[News] Canucks send Olli Joulevi's butt back to Finland.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Kid has no compete in him. He isn't that great of a skater either to make up for it. Those are huge shortcomings. I think he is Van's version of Baertschi, to be honest.

If he ever makes the NHL, he is middle-pairing at best. I do think that Valimkai is already a better prospect than Juolevi. I think he also has a tonne more intangibles on top of it too.

I have totally even stopped thinking that Tkachuk could have been selected instead of Juolevi. It seems like a totally different planet, and I am one that usually pushes "patience" when it comes to prospects. Maybe going back to Finland will provide him with a massive turnaround, but every time I see him play I see a kid who is not just stagnating in his development, but moving backwards.

[calgaryblood]

I said it at the time of the draft that it was the wrong decision.

Look around the league and see how many Finnish top 2 dmen there are....

For whatever reason Finnish dmen dont develop that well.

So glad they passed on Tkachuk.

[killer_carlson]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

I said it at the time of the draft that it was the wrong decision.

Look around the league and see how many Finnish top 2 dmen there are....

For whatever reason Finnish dmen dont develop that well.

So glad they passed on Tkachuk.

Interesting theory....

not sure I subscribe but I wonder if Finland's propensity for producing dynamite goaltenders has anything to do with it.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

I said it at the time of the draft that it was the wrong decision.

Look around the league and see how many Finnish top 2 dmen there are....

For whatever reason Finnish dmen dont develop that well.

So glad they passed on Tkachuk.

Teppo Numminen was a great defenseman. But your point stands.

[Knut]

Ristolainen looks pretty damn good.

[blankall]

Still baffled at why Vancouver didn't pick Tkachuk. They pick Virtanen with a #6, because they want grit. They aggressively pursue Kassian and drafted Virtanen, for that same reason.

Then the real deal, gritty forward, in Tkachuk lands in their lap and they pass?

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by blankall

Still baffled at why Vancouver didn't pick Tkachuk. They pick Virtanen with a #6, because they want grit. They aggressively pursue Kassian and drafted Virtanen, for that same reason.

Then the real deal, gritty forward, in Tkachuk lands in their lap and they pass?

Can't win with a team where all your best players are wingers. Benning knows that as well as most GMs. After having drafted Virtanen and Boeser and with having traded for Baerstchi and Granlund wing was the only position they were deep at in young players. Centre and defense are the more important positions and it really seemed like they needed to try and land a #1 centre or a top pairing dman with such a critical pick given their depth at all positions. I argued with Canuck fans on HF that year that they should be looking for a C or D because they had just taken two wingers in the first round the past two years before that and had Baerstchi/Granlund as well.

''Twas a bit of lucky timing with having them good wing depth and poor top end depth at C and D. I think taking a C or D there was predictable and made a lot of sense. Of course it looks like they may have taken the wrong dman. And it looks like they rushed Virtanen and maybe should've picked Nylander or Ehlers that year. The only bright side for them is that the Boeser pick is looking great.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Can't win with a team where all your best players are wingers. Benning knows that as well as most GMs. After having drafted Virtanen and Boeser and with having traded for Baerstchi and Granlund wing was the only position they were deep at in young players. Centre and defense are the more important positions and it really seemed like they needed to try and land a #1 centre or a top pairing dman with such a critical pick given their depth at all positions. I argued with Canuck fans on HF that year that they should be looking for a C or D because they had just taken two wingers in the first round the past two years before that and had Baerstchi/Granlund as well.

''Twas a bit of lucky timing With having them good wing depth and poor top end depth at C and D. I think taking a C or D there was predictable and made a lot of sense. Of course it looks like they may have taken the wrong dman. And it looks like they rushed Virtanen and maybe should've picked Nylander or Ehlers that year. The only bright side for them is that the Boeser pick is looking great.

I agree, but Juolevi just did not look like a #1 d-man. So while a #1 d-man is more important than a #1 winger. A #1 winger is more important and harder to acquire than a 2nd pairing d-man.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by blankall

I agree, but Juolevi just did not look like a #1 d-man. So while a #1 d-man is more important than a #1 winger. A #1 winger is more important and harder to acquire than a 2nd pairing d-man.

Arguably they may haven taken the wrong dman. I heard a rumour EDM would've taken Sergachev if Puljujarvi hadn't fallen to them. McAvoy and Chychrun look solid. But yeah mostly I was trying to explain the rationale in them passing on a winger when they had players fairly closely ranked.

Worked out great for us, I really wanted Tkachuk the whole time. And seems like VAN has screwed up multiple high picks lately which is also great for us.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Teppo Numminen was a great defenseman. But your point stands.

Yeah not saying there hasn't been any but you could probably count the great Finnish d men on two hands.

They seem to have better goalies and forwards.

[Hot_Flatus]

Bust.