Jeff Blashill doesn't know much about Olli Juolevi, who knows more about his new team. The Red Wings claimed the young defenseman on waivers Sunday in hopes they can mine the talent that made him the fifth overall pick in 2016.
"It’s great. Pretty legendary organization here," Juolevi said Monday after his first practice in Detroit. "A lot of young guys coming up and I think the team’s coming up, too. So it’s an exciting opportunity."
It will be Juolevi's third opportunity in the NHL. And it might be one of his last, even at the age of 23. He lasted about five years with the Canucks before they cut their losses and dealt him to Florida, and he lasted about five months with the Panthers before they cut him loose. But circumstances will be different in Detroit, where Juolevi is joining a team in the midst of a youth movement.
"We're trying to win games every night, for sure, but we also understand as an organization that we’re trying to let our young guys grow," Blashill said. "When you’re a team that’s considered a Cup contender like Florida is or a team that probably had lots of pressure trying to make the playoffs like Vancouver did, sometimes you don’t allow those (young) players to live through some of their mistakes. And we’ve certainly done that with a number of our young players, so it could be a good spot for him."
Juolevi appeared in 23 games for the Canucks last season, and 10 games for the Panthers this season following a trade that sent him across the continent. That's the totality of his NHL experience. Injuries are partly to blame for his thin resume, including knee surgery in 2019. But he said he's "had a good stretch of being healthy here," and now he's on a team where he can carve out a bigger role.
"Especially a team like Florida, they’re going for a Cup this year and I hadn’t played much. There were some injuries and stuff. It’s really important, I’m still a young guy, so I want to play hockey. If you’re in the stands or playing eight or six minutes a night, that’s not even good for you," Juolevi said. "That’s why I’m excited to be here: I really want to show what I got."
What Juolevi's got is something the Red Wings need, especially if top-pair defensemen Nick Leddy is traded this month: a feel for passing the puck. It was considered his best asset the year he was drafted, and the same is true today. Juolevi said he can play an all-around game, but "my biggest strengths are just moving the puck. I can make plays, break out the puck, get the puck to our forwards and that way help the team."
Blashill doesn't know exactly what to expect from Juolevi, having hardly seen him play in the NHL. He said he likes his 6'2 frame and then echoed Juoveli's assessment of his own game.
"When I ask him and I ask other people what his greatest strength is, he’s a guy that can get back and move the puck," Blashill said. "And if he’s a guy who can defend well, move the puck out of our end and through the neutral zone, then he’ll help us."
On the flip side, the Wings are lacking in an area where Juoveli has struggled himself. Without the puck, he has to be better. He said that he's been trying to refine his 'defensive game' since he entered the NHL, something he also acknowledged in his first conversation with Blashill. Juoveli won't get steady minutes under his new coach if he can't be trusted in his own end.
"He’s going to have to play to his strengths, be a guy who moves the puck up the ice and transitions us well, and then you always have to be able to defend well enough," Blashill said. "He has said to me that that’s an area of the game that he’s understanding more and more how important it is. Hopefully he’s improved in that than when he first came into the league, but we’ll see."
Juoveli said he's benefited from getting stronger in recent years, especially when it comes to his ability to "battle in the corners." He said he's "gotten a lot better" defensively and he's "at a level with that now that I think I can play in this league and I feel confident." He'll have to prove that on the ice.
The Red Wings had a logjam on the blueline before Juoveli arrived. Now they're nine defensemen deep, so time will tell when the newcomer cracks the lineup. His arrival could indicate that Detroit is prepared to part ways with Leddy and/or Marc Staal ahead of the March 21 trade deadline. One way or another, Juolevi's first-round pedigree will get him a shot. It's on him to make this one count.
"He was a high pick for a reason, so I’m certain there’s a skillset there that allowed him to get picked high. ... Sometimes it takes a guy a few teams to get to that point and they flourish, and obviously we hope that’s the case," said Blashill. "Doesn’t always happen by any stretch, but we hope that’s the case."