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Olli Juolevi | #48 | D


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anyone who thought he wasn't the best Canuck on the ice wasn't watching, or doesn't know what to watch for.  There's a reason Stetcher was able to play an aggressive game and that was Juolevi.  They compliment each other perfectly........I wish Olli was able to play in Utica this season.

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He avoided panic and contact, almost entirely. He was hit once by the Edmonton Oilers Young Stars, when he turned to make a play on a puck late in the second.

“Sometimes, you have to take the hit,” Juolevi said. “I knew there was pressure coming.

“I thought, ‘Why not take it? Maybe I can jam his offensive game.'”

Talks like he already has every play and permutation figured out before it's happened, as if it's all in slow motion to him.

Looks like he's just as advertised.  Will almost certainly be on the Canucks next year.

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4 hours ago, numb3r 16 said:

Juolevi set up Cassels goal with a beauty pass from his own zone even though he didn't get an assist.

Unfortunately tonight wasn't his best night. 

 

So far our best defenseman these past two games has got to be Stetcher. Super dynamic, reminds me of Vatanen.

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I've really liked Juolevi over two viewings in the tourney. Maybe not always flashy and certainly not perfect, but his quiet game has impressed me. He's very steady, doesn't panic, and just makes good, smart plays.  

 

A poster on another board commented on Juolevi being the master of the 3rd assist. I think this fits. He's very quick to advance the puck up ice and get the offense going. He puts his forwards (and D partner--especially with Stecher) in position to succeed. It's not always obvious but I think if you roll back tape on his shifts, you'll more often than not find him making a critical play that started most of the team scoring chances (while Juolevi is on-ice).

 

It's early days yet. But I have a feeling that  Green is right that Juolevi's quality will become more apparent as the games become higher level (ie: NHL preseason). I think he'll start to impress some of the doubters as the games becomes more structured and less choppy and the overall quality improves of the players on the ice.

 

But so far, what I've noted (based on my eye test) has been very positive.

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19 minutes ago, Odd. said:

Unfortunately tonight wasn't his best night. 

 

So far our best defenseman these past two games has got to be Stetcher. Super dynamic, reminds me of Vatanen.

Agreed. Even though it wasn't his best night, he still looked good. I don't think he's ready for the NHL quite yet.

 

Stecher might be, though.

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1 hour ago, NameFaker said:

Agreed. Even though it wasn't his best night, he still looked good. I don't think he's ready for the NHL quite yet.

 

Stecher might be, though.

Who knows, he could pull a Hutton.

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23 hours ago, AlwaysACanuckFan said:

 Some interesting words from Stecher and Green regarding the Sultan of Smooth, yeah the Sultan of Smooth. 

 

http://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/sultan-of-smooth-juolevi-impressive-in-his-canucks-debut?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

Sultan of Smooth: Juolevi impressive in his Canucks debut

2016-nhl-draft-round-one1.jpeg?quality=6

 


JASON BOTCHFORD
Published: September 17, 2016
Updated: September 17, 2016 8:01 PM PDT
Filed Under:
The Province Sports Hockey Vancouver Canucks

 

Composed, cerebral and never out of position, Vancouver's top draft pick shows off his mature and distinctly non-flashy game

 


PENTICTON — If you’re waiting for a moment, something grand and dynamic, before you begin pouring out your undying adoration for Olli Juolevi on social media, have a seat.

It could be a while.

There were essentially two wildly different reactions to Juolevi’s first game in a Canucks uniform Friday. Some, most of whom were at home watching the fifth-overall draft pick play on YouTube, were left wanting, whispering, “I don’t get it.”

Others, most of whom were watching the game in the rink he was playing in, were geared up, convinced he was the best Canuck on the ice.

This much is a lock, in the chaotic atmosphere that is common for Young Stars games, Juolevi played quiet, disciplined and mature. He was a Sultan of Smooth. Both on the ice, and off it.

 

He avoided panic and contact, almost entirely. He was hit once by the Edmonton Oilers Young Stars, when he turned to make a play on a puck late in the second.

“Sometimes, you have to take the hit,” Juolevi said. “I knew there was pressure coming.

“I thought, ‘Why not take it? Maybe I can jam his offensive game.'”

Getting hit in the back, Juolevi drew a penalty on that play, something he seemed almost disappointed in after the game.

“I didn’t think it was a penalty. It wasn’t that big. It was a good hit,” he said.

None of his teammates understand the nuances of his game more than Troy Stecher. They were paired together the Canucks development camp in July and again in Vancouver’s first game in Penticton.

Understanding Juolevi can play near-flawless positionally, Stecher was impressively aggressive, piling up nine shots on net, by head coach Travis Green’s count.

“He’s such a smart player,” Stecher said of the Canucks’ first stud defensive prospect in years.

“When I wanted to go, I knew he was going to be back.

“He’s so smooth. He’s so reliable. He’ll never be too flashy, but he’s not going to make a mistake. He’s going to make the hard, simple play.

“You could just tell right away (when I met him). Off the ice, he’s this relaxed kid who has this swagger to him. It translates to the ice. He’s a composed player.”

Stecher, you will learn, loves to talk. It’s part of what makes him such a powerful locker-room presence, and why many scouts here are saying he’s “wired to be a leader.”

 




Juolevi said he was chattering about the game for almost all of the three periods, which ended in a 4-1 Vancouver loss.

“A lot of it, I just let go in one ear, and drift out the other,” Juolevi said, smiling.

Juolevi claimed he was nervous heading into his debut. When it was pointed out that it sure didn’t look like it, he volleyed back with a pretty interesting thought not many 18-year-olds would have come up with.

“I don’t think you were nervous when you were asking me those questions, but how would I know?” Juolevi said. “What matters is, you love your job and I love mine.”

What also matters, Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins is going to love him, even before he puts on the 15 extra pounds he’s probably going to need to compete nightly in the NHL.

Any coach would.

“His game is one of those where you might never look and say ‘Wow, that was some end-to-end rush,'” Green said. “It’s just going to be a nice quiet game where he controls the puck.”

Asked if players like Juolevi are a coach’s dream, Green immediately said he was.

“Anytime you have a defenceman who you don’t really have to talk to at all, that’s kind of what you like,” Green said, before pointing out that this tournament may be the most difficult games for Juolevi to really show what he’s capable of.

“We were talking about him the other night with some of our scouts. I think those kinds of defencemen are better when the game is better, cleaner.

“His game is going to be better suited for an NHL game. Where everyone’s timing is on, and it’s not as scramble-y.

“He’s going to be a helluva defenceman.”

Until then, it’s not going to be easy for a lot of people to pick out where Juolevi is excelling. But it wasn’t easy to see how good Dan Hamhuis was when he first arrived in Vancouver, either.

“(Juolevi) has got a lot of poise. He reads the game well. His hockey sense is a premium.

“Somethings you just don’t have to teach really good players.

“It’s not going to be if he plays (in the NHL). It’s just when.”

As soon as now?

People will have to wait for main training camp before trying to answer that one.

 

Cool. One thing I really liked from Juolevi is that he always has his head up and using his peripheral vision to find a passing outlet. I look forward to having him become a PP QB when he joins the Canucks.

 

The bolded part is not true by the way. I think it was clear to all Canucks fans how good Dan Hamhuis was when he first arrived... We have been missing the type of defensive soundness that Hamhuis brought since... can't think of who.

 

As good as WCE era defencemen Jovo, Ohlund, and Salo were, they weren't at the same level as Hamhuis. It seemed like with Hamhuis back there, everything was calm and peaceful. 

 

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13 hours ago, NameFaker said:

I don't think he's ready for the NHL quite yet.

 

Stecher might be, though.

 

13 hours ago, Odd. said:

 So far our best defenseman these past two games has got to be Stetcher. Super dynamic, reminds me of Vatanen.

 

21 hours ago, stawns said:

anyone who thought he wasn't the best Canuck on the ice wasn't watching, or doesn't know what to watch for.  There's a reason Stetcher was able to play an aggressive game and that was Juolevi.  They compliment each other perfectly........I wish Olli was able to play in Utica this season.

 

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22 hours ago, stawns said:

anyone who thought he wasn't the best Canuck on the ice wasn't watching, or doesn't know what to watch for.  There's a reason Stetcher was able to play an aggressive game and that was Juolevi.  They compliment each other perfectly........I wish Olli was able to play in Utica this season.

Hopefully this is exactly what Gudbranson brings to the table for Hutton.

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21 hours ago, Ossi Vaananen said:

Nice little edit from the OHL twitter:

 

 

I did not see any of this at Penticton. Either he was trying to be safe or had nerves but he did not look confident out there. Stecher on the other hand skated around with swagger.

 

The one stand out play for me was the horrible giveaway at the opposition blueline which led to a break away goal. He looked very slow getting back. He was never really known for his speed though...

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2 minutes ago, DJSkingz said:

I did not see any of this at Penticton. Either he was trying to be safe or had nerves but he did not look confident out there. Stecher on the other hand skated around with swagger.

 

The one stand out play for me was the horrible giveaway at the opposition blueline which led to a break away goal. He looked very slow getting back. He was never really known for his speed though...

Juolevi definitely struggled in the second game. To me his game relies a lot on reading the play and timing. He's just going to need time to get used to the pace of pro hockey. Also I wouldn't expect much out if him offensively, he plays a very safe game.

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1 minute ago, MickVega said:

Well, I guess it's time to write off Juolevi. I mean, he is already 18, was drafted a whole 3 months ago, was playing with players he'd had maybe 4-5 practices with in the first games of the year and he STILL made a couple bad plays. Like, who cares about all the little things he did right, you know, 98% of his play. Obviously he busted. 

 #shouldhavedradtedTkschmuck

 

The only person saying this stuff is you...

 

He just had a rough game. Not the end of the world. 

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20 minutes ago, DJSkingz said:

I did not see any of this at Penticton. Either he was trying to be safe or had nerves but he did not look confident out there. Stecher on the other hand skated around with swagger.

 

The one stand out play for me was the horrible giveaway at the opposition blueline which led to a break away goal. He looked very slow getting back. He was never really known for his speed though...

*Zero structure pond hockey.

 

A guy whose game is 90% cerebral is never going to look great. It's the dynamic guys who excel at these things.

 

Reserve judgement until you see him in more structured preseason with real hockey players who know where they're supposed to be. And even then, he's 18 damn years old.

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On 2016-09-18 at 2:24 PM, stawns said:

anyone who thought he wasn't the best Canuck on the ice wasn't watching, or doesn't know what to watch for.  There's a reason Stetcher was able to play an aggressive game and that was Juolevi.  They compliment each other perfectly........I wish Olli was able to play in Utica this season.

They did complement each other nicely in that game, but this kind of pairing doesn't seem to the one JB has in mind for his D formula (admittedly he announced it the day after your post):  a big physical specimen combined with a mobile puck-mover.  Juolevi-Stecher is two of the latter, and given Stecher's size, he almost certainly will need to be paired with someone physical.  So its great to see these guys together in the Young Stars just because of their quality but in pro hockey the only time it would likely happen is on the power play. 

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  • -Vintage Canuck- changed the title to Olli Juolevi | #48 | D
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