Defenceman Olli Juolevi stopped by Sportsnet’s panel of Jeff Marek and Sam Cosentino to talk just hours before taking the floor at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, where the Finn shared his thoughts on the combine and a couple of his country mates.
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Juolevi has had quite the season, winning the world juniors with Finland in January before becoming an OHL and Memorial Cup champion with the London Knights this spring.
He knows the combine’s vaunted Wingate test awaits, but was impressed with the overall professionalism of the event.
“That bike is pretty scary,” said Juolevi. “And also for me, a pretty skinny guy, the bench press is one of the tough ones. I still weigh almost 190 (pounds) but I don’t have big muscles, so it’s pretty scary to go there – especially because I don’t usually do bench presses.
Juolevi was the highest scoring blue-liner for the London Knights this season, with 42 points (nine goals, 33 assists) in 57 games. He scored three goals and 11 points in 18 playoff games, before leading all defencemen with seven assists at the Memorial Cup.
He’s ranked sixth on Sportsnet’s final prospect rankings, and has a good chance of being the first defenceman taken at the 2016 NHL Draft.
The 18-year-old was asked about Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi, the presumptive second and third overall picks come June. Juolevi was a teammate of theirs at the world juniors.
“I think (Laine’s) a pure goal scorer,” said Juolevi. “He can score many goals also in the NHL. Big body, has improved his skating a lot since the last time I saw him, he just scores goals.
“Jeese is more a hard-worker, team player, I can see him also playing the penalty kill in the NHL. More complete player, just more like a hard-worker and team guy.”
And who would be harder to defend?
“Both.”
