bad in camp again most likely, having a good chunk of time to start the season in Utica is crucial - he can't get hurt anymore or his NA career isn't looking good. I love the guy but this is do or die.

[Alflives]

7 minutes ago, Kanukfanatic said:

I have decided I like blind homers much better than blind haters.

 

Edit: not saying you are either.

 

[MoneypuckOverlord]

2 hours ago, Clock Tower Prison said:

At the World Juniors the year after they won gold, Finland played appallingly, and there were reports that Joulevi criticized the coaching and team.

source please.

[Timråfan]

12 hours ago, Clock Tower Prison said:

There are two things about Joulevi that really stick out to me: 

 

1. At one of his post draft interview's he said he was confident that he would be the first defenceman taken because he felt he was the smartest. 

2. At the World Juniors the year after they won gold, Finland played appallingly, and there were reports that Joulevi criticized the coaching and team. 

 

I'm not a psychologist by any means, but it sounds like Joulevi is the type of guy that shines when the stakes are high and is lacklustre when the stakes are low because he's the type of person that needs to feel like something is at stake to feel passion and desire. I think Joulevi knows that he's a good player and on a regular day or game he doesn't feel like he has much to prove. But in competitions where a championship is involved there's the added appeal of being the best in the world or league. 

 

If this is the case, I don't necessarily see this as a bad problem. Perhaps once he makes the NHL there will be the appeal of becoming a top player in the world's best league. Or maybe it's just a matter of maturity and perspective, for him to see that every game counts towards the ultimate big one. 

It's definately a problem when he has to "earn" a place in the rooster. With a better organisation and understanding of players this seems to be a player for play offs.

[gerry35]

1 hour ago, Timråfan said:

It's definately a problem when he has to "earn" a place in the rooster. With a better organisation and understanding of players this seems to be a player for play offs.

Leave the rooster alone, he has never hurt anyone  

[khay]

20 hours ago, The Sedge said:

To be fair to Olli:

 

2016 (draft year) - was his first year in training camp, and no one expected him to make the team.  Even management stated that their plan was to send him back to the OHL before training camp even started.

2017 - I can't recall him at training camp this year, but maybe this is what your referring to when he wasn't quite up to expectations.  He was then sent to play in Finland so he could play against adults.

2018 - Olli has back surgery and only has part of the summer to prepare for training camp.  By all accounts, by the time he was playing in Utica he was starting to look good until his injury.

 

I for one am excited to see what Olli can bring to training camp this year.  Unfortunately he's coming off another injury, but this time he's got the entire summer to train.  I don't expect him to make the roster right out of camp, but he'll be up this year once the annual defensive injuries start to accumulate.

I'm looking forward to seeing him play as well but also a bit worried that one more long term injury and his growth may be stunted too much for him to become a top4D let alone make the NHL.

 

 

 

[Alflives]

21 minutes ago, khay said:

I'm looking forward to seeing him play as well but also a bit worried that one more long term injury and his growth may be stunted too much for him to become a top4D let alone make the NHL.

 

 

 

Every NHL player has suffered injury, and they are all serious.  Even the muffins (like Princess Willian Nylander) suffer injuries like concussions.  Every NHL player is one more injury from having no career.

OJ has elite skill, size, and hockey smarts.  He will be fine, and play great.  

[HockeyHarry]

The Canucks seem to be going in the direction of signing and drafting players with internal drive. None stop motors. Bo, Petey lend this drive of “the will to be the best”. I think OJ will have no choice be to have that same internal drive and can’t just be a passenger along for the ride or else IMO he won’t be on this Team very long.

 

This new era of Canucks Ferland, and future Pod, and Madden is going to be fun to watch and I hope OJ follows the examples of his Future teammates work ethic.

 

all in all. I see OJ getting inline and we’ll see OJ doing the new Canuck hardworking standards. Plus coach Green will not put up with anything less. 

 

go Canucks Goo.

[HockeyHarry]

4 hours ago, Alflives said:

Every NHL player has suffered injury, and they are all serious.  Even the muffins (like Princess Willian Nylander) suffer injuries like concussions.  Every NHL player is one more injury from having no career.

OJ has elite skill, size, and hockey smarts.  He will be fine, and play great.  

Thats too funny. William the Muffin Nylander. I like it.

[Bubble Man]

20 hours ago, Fanuck said:

It's been said over and over but I guess we all need confirmation now and again - OJ is going to be fine, just fine.

What have you seen that supports this claim? Clendening was a more proven AHL player but still couldn’t get it together in the NHL. 1st round D-men bust more than they live up to expectations. Nothing really screams to me that he is going to be just fine. 

[shazzam]

OJ comes to camp and outplays Hughes. Let's go!

[48MPHSlapShot]

10 hours ago, Bubble Man said:

What have you seen that supports this claim? Clendening was a more proven AHL player but still couldn’t get it together in the NHL. 1st round D-men bust more than they live up to expectations. Nothing really screams to me that he is going to be just fine. 

It kinda looks like you hope he fails.

[Bubble Man]

4 hours ago, 48MPHSlapShot said:

It kinda looks like you hope he fails.

Hope is not the same and taking in the information and spitting out an opinion. I have stated multiple times that I like the Juolevi pick and would never hold it against Benning because we had to take a chance on a D. He was by all accounts the best D man in his draft class. What happened to Benning has happened to every franchise over and over again in the 1st round. Predicting the outcome of a 18 year old kid playing defence is the hardest thing there is for a pro scout. I don’t hope he fails, I have come to terms with the fact that he most likely will. Pretty big difference. 

[48MPHSlapShot]

24 minutes ago, Bubble Man said:

Hope is not the same and taking in the information and spitting out an opinion. I have stated multiple times that I like the Juolevi pick and would never hold it against Benning because we had to take a chance on a D. He was by all accounts the best D man in his draft class. What happened to Benning has happened to every franchise over and over again in the 1st round. Predicting the outcome of a 18 year old kid playing defence is the hardest thing there is for a pro scout. I don’t hope he fails, I have come to terms with the fact that he most likely will. Pretty big difference. 

I don't know how you can think that he'll fail with anything resembling certainty any more than someone else can be convinced that he'll succeed. If it were a situation where he had regressed every step of the way, that would be something, but that just isn't the case. Yes, he had a poor year in his draft +1 and a poor camp that year, but he also took some significant strides after that, arguably finishing his draft +2 season as TPS Turku's number one defenseman. After that he had a pretty solid training camp last season and, despite having some defensive deficiencies, managed to be very productive in Utica before going down to injury.  I just don't see how anyone can look at a 21 year old defenseman that's performed well in every league he's played in up to this point and say that he's most likely a bust. 

[Bubble Man]

25 minutes ago, 48MPHSlapShot said:

I don't know how you can think that he'll fail with anything resembling certainty any more than someone else can be convinced that he'll succeed. If it were a situation where he had regressed every step of the way, that would be something, but that just isn't the case. Yes, he had a poor year in his draft +1 and a poor camp that year, but he also took some significant strides after that, arguably finishing his draft +2 season as TPS Turku's number one defenseman. After that he had a pretty solid training camp last season and, despite having some defensive deficiencies, managed to be very productive in Utica before going down to injury.  I just don't see how anyone can look at a 21 year old defenseman that's performed well in every league he's played in up to this point and say that he's most likely a bust. 

Sometimes it’s not their fault. Injuries man. You are underestimating the significance of major injuries. There is absolutely nothing wrong with eliminating expectations for him. It’s unfortunate but he has a really major hill to climb. He had 2 major surgeries in a calendar year. Not finger surgery, back and knee surgery. To completely ignore that is just as bad if not worse than ignoring his progress. 

[48MPHSlapShot]

44 minutes ago, Bubble Man said:

Sometimes it’s not their fault. Injuries man. You are underestimating the significance of major injuries. There is absolutely nothing wrong with eliminating expectations for him. It’s unfortunate but he has a really major hill to climb. He had 2 major surgeries in a calendar year. Not finger surgery, back and knee surgery. To completely ignore that is just as bad if not worse than ignoring his progress. 

I really think it depends on the quality of the player as to what toll injuries play. Boeser took an absolutely devastating back injury at the end of the 17-18 season, had has battled wrist injuries for years now. Both required surgery, and yet he's still a quality hockey player.

 

I think Juolevi is smart enough and talented enough to battle through his injury woes. Not saying he will for sure, but I really think he has what it takes.