The Winnipeg Jets Bring Kristian Vesalainen Stateside Again

After their top prospect headed back to his home Finland to play in the KHL, the Winnipeg Jets were allowed to bring him back. But will we see him in the NHL?

The Winnipeg Jets didn’t want Kristian Vesalainen to go back to Europe, mostly because that means their top prospect wouldn’t be available.

But off he went, and I can hardly blame the teenager in a new continent for being uncomfortable. A guaranteed spot in the NHL would help ease those concerns, but the Jets really couldn’t offer him one.

They tried, calling him up and reassigning him several times, but it just didn’t work out. But now he’s back stateside, as the KHL season has concluded. Vesalainen had six goals and 11 assists in 31 games for his hometown team, Jokerit.

But now he’s in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose, where he had three goals and five assists in nine games. I have no issue with Vesalainen going back to Finland. If he was more comfortable there, more power to him.

And he needed to play, first and foremost. You can’t succeed at the NHL level if you don’t get on the ice at the NHL level, and he really wasn’t. That’s not Paul Maurice’s fault, either. His job is to put the team in the best position to win.

Vesalainen had an assist in his NHL debut, the Jets first game of the season. But after that, he played in only four more games and registered just a single shot on goal.

But will we see him at the NHL level this season?

Honestly, I doubt it. As I outlined before, the kid needs minutes. This is key development time. I don’t think he’ll get them at the NHL level, and for several reasons.

The biggest being that every game the Jets play is crucial at this point. They’re still nursing a one point lead over the Nashville Predators, though they do have two games in hand.

Maurice can’t afford to see what he has in Vesalainen. The juice may not be worth the squeeze at this point.

Just as well, though, the Jets biggest issues recently have been getting out of their own zone and establishing the offensive zone. I don’t see how the kid helps here.

He skates well and has a good shot, but how many 19 year olds are key contributors in the defensive zone? It’s usually the last part to come for development, and maybe he never becomes a staunch defender.

Even still, his shot would always be a welcome addition to a team. I’d like to see what the kid can do, I just think it’s unlikely he makes an impact before next season.