The Anaheim Ducks have signed defenseman Olli Juolevi to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2022-23 season, per the team. PuckPedia reports the contract has a $750K NHL salary and a $175K minors salary with $200K guaranteed. Juolevi will be a restricted free agent upon the contract’s expiration.
Since the Vancouver Canucks drafted Juolevi fifth overall in 2016, the Finnish defenseman simply hasn’t been able to make an NHL impact. His 2021-22 campaign may have been the most challenging and disappointing yet, registering no points in 18 games split between the Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings.
Now on his fourth NHL team at age 24, Juolevi was actually left unqualified by Detroit this offseason, choosing to move on from the former top prospect. Injuries bogged down Juolevi in the minors and slowed his development, but the Ducks are hoping there’s something left in the tank for the all-around defenseman.
Anaheim is desperate for defensemen.
desperate? they have the most cap space in the league. they could sign any free agent they want.
Ducks have had a horrible offseason so far
how so? Strome is a good player who had a great season with NYR. Vatrano is a fast skater who knows how to score (seeing him and Zegras together could get exciting). and now they make a low risk high reward move by signing a 24 year old former 5th overall pick. they’ve done a lot better than the majority of the league.
This guy is such a waste
Watch last seasons training camp when after the infamous “bag skate” he was on the ice like a starfish with still some to go.
Sergachev would have been a better pick…or McAvoy….but hey Benning was good at drafting right?
Yzerman picked this guy . In about a week they realized he is not nhl player. history shows yzerman pretty good eye for talent.
Low risk high upside signing for the Ducks. Verbeek is looking to make these sort of signings amid a rebuilding effort which is starting to bear some results. He’s mking his minors salary of 150,000 and has incentives to make the big club. Looking at the Ducks prospect pool and Olli is a guy who is given another chance with a franchise on the upswing. This has Martin Madden written all over it.
I don’t get how people say it’s a bad deal for the ducks. dude is 24 years old and paid only 750k on a team with the most salary cap in the league. there is literally no risk whatsoever, only a possible reward, and a pretty good one if he shows why he was drafted 5th overall later on in his career.
There certainly isn’t any risk at all, but Juolevi would be pretty far down on the list of guys i’d take a flier on in hopes of them turning into something.
I watched him in Utica when he was a ‘top prospect’ but he was never anything special
*Low risk, no reward.
I kind of see this as Trevor Carrick’s replacement. Younger than Trevor, maybe has some hidden upside, but should be able to help San Diego at the very least (if he can stay healthy).