2016 NHL Mock Draft: Coyotes draft Auston Matthews
London Knights (OHL). Olli Juolevi. 7. player. 112. . Defenseman
The Calgary Flames are set on the blue line – for now. However, it is probably time for them to start loading up on defensemen because Mark Giordano won’t be this productive for too much longer and young defensemen are the new standard currency of the NHL. Much like his countrymen Laine and Puljujarvi, Juolevi did a lot to help his draft stock with a strong performance at the World Juniors (nine assists in seven games).
Juolevi is a two-way defenseman who has the potential to be very special on both ends of the ice. He aggressively goes after the puck in the defensive zone and knows how to use all 74 inches of his height, though his body still needs to fill out a little bit (183 pounds). Juolevi has been trusted by the London Knights to play in all situations and he has flourished in all of them. He’s a well-rounded defenseman and it’s hard to find glaring flaws in his game.
Juolevi’s slapshot might not be anything to write home about, but his playmaking ability and hockey IQ certainly are. He’s mature for his age as he has just 16 penalty minutes this season as of March 17th. Juolevi could easily wind up being the best defenseman from this NHL draft.
Next: #8: Buffalo Sabres