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Olli Juolevi | #48 | D


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I love how Olli is patiently waiting the opposition out that they try to attack him head on, but his high hockey IQ just steers them away into very little chances.

 

Still would like to see Juolevi engage a little bit more quickly on board battles as at times I see him being a tad indecisive, but I'm sure that will come with time as he gets more comfortable.

 

His passing is something to marvel at. I would say he is the second best at outlet passes after Hughes, just is able to anticipate and read the play very well. Just needs the feet to catch up, but even that is getting better too. 

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On 3/27/2020 at 9:23 AM, Canucklehead53 said:

I would hate to see us trade Olli before giving him a fair chance in the NHL.

 

I really hope for him to be a Tanev replacement to be honest...might be a bit a leap (and I am not holding my breathe) but he seems so underrated by so many...but only until he isn't. I don't think he will ever be the flashy player people expect from a 5th overall but I truly expect him to be a necessary piece (in some capacity) for us when we compete for the cup again

I am going to be "that guy" and quote myself - the jury is still out as far as I am concerned, but I am really glad he wasn't traded when there were quite a few writing him off and wanting to trade him, 

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1 hour ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

His passing is something to marvel at. I would say he is the second best at outlet passes after Hughes, just is able to anticipate and read the play very well. Just needs the feet to catch up, but even that is getting better too. 

I dare say he might actually end up the better passer, long term. Hughes definitely skates the puck better and is a very good passer as well but can sometimes be a bit riskier with a higher chance of turn over etc. But most of OJ's just seem smoother, calmer and less risky/higher likelihood of success.

 

Regardless, he's just scratching the surface at this level. As some of us have been preaching for years, he's a very good, smooth and smart D.

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5 hours ago, aGENT said:

I dare say he might actually end up the better passer, long term. Hughes definitely skates the puck better and is a very good passer as well but can sometimes be a bit riskier with a higher chance of turn over etc. But most of OJ's just seem smoother, calmer and less risky/higher likelihood of success.

 

Regardless, he's just scratching the surface at this level. As some of us have been preaching for years, he's a very good, smooth and smart D.

I wish there was a way to get him on PP1 while keeping Hughes there as well. He's so good at getting that no look pass right on the tape to the shooter at the right circle. Petey would get so many one timer opportunities.

 

Don't see him getting on PP2 either since Schmidt and Myers are ahead of him right now.

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44 minutes ago, Junkyard Dog said:

I think most people who felt that OJ was a bust would like to eat crow rather than be proven right when putting it into perspective. 


Unless they are just ‘should of drafted tkachuk’ super anti-JB.

Again, let's be honest. There's still going to be those people who wanted Tkachuk. lol

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All the things I saw and marveled about Juolevi in his draft year are starting to ooze out in his game again.

 

Just his keen sense of awareness and subtle plays that relieve pressure and has really begun to become more authoritative in his play with the puck.  So happy for this kid, he is starting to show the abilities that made him a top 10 pick. Hope he continues his trajectory of simple, quiet, smooth, and dependable hockey.

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18 hours ago, oldnews said:

There were a lot of assumptions that the team was going to take a serious "step back" this season with the departing veterans.

 

I think the counterpoint / counter-possibility to that was - how well do the young talent they have step up?

 

I think it's pretty clear that Juolevi improves the lineup with his presence - and there is no situation where he's in over his head - something that is rare to say about a rookie defenseman.

I also think it's pretty clear that in spite of Toffoli's inclination to wreck this team head to head, Hoglander is otherwise fully game to replace him overall - and at the bonus of doing so on an ELC.

 

Obviously, replacing Tanev has been a challenge, particularly when Hamonic struggled as much as he did, and then his injury forced the team to pair Hughes with a 7/8 LHD (not a shot at Benn, who has been much better than he was last year = the player they hoped he'd be when he signed).

 

Unfortunately - the other major elements in the equation - are a top 6 that just hasn't been itelf thus fart this season - particularly EP, Miller, Horvat and Pearson.....once those guys truly gain traction, it's conceivable that this team steps up to comparable performance to last season.  Schmidt may not be producing at a typical clip thus far, but he's also played hard minutes with solid possession and goal metrics, so how far back the blueline has stepped - really comes down to Hughes' struggles for the most part (again, the question of how much the young players would be able to step up/uptick).  I think it's been understandable to some extent that a few of these guys haven't quite sustained - the 'foundation' has been thinned a bit by virtue of the offseason.   And of course, at the back of it all we haven't quite had that Markstrom quality of consistency in goaltending.

 

But I still love this group - and particularly how promising their ability to uptick remains.   For the most part the real breakdowns this season have come down almost exclusively to poor puck management / too high risk puck carrying in the dzone, poor first passes - turnovers in critically high risk areas - that they've been managing to clean up for the most part.   They've outplayed their opponents in general the past 5 games (and none of those opponents were the struggling Senators...).

I think things are looking quite promising again - particularly if EP, Horvat and Hughes can get rolling....

 

Juolevi though - has been outstanding.

44% ozone starts

.937 on ice save percentage = best on the blueline (Virtanen leads the team at .953)

2.9 on ice goals for per 60 at es

2.1 on ice goals against (only a few bottom six wingers have given up less).

Secondary pk duties (over a minute/game).

+3 leads the team (in anything but 'sheltered' minutes - is impressive).

 

And clearly the eye test adds up / reconfirms his outcomes.

I viewed this aborted season as a transition process. Marky and Tanev were big pieces but because of CAP and age I was willing to move on. The key to me is 2022-23

for serious CUP contention. Indirectly Marky was hurting the long term goal as his superior play allowed an easy out for poor d-side play. Even now, although improved, I have not seen a d-side game that is CUP quality. Not upset by that as the work is being done and it takes time. 

 

The transition is encouraging as Joulevi and Hoglander excel. Injuries will likely happen and other prospects have to have a chance at TOI. Chatfield, MacKewen and Bailey are candidates. The real downer of this year is the taxi squads with players who are not getting game time. Their seasons are largely being sacrificed. I appreciate the play that Roussel and Erickson offer but I would not dress Erickson again and I would sit Roussel for the odd game to give younger players some TOI. I keep Sutter deeper into the transition. Hamonic is a trade chip in all likelihood. 

 

Season is 35% done and the Canucks are not out of it. 

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19 hours ago, Sergei Shirokov said:

Whatever happens this season with the canucks (Whether they make the playoffs or not), the emergence of Juolevi and Hoglander are huge developments for the organization. Developing a solid top- four defensemen is found gold. Forwards and goaltenders come and go all the time. Good defensemen are huge pieces to a team that teams hang on to for a long time. Just think how important Edler, Tanev and Bieksa have been to this franchise.

 

Juolevi's ceiling is wherever his skating will take him. It's something you can improve like Dan Hamhuis did.

The thing is... prior to his draft year, he was regarded as an elite, smooth skating defenceman. He still has that ability and, to a degree, is already showing it. It's only going to get much better. He did require surgery on his knee, which does take time to properly heal and strengthen. As long as he remains healthy, he should be more than fine. 

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