4. Great Person
The reason why interviews are a thing at the NHL Draft Combine is that teams want to make sure a player is driven and confident enough to make the NHL, but also that he fits in their organization. Olli Juolevi had a good interview with the Canucks and, while the same can be said about Matthew Tkachuk, the Canucks are sure they added a first-class individual to their organization.
#Canucks Juolevi a very personable kid. Had a couple of good lines for the media. Confident, but not arrogant in any way.
— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) June 25, 2016
In today’s NHL, everything is about numbers. If the numbers are good, the player is good. If the numbers are bad, the player is bad. It’s that simple.
However, intangibles still play an important part in draft selections, whether you like it or not. If you compose your roster of the 25 most skilled players in the league but they are all idiots who have the IQ of a rock, you won’t win a lot of hockey games.
Teambuilding is important; it might not be quantifiable right away. But it will be eventually. You won’t get a “relative mood impact for percentage” or anything like that, but you will see if you picked the right people for your roster once they start winning games — or not.
Olli Juolevi combines top-level potential with a great personality. What more could you possibly want?
Next: Immediate Impact