It’s déjà vu all over again as Jets pick big Finnish forward in first round

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This article was published 22/06/2017 (2491 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CHICAGO – Kristian Vesalainen’s eyes lit up when he imagined who he might trade passes with for the Winnipeg Jets some day.

Some day well down the road, most likely.

But the 18-year-old forward, selected 24th overall by the Jets in the 2017 NHL Draft on Friday night, said he was excited to join the organization that boasts a fellow Finn, Patrik Laine, one of the NHL’s brightest young stars.

“He did pretty well last year so it was nice watching him play,” said Vesalainen, a tall and confident kid who split his time last season with Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League and J20 SuperElit League. He also played a portion of the season with HPK of Liiga in Finland.

“It’s pretty cool actually. There’s a lot of Finns (with the Jets), so it’s nice.”

Jets’ winger Joel Armia is also from Finland.

The 6-4, 209-pound winger was not a huge point producer in his draft year. He had just six points in 26 games with Frolunda and four goals in 10 games in the J20 SuperElit League.

But his play on the international stage has been stellar. Vesalainen won a gold medal with Finland at the 2016 world under-18 championship and a silver medal at the 2017 world under 18 championship, where he had six goals and 13 points in seven games to lead the tournament in scoring and was selected as the tournament’s most valuable player.

Despite going through some struggles during the most important hockey season of his life, Vesalainen is confident he can be a difference maker down the road.

“I’m a pretty big power forward and I can score and get points also and I’m strong on my skates, fast guy and can move the puck. My skating is a strength, my shot,” he said. “I can introduce a lot of points to the team.”

He fell from the No. 4-ranked European prospect in NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term ranking to No.7.

But that didn’t dissuade the Jets.

Winnipeg general Kevin Cheveldayoff said the organization initially had Vesalainen among a group of players they envisioned being available when they held the 13th pick. But that selection was dealt to the Las Vegas Golden Knights last week and the Jets dropped 11 spots.

When Vesalainen was still there at 24, the Jets didn’t hesitate.

“We had an opportunity to pick a player that was in that grouping. It gets a little nerve-wracking when you start to see your grouping dwindle. But when you see that there’s something left, you look at it,” Cheveldayoff said.

“He’s a big powerful player. He’s a player that when you get chance to get guy that can skate, can go up and down the wings and make plays like he can, you like that opportunity that you’re able to add him to your stable. Big body, will go to he net, will do a lot of the things that will really accent the roster that we have right now.”

Vesalainen joins other Jets prospects at the club’s development camp this week in Winnipeg.

Rounds two through seven of the draft resume Saturday at Chicago’s United Center.

Winnipeg picks in the second round at 43rd overall. The club has a selection in each of the fourth through sixth rounds and a pair of picks in the seventh round.

 

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell