What do you expect from: #10 Henri Jokiharju?

[dudacek]

Jokiharju was a late 1st-round pick in 2017 who almost immediately outplayed his draft position. He is 8th overall in games played and 3rd in points among defencemen from his class.

It hasn't translated to the NHL yet, but he was a big-time points producer as a junior, with 71 points in 63 games in his D+1 year in Portland. He also scored 9 points in 12 WJC games over two tournaments.

He has a track record of winning. He won gold in the World U18s, he was named top defencemen for gold medal-winning Finland in WJC. And he followed that up with a men's World Championships gold later that spring.

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=196298

Last season was a tale of two Jokiharjus, at least by the eyeball test. The first half he played 16-18 minutes a night and looked tentative. He finished the year with 18 straight games over 18 minutes — topping 20 in 12 of them — and flashed the puck-moving skills that impressed Sabrespace in his Sabre season.

What do you expect from Jokiharju this season?

Edited September 18, 2021 by dudacek

[Sabres Fan in NS]

First vote is the toughest.  Close the poll!!

#1 ... he will take a huge step forward and be a very solid #2/#3.

[triumph_communes]

He’s going to get some of the toughest minutes. Going to be a rough go for him. Still think he’s a top 4 and will look out of place as a top pairing for the year. 

[bob_sauve28]

I voted my heart but am not sure what to expect. Last seasons n was so Dr Heckle and Mr Jive, or something. I liked him paired with Dahlin 

[Digger]

Jokiharju still has upside.  I expect that he will become a dependable top 4 D.  This is an important year for his development.  He has an opportunity for lots of ice time and responsibility in all areas.  I hope that he has a great year.

[Taro T]

Expect him to be a 2nd pairing guy (& likely forced into top pairing usage) but not a particularly good one.

His getting caught in the offensive zone creating 2 on 1's against & his subpar play in his own end are likely going to be very exposed as he plays w/ Dahlin on the top pair.  Really hoping Granato breaks that pair up.  Dahlin doesn't need his offensive skills to be able to do his thing & his weaknesses are similar to Ras' as well.  Give each of them a defensively sound partner & they'll each look a lot better.

[Marvin]

3 hours ago, Taro T said:

Expect him to be a 2nd pairing guy (& likely forced into top pairing usage) but not a particularly good one.

His getting caught in the offensive zone creating 2 on 1's against & his subpar play in his own end are likely going to be very exposed as he plays w/ Dahlin on the top pair.  Really hoping Granato breaks that pair up.  Dahlin doesn't need his offensive skills to be able to do his thing & his weaknesses are similar to Ras' as well.  Give each of them a defensively sound partner & they'll each look a lot better.

This is why I don't like the Dahlin-Jokiharu pairing for now.  I would rather pair them both with a reliable, boring stay-at-home defencive defencemen until their judgement has matured.

[Ducky]

I see him as a good 2nd pairing D man.

Does he play 2nd pairing this year or 1st?

[Pimlach]

I picked the middle.  Not sure he really is a top 4 but he can move the puck effectively at times.    I would build with more physical defensemen that are also mobile.  

[Andrew Amerk]

Just turned only 22? 

This season, likely choice 2, but still has another 4 seasons to potentially become choice 1, if not now. 

[nfreeman]

I think there is a pretty good chance that Joker and Dahlin develop excellent chemistry, some of which showed last year, and become a high-end NHL top pairing.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I think Joker could develop into a Teppo type. That’s not a classic stay-home physical defenseman, but still a very good player who could complement Dahlin very well.

Lindy used to say that Teppo calmed everything down in the d-zone.  I don’t know whether Joker has that kind of hockey IQ, but he might.  

[Thorny]

19 hours ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

This is why I don't like the Dahlin-Jokiharu pairing for now.  I would rather pair them both with a reliable, boring stay-at-home defencive defencemen until their judgement has matured.

So...are you gonna send Kevyn Adams the memo or should I?

[Marvin]

18 minutes ago, Thorny said:

So...are you gonna send Kevyn Adams the memo or should I?

You had better.  I am trying to do it by seance so that he thinks that he came up with the idea by himseld.

[Ducky]

Teppo was rarely out of position and saw the game in slow motion.

One of my very favorite Jets' D from Jets 1.0.

[Thorny]

1 minute ago, Ducky said:

Teppo was rarely out of position and saw the game in slow motion.

One of my very favorite Jets' D from Jets 1.0.

Used to “pretend I was him” during my games playing D as a kid haha 

[Marvin]

2 minutes ago, Ducky said:

Teppo was rarely out of position and saw the game in slow motion.

One of my very favorite Jets' D from Jets 1.0.

He was a massively under-rated signing in 2005 for Buffalo.  I remember my brothers and sisters calling me and being positively giddy about the Sabres getting him.

[Ducky]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

Used to “pretend I was him” during my games playing D as a kid haha 

I'm much older...........first I was Jacques Laperriere and then Guy Lafleur.

1 hour ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

He was a massively under-rated signing in 2005 for Buffalo.  I remember my brothers and sisters calling me and being positively giddy about the Sabres getting him.

Great player on and off the ice. He made himself a lot of cash and deserves his retirement. Can't say enough good things about this guy.

[Marvin]

Just now, Ducky said:

I'm much older...........first I was Jacques Laperriere and then Guy Lafleur.

I was Tim Horton, J.C. Tremblay, John Marks, and other intelligent defencive defencemen.  All the other D were trying to be Bobby Orr; I was the guy back on extra-man rushes.  I can count on one hand how many times I was caught up-ice from ages 6-14.  (22-28 game seasons.)

[Taro T]

6 hours ago, nfreeman said:

I think there is a pretty good chance that Joker and Dahlin develop excellent chemistry, some of which showed last year, and become a high-end NHL top pairing.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I think Joker could develop into a Teppo type. That’s not a classic stay-home physical defenseman, but still a very good player who could complement Dahlin very well.

Lindy used to say that Teppo calmed everything down in the d-zone.  I don’t know whether Joker has that kind of hockey IQ, but he might.  

 

What do you see in Jokiharju's game that makes you believe he can fit into the Numinnen role?

Teppo was VERY good in his own end and was also quite solid (actually better than solid) in transition & the offensive zone.  Joker is solid in the offensive zone typically but somehow seems to hang his partner out on a fair number of odd-man rushes.  He's good at offensive transition but poor at defensive transition.  He was solid in his own end with Scandella but has not been anywhere close to that since Scandella became a poorly used 4th round pick.

My hope is that he can become Lydman.  Really don't see Teppo nor Tallinder in him.

[Pimlach]

On 9/19/2021 at 11:48 AM, nfreeman said:

I think there is a pretty good chance that Joker and Dahlin develop excellent chemistry, some of which showed last year, and become a high-end NHL top pairing.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I think Joker could develop into a Teppo type. That’s not a classic stay-home physical defenseman, but still a very good player who could complement Dahlin very well.

Lindy used to say that Teppo calmed everything down in the d-zone.  I don’t know whether Joker has that kind of hockey IQ, but he might.  

I am a big Teppo fan.  I don’t see that from Joker, but I hope your right.  

[Weave]

10 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

I am a big Teppo fan.  I don’t see that from Joker, but I hope your right.  

Me either.  Teppo was smooth as silk and smart as hell about his positioning, and absolutely unflappable with the puck.

[nfreeman]

On 9/19/2021 at 7:51 PM, Taro T said:

 

What do you see in Jokiharju's game that makes you believe he can fit into the Numinnen role?

Teppo was VERY good in his own end and was also quite solid (actually better than solid) in transition & the offensive zone.  Joker is solid in the offensive zone typically but somehow seems to hang his partner out on a fair number of odd-man rushes.  He's good at offensive transition but poor at defensive transition.  He was solid in his own end with Scandella but has not been anywhere close to that since Scandella became a poorly used 4th round pick.

My hope is that he can become Lydman.  Really don't see Teppo nor Tallinder in him.

 

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

I am a big Teppo fan.  I don’t see that from Joker, but I hope your right.  

 

3 hours ago, Weave said:

Me either.  Teppo was smooth as silk and smart as hell about his positioning, and absolutely unflappable with the puck.

I agree with each of you regarding Teppo's smoothness and coolness, and I assume that like me, you believe he had awesome hair.  I see indications of that smoothness and calmness in Joker.  Of course, as a young player, he's not as cool as late-career Teppo was, but I still (want to believe that I) see those hints.

We'll see.

[JohnC]

Trading Nylander for him is one of the better deals this organization has made over the past few years. His style of play is not so much dynamic as it is smooth and efficient. I believe he still has some offensive upside. The comparison to Teppo that others are making is apt. It seems to me that Granato likes pairing him  with Dahlin. I'm fine with that. 

[Weave]

7 hours ago, nfreeman said:

 

 

I agree with each of you regarding Teppo's smoothness and coolness, and I assume that like me, you believe he had awesome hair.  I see indications of that smoothness and calmness in Joker.  Of course, as a young player, he's not as cool as late-career Teppo was, but I still (want to believe that I) see those hints.

We'll see.

 

6 hours ago, JohnC said:

Trading Nylander for him is one of the better deals this organization has made over the past few years. His style of play is not so much dynamic as it is smooth and efficient. I believe he still has some offensive upside. The comparison to Teppo that others are making is apt. It seems to me that Granato likes pairing him  with Dahlin. I'm fine with that. 

I think comparisons to Teppo are more than a bit overstated.  Even if we are just talking playing style, Teppos intelligence and elite level skating were the backbone of his game.  Joki simply doesn’t have that level of tool in his toolbox.

[French Collection]

I like the previous comparison to Lydman, he could get there.

That would be a solid top 4 defenseman.