Olli Juolevi | #48 | D

[MattJVD]

9 minutes ago, Rodishred said:

220 is not 'fat' Virtanen.  235-240 is though.  He has a naturally thick frame.  That's why players bounce off him.  In his prime, he will be playing between 220-225... And that's with minimal body fat... To be able to skate as fast as he does with that frame, is one of a kind in the nhl.... Now if we could get him thinking the game faster he would be the most dominant power forward in the league.

Yeah Virtanen is a thick dude. I met him when they had prospect's development camp in Shawnigan Lake a few years back. His wrists are about the same diameter as my elbows.

[Bure_Pavel]

35 minutes ago, Rodishred said:

220 is not 'fat' Virtanen.  235-240 is though.  He has a naturally thick frame.  That's why players bounce off him.  In his prime, he will be playing between 220-225... And that's with minimal body fat... To be able to skate as fast as he does with that frame, is one of a kind in the nhl.... Now if we could get him thinking the game faster he would be the most dominant power forward in the league.

215lbs is the max i would want him at, Its better to be ripped and lean to maximize his acceleration. I dont think we've seen that yet. 

 

I think Juolevi will be good at 205-210lbs

Edited August 1, 2018 by Bure_Pavel

[richado]

44 minutes ago, MattJVD said:

Yeah Virtanen is a thick dude. I met him when they had prospect's development camp in Shawnigan Lake a few years back. His wrists are about the same diameter as my elbows.

Thick or (((thicc)))?

[Hogs & Podz]

59 minutes ago, MattJVD said:

Yeah Virtanen is a thick dude. I met him when they had prospect's development camp in Shawnigan Lake a few years back. His wrists are about the same diameter as my elbows.

Shawnigan lake 3 camps ago?  I was at that one too!  That the year we drafted OJ.  I don't recall seeing Virt there... I met Demko, Boeser and Stetcher.  Wanted to meet OJ but he seemed a little standoff ish...  Didn't hold it against him though... Just a kid after all.  

Must have been the camp the year before that?

Edited August 1, 2018 by Rodishred

[MattJVD]

10 minutes ago, Rodishred said:

Shawnigan lake 3 camps ago?  I was at that one too!  That the year we drafted OJ.  I don't recall seeing Virt there... I met Demko, Boeser and Stetcher.  Wanted to meet OJ but he seemed a little standoff ish...  Didn't hold it against him though... Just a kid after all.  

Must have been the camp the year before that?

Yeah it was the year before that, summer 2015. Jake wasn't even 19 yet, we had just drafted Boeser and Demko, but I don't think they came.  We hadn't signed Stecher yet.

[Bure_Pavel]

A lot of people are quick to call Juolevi a bust, but if you compare him to someone like Cale Makar who is 5 months younger and a fourth overall pick. He's looking pretty good. 

 

Juolevi Including playoffs put up a 0.52 PPG In Finland's top league playing a solid two way game.

 

Makar put up 0.62 PPG in college and is touted as a future top pairing Offensive Dman.   

[Canuck Surfer]

38 minutes ago, Bure_Pavel said:

A lot of people are quick to call Juolevi a bust, but if you compare him to someone like Cale Makar who is 5 months younger and a fourth overall pick. He's looking pretty good. 

 

Juolevi Including playoffs put up a 0.52 PPG In Finland's top league playing a solid two way game.

 

Makar put up 0.62 PPG in college and is touted as a future top pairing Offensive Dman.   

Your point is fair.

 

Composure with the puck, always having his head up making plays is the primary thing I can recall about what got Juolevi drafted where he did?

 

Makar moves around the ice beautifully, and has a cannon of a shot! But its not to say he does not / did not need  need development time. 

 

Just because they had unique skill sets, wont necessarily mean they can skip right into the NHL. Or that those skill sets wont elevate them passed guys who were ready earlier?.

[Dixon Ward]

I am really pumped for Juolevi, I think he will be like Jyrke Lumme but better.  At his best Lumme was a rangy 2nd pairing dman who made things happen offensively.  He always looked like he was skating in slow motion but was actually passing players.  I think Juolevi is a better overall skater, much better defensively, and will bring similar offensive numbers.  They both have good wrist shots that get through traffic.  The years that Lumme played full seasons he had 50+ pts.  I expect that from Juolevi.  Great defense and 45-50 pts per season and a #1 or 2 defenseman, playing against other teams top pairs with Woo maybe.  Not immediately, but soon.  If this is what he becomes, this is a great pick.  

[Rough Neck]

4 minutes ago, Dixon Ward said:

I am really pumped for Juolevi, I think he will be like Jyrke Lumme but better.  At his best Lumme was a rangy 2nd pairing dman who made things happen offensively.  He always looked like he was skating in slow motion but was actually passing players.  I think Juolevi is a better overall skater, much better defensively, and will bring similar offensive numbers.  They both have good wrist shots that get through traffic.  The years that Lumme played full seasons he had 50+ pts.  I expect that from Juolevi.  Great defense and 45-50 pts per season and a #1 or 2 defenseman, playing against other teams top pairs with Woo maybe.  Not immediately, but soon.  If this is what he becomes, this is a great pick.  

I think Juolevi becomes our #3 guy. Second line pairing, possibly anchors the top PP with Hughes, first or second PK. He could be a #2 if we are content to have two left-handed defensemen. However, with the emergence of Hughes and what he potentially brings. I don't see Juolevi beating him out for a #1 spot at least. I also think that is better for Juolevi too. He could be an incredible #3 guy and I'd easily be happy with 40-50 pts. 

[Dixon Ward]

6 minutes ago, Rough Neck said:

I think Juolevi becomes our #3 guy. Second line pairing, possibly anchors the top PP with Hughes, first or second PK. He could be a #2 if we are content to have two left-handed defensemen. However, with the emergence of Hughes and what he potentially brings. I don't see Juolevi beating him out for a #1 spot at least. I also think that is better for Juolevi too. He could be an incredible #3 guy and I'd easily be happy with 40-50 pts. 

I think a lot of #2 dmen are on the 2nd pairing.  The coaches like to spread them around and have different matchups.  I agree that we have too many lefties(tryamkin, Utunen, Brisebois, Hutton, Pouliot).  I do believe though in 2-3 years, OJ will have many nights where he logs the most icetime and others where he is 2nd.

[MattJVD]

8 minutes ago, The 5th Line said:

Virt wasn't at Shawnigan

Yes he was:

 

https://www.nhl.com/canucks/news/2015-development-camp-primer/c-773808 

 

https://www.nhl.com/canucks/news/development-camp-roster/c-773809

 

I guess Boeser was there too, I don't remember seeing him.

Edited August 2, 2018 by MattJVD

[Western Red]

10 minutes ago, The 5th Line said:

Virt wasn't at Shawnigan

They've done it more than one year there. 

[SamJamIam]

2 hours ago, Bure_Pavel said:

A lot of people are quick to call Juolevi a bust, but if you compare him to someone like Cale Makar who is 5 months younger and a fourth overall pick. He's looking pretty good. 

 

Juolevi Including playoffs put up a 0.52 PPG In Finland's top league playing a solid two way game.

 

Makar put up 0.62 PPG in college and is touted as a future top pairing Offensive Dman.   

But is he toolsy enough?

[dpn1]

At Jake's first prospects camp he was there but not on the ice as he was getting better after shoulder surgery.

[Phat Fingers]

On 2018-07-31 at 4:38 PM, 73 Percent said:

Call it ignorance if you want. I just don't see what others like you do.

 

I think he's a 2nd pairing guy in Utica this year. Will be pleasantly surprised if he proves me wrong.

73, while I have a higher expectations for OJ and think your grounded expectations would be his floor this season. We will see when the ‘rubber meets the road’.  

 

What I see in OJ is that calm puck distributor that Hank was with a higher shot total. 

 

What will get him onto the club is he has excellent defensive zone awareness, but with a total lack of breakouts and puck control at the opposing blue line, currently, OJ has little competition to prevent him from taking that role on the nucks.   *** Edit***

 

That issue can’t be fixed this year unless OJ takes the next step, JB somehow pulls another rabbit out of his hat or one of our existing guys suddenly morphs into ‘the player we always thought he could be’. 

 

So with very little in OJ’s way I can see him taking the reigns fully by the Xmas break. That’s my POV.  Either way I beleive he has top pairing abilities. 

 

EmW

Edited August 2, 2018 by Eastcoast meets Westcoast

[Phat Fingers]

16 hours ago, SamJamIam said:

But is he toolsy enough?

I would say that OJ has the tools, toolbox and the brains to use both. 

 

What puts people off is his cool demeanour. I for one like that he approaches the game in the same manor as Tanev.  He is just 20 now and did very well in Finland last year. He put on size and had Salo there to push his development with the carrot and stick. 

 

This org has not had a d man of OJ’s caliber since Ohlund was drafted.  He will be overshadowed by Hughes due to style and hype, but I think both will be on the ice to close out games for years to come in Van. 

Edited August 2, 2018 by Eastcoast meets Westcoast

[Bure_Pavel]

16 hours ago, Dixon Ward said:

I am really pumped for Juolevi, I think he will be like Jyrke Lumme but better.  At his best Lumme was a rangy 2nd pairing dman who made things happen offensively.  He always looked like he was skating in slow motion but was actually passing players.  I think Juolevi is a better overall skater, much better defensively, and will bring similar offensive numbers.  They both have good wrist shots that get through traffic.  The years that Lumme played full seasons he had 50+ pts.  I expect that from Juolevi.  Great defense and 45-50 pts per season and a #1 or 2 defenseman, playing against other teams top pairs with Woo maybe.  Not immediately, but soon.  If this is what he becomes, this is a great pick.  

It think 45-50 points is a little optimistic, I see more in the 30-40 point range if he is not playing with Hughes on the top PP unit, which is still great for a Dman in todays game. There are alot of great two way Dmen who havent scored over 40 points. Such as Erik Johnson, Fowler, Alzner, Hamhuis.

[Dixon Ward]

2 hours ago, Bure_Pavel said:

It think 45-50 points is a little optimistic, I see more in the 30-40 point range if he is not playing with Hughes on the top PP unit, which is still great for a Dman in todays game. There are alot of great two way Dmen who havent scored over 40 points. Such as Erik Johnson, Fowler, Alzner, Hamhuis.

Fair enough, but I am trying to say that I am optimistic about OJ and think that people should be pumped about him.  

[komodo0921]

19 hours ago, Dixon Ward said:

I am really pumped for Juolevi, I think he will be like Jyrke Lumme but better.  At his best Lumme was a rangy 2nd pairing dman who made things happen offensively.  He always looked like he was skating in slow motion but was actually passing players.  I think Juolevi is a better overall skater, much better defensively, and will bring similar offensive numbers.  They both have good wrist shots that get through traffic.  The years that Lumme played full seasons he had 50+ pts.  I expect that from Juolevi.  Great defense and 45-50 pts per season and a #1 or 2 defenseman, playing against other teams top pairs with Woo maybe.  Not immediately, but soon.  If this is what he becomes, this is a great pick.  

If we get anything close to Lumme out of Juolevi, our defense is going to be in great shape.

[SamJamIam]

6 hours ago, Eastcoast meets Westcoast said:

I would say that OJ has the tools, toolbox and the brains to use both. 

 

What puts people off is his cool demeanour. I for one like that he approaches the game in the same manor as Tanev.  He is just 20 now and did very well in Finland last year. He put on size and had Salo there to push his development with the carrot and stick. 

 

This org has not had a d man of OJ’s caliber since Ohlund was drafted.  He will be overshadowed by Hughes due to style and hype, but I think both will be on the ice to close out games for years to come in Van. 

Completely agree. I really just wanted to use the old PITB jab of overvaluing guys like Makar because he looks cooler while performing to the same level.

 

I think people just don't get Finns and Swedes in general.  Guys like Pettersson & Dahlen are thought of as shy when they're just classically reserved like every Swede.  Guys like Olli get called cold or disinterested but Finns in sports often get that critique.  Kimi Raikkonen was known as the Ice Man but he was one hell of a passionate guy about his sport.  Olli is in the same vein albeit he's clarly less of a dick than Kimi was, but that's F1 for you.

Edited August 2, 2018 by SamJamIam