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Habs sign Finnish Dman Otto Leskinen.


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2 hours ago, Trizzak said:

Depth defenseman, how can MB resist?

 

But I guess neither Walford or Tyzska are getting ELCs.

 

Im not sure.  

 

The minor league LD under contract for next season are Leskinen, Sklenica and Karl Alzner.

 

I wouldnt be sure there is no room for Walford or Tzyska.

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45 minutes ago, Commandant said:

I wouldnt be sure there is no room for Walford or Tzyska.

Then why havent either of them been signed yet?

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37 minutes ago, DON said:

Then why havent either of them been signed yet?

 

Ya, I'm not too familiar on when prospects are usually signed for next season, but it seems to me that if they aren't signed a few days after their junior season ends then it's just not gonna happen.

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Some info on Leskinen here:

https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/analysis/2019/5/7/18535409/otto-leskinen-montreal-canadiens-habs-analysis-kalpa-scouting-report

 

He won't be a top-pair defenseman but maybe has potential for second pair. In any case, he adds an LD prospect to our system and strengthens the Laval line-up -- and did not cost us a player or a draft pick.

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I expect there will be a European assignment clause in at least the first year of the contract as he had another year on his deal in Finland (which I thought was going to stop this from happening this year).   I also think this will affect at least one of Walford/Tyszka as they're probably not going to want to sign both on top of having Alzner, Sklenicka, Leskinen, and perhaps Olofsson/Ouellet in the minors as well.

 

3 hours ago, Trizzak said:

Ya, I'm not too familiar on when prospects are usually signed for next season, but it seems to me that if they aren't signed a few days after their junior season ends then it's just not gonna happen.

 

 

There's usually a few that sign right before the deadline (and sometimes a trade or two gets made).  Sometimes teams will want to assess how a player is recovering from an injury, how they're responding to offseason training (ie, losing/gaining weight), or they want to see if something else happens or falls through.

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4 hours ago, Trizzak said:

 

Ya, I'm not too familiar on when prospects are usually signed for next season, but it seems to me that if they aren't signed a few days after their junior season ends then it's just not gonna happen.

 

4 hours ago, DON said:

Then why havent either of them been signed yet?

 

The cut off is the end of the month. 

There have always been a few players around the league who go right down to the wire in negotiations. 

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41 minutes ago, dlbalr said:

I expect there will be a European assignment clause in at least the first year of the contract as he had another year on his deal in Finland (which I thought was going to stop this from happening this year).

 

Checking Finnish web sites, I found some more info. KalPa is checking whether it's possible for Leskinen to play one more year in Finland, so apparently there is some sort of an escape clause in his contract, allowing him to leave now. Habs will also pay KalPa a transfer fee of 230K euros, based on the agreement between NHL and Liiga.

 

Incidentally, Ikonen has signed a one-year contract extension with KalPa.

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A scouting report:

 

Quote

May 2019 – 22-year-old free agent Leskinen has signed a two-year entry level contract with the Canadiens. Leskinen has average size (5-11, 187) but he’s a very good puck-moving defenseman who loves to join the rush and participate in the cycle game in the offensive zone. He’s a smooth skater who isn’t afraid to take risks to make offensive plays. He has played three full seasons at the Liiga level already but had his breakout season in 2018-2019. Leskinen led all defensemen on his team with eight goals and 31 points in 57 games. 31 points was also fourth-best on the low-scoring KalPa team and eighth best in the league among defensemen. Early in the season, he led his team in points for quite some time. He has a very good shot and he likes to use it a lot – his shot total was fifth-best in the league among defensemen. One cause for concern is that 17 of his points were scored on the power play where he received more ice time than any other player on his team (over three minutes per game).

 

Leskinen averaged almost 22 minutes of ice time per game but was only rarely used on the penalty kill. His numbers were very good because he was given the type of role that suits his strengths as an offensive defenseman. Leskinen needs another year or two to improve his defensive game before he’s ready to challenge for a spot on the NHL roster. But because of his skating ability and offensive tools, Leskinen offers a good amount of upside. If everything breaks perfectly, he could be a number four defenseman. But a more likely scenario is that he becomes a bottom-pair guy.  Jokke Nevalainen

1

 

https://dobberprospects.com/player/otto-leskinen/

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On 5/7/2019 at 11:50 AM, mineral said:

 

At 22 years old, i wouldn't say he's any further off than someone out of the NCAA

KalPa is part of the best league in Finland and the NCAA is a league that isn't that in the US so there is that :/

btw NCAA doesn't pay their players so when this kid steps on the ice, for KalPa, he going up against men that have "life" forcing their play, there is that too :/

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