By all of the chaos of the Tampa Bay Lightning offseason, followers might have missed that the group inked a cope with 24-year-old Jesse Ylonen in free company. The winger was drafted with the thirty fifth general choose by the Montreal Canadiens in 2018 however has but to reside as much as his full potential within the NHL. The deal was signed with low threat, solely $775,000 for one 12 months. Who’s Ylonen, and what can Lightning followers count on from him this upcoming season?
About Jesse Ylonen
Just some picks away from being a first-round choice, the Canadiens drafted the Finnish native and Jesperi Kotkaniemi within the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. In his draft 12 months, Ylonen performed for Espoo United, a junior group in Finland, the place he recorded 14 targets and 13 assists for 27 factors in 48 video games. Following his draft 12 months, the winger jumped to the highest league in Finland, Liiga, the place he notched 13 targets and 27 factors in 53 video games.
Associated: Canadiens Technically Make Free Agent Room by Not Qualifying Ylonen
Ultimately, after a 12 months and a half in Finland, Ylonen joined Montreal’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, Laval Rocket, to shut out the shortened 2020-21 season. In his first 29 video games in North America, the Finnish native tallied 9 targets and eight assists for 17 factors. Transferring ahead, Ylonen has spent the previous three seasons as a part-time NHL participant, splitting minutes between the Canadiens and the Rocket. The ahead was not given a contract provide from Montreal. Subsequently, he signed a cope with Tampa Bay. Now, what has Ylonen accomplished in his younger NHL profession to this point?
Ylonen’s Younger NHL Profession
Ylonen has appeared in 110 NHL video games over the previous three seasons, recording 12 targets and 29 factors. He’s averaged roughly 12 minutes of ice time per sport over that span, primarily in a bottom-six function. Nonetheless, with a little bit alternative because the sixth ahead in 2023, the winger posted a career-best six targets and 16 factors in 37 video games. In any case, that’s a given when his commonest linemate at 5-on-5 that season was captain Nick Suzuki (through EvolvingHockey).
As soon as paired with depth items like Jake Evans, Ylonen noticed his offensive manufacturing plummet. These outcomes are affordable and occur on a regular basis within the NHL. Ylonen is a gifted younger participant, however he’s not able to driving his personal line. In the end, these situations make gamers like Jake Guentzel precious and price a excessive wage. Guentzel can carry his line and drive even-strength offense at an elite fee.
His deep cuts and pivots make Ylonen a harmful participant on the offensive assault. He makes use of his gentle mitts to create separation from opposing defenders, then can slide a go into an open lane for a high quality scoring probability. Ylonen has the ability to be an NHL-caliber participant, however he couldn’t string it collectively on a rebuilding Canadiens squad. He doesn’t have the play model or defensive sport to be a full-time bottom-six ahead or the consistency to play in a top-six function. The Lightning want extra ability of their backside six, however Ylonen isn’t fitted to that function on the roster.
Affordable Expectations for Ylonen
Ylonen didn’t break the financial institution for the Lightning, and this deal has some upside. At 24 years previous, he might earn a chance on the second-line proper wing for a number of video games underneath Jon Cooper. Nonetheless, he’s possible set for a part-time function within the NHL once more and can break up time between Syracuse and Tampa Bay because the thirteenth ahead in case of damage. There may be loads of room for development within the teen’s sport, and he’ll positively impression the Lightning this season underneath an improved coach and system.
Assuming the Lightning don’t make any extra strikes, an inexpensive expectation is that Ylonen will play in about half the common season contests for the Lightning this season. Say he performs roughly 40 video games. Anyplace between 10-15 factors is a good estimation for the 24-year-old winger. This low-risk contract provides a contact of ability to a weak bottom-six ahead group for the Lightning in 2024-25.
