Jets Sign Olli Jokinen

[39huet]

The Winnipeg Jets have signed unrestricted free agent center Olli Jokinen two-year, $9 million contract.

The native of Kuopio, Finland, has played in 1,042 career regular-season games with the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, New York Rangers and Calgary Flames.

Over his 14-year NHL career, Jokinen has accumulated 292 goals and 391 assists for 683 points, and 967 penalty minutes.

[antonio106]

Great signing. This is exactly what Winnipeg needs to take the next step towards making the playoffs. It worked great for Calgary. Twice!

[BullyFan]

Well fuck......

[Viper207]

I don't dislike Jokinen, but he's just not worth that kind of money anymore. I figured he'd want to go to a contender, not Winnipeg, but money's money.

[JKidd]

I got a chuckle out of this...

How to Draw Olli Jokinen

https://twitter.com/thirdoverall/sta...079168/photo/1

[Lindros88]

Originally Posted by jkidd

I got a chuckle out of this...


https://twitter.com/thirdoverall/sta...079168/photo/1

That made my day.

[Loosey]

This makes sense to me from Olli Jokinens standpoint. I would have a hard time believing he had a lot of offers with that kind of money and I've always heard his family likes it in Calgary so they could potentially still stay here which isn't to far from Winnipeg.

From the Jets standpoint it seems just a by product of a pretty crazy start to free agency and the pressure to sign someone to help the team well a lot of good players went early.

[BullyFan]

If I were a mediocre European veteran who, for some reason, had a lot of potential 10 years ago, I would be hiring Jokinens agent. Cuz somehow this guy can get you shit tons of money that you don't deserve.

[skacore]

In today's NHL, I see no problem with a player like Olli Jokinen signing for 4.5/year.

Yeah, these numbers are ****ing ridiculous but that's how the NHL has become, we may as well just accept it instead of calling every single signing a sh1tty one. I think the Jets got a solid veteran player for a solid price.

[fcm]

Olli Jokinen made 61 points last season. An average of 4.5m per season is a bit of an overpayment but considering he was signed as an UFA... it's pretty fair to say the least. I'm pretty sure he'll be an upgrade to Kyle Wellwood as a top-6 centreman.

Jets are a new franchise. They did okay in their first season in Winnipeg, but now, they must try to give their fans a first playoff run on the short term to keep them pumped. And I think they're coming pretty close to being a playoff contending team since they added players without overpaying them too much in Jokinen and Ponikarovsky. I don't know the exact line-up, but let's suggest it is this one:

Evander Kane - Olli Jokinen - Blake Wheeler
Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Nik Antropov
Alexei Ponikarovsky - Alexander Burmistrov - Kyle Wellfed
Tim Stapleton - Jim Slater - Chris Thorburn

Zach Bogosian - Ron Hainsey
Tobias Enstrom - Dustin Byfuglien
Mark Stuart - Johnny Oduya

Ondrej Pavelec
#2 Goalie?

They are okay to fight for a playoff spot... I'd like to see an enforcer and more MWs but they are ready to fight for a playoff spot.

I'm pretty sure that Olli Jokinen is a better offensive support to Evander Kane than Bryan Little...

[skacore]

Originally Posted by fcm

Olli Jokinen made 61 points last season. An average of 4.5m per season is a bit of an overpayment but considering he was signed as an UFA... it's pretty fair to say the least. I'm pretty sure he'll be an upgrade to Kyle Wellwood as a top-6 centreman...

I always feel like people over estimate "overpayments". IMO, getting paid 250K/year to play hockey professionally is an overpayment. BUT, in comparison to other NHL signings, that's what we have to compare it to.

Olli's 61 points is good for the 19th highest centerman total last season. To me that makes him a potential #1 centerman and definitely worth 4.5/year.

[BullyFan]

Ha also played with Iginla ( who might have slipped last year, but is still Iginla).

Jokinen might be an upgrade from Little, but the Jets don't have an Iginla for him to play with.

At 4.5 mil a year, I expected something more.

Christ, he's making more than Pavelec.

[NameyMD]

The rumor in my brain is that OJ was obtained to center a line with Teemu Selänne on the right wing, who the Jets are still in negotiations with, the deal to be announced later

[fcm]

Originally Posted by BullyFan009

At 4.5 mil a year, I expected something more.

This is the UFA market, my friend. Olli was just signed for 2 years.

3.25m a year, you have Paul Gaystad...

I wouldn't be surprised hoewever if the Jets were to sign a guy like Andrei Kostitsyn...

[BullyFan]

Originally Posted by fcm

I wouldn't be surprised hoewever if the Jets were to sign a guy like Andrei Kostitsyn...

No....