Vili Saarijarvi taking development with Red Wings in stride
By @StefanKubus –
Vili Saarijarvi’s face has been flying all over the world thanks to a commemorative Finnish stamp celebrating his country’s early-2016 World Junior Championship gold medal.
The Red Wings, in turn, hope to see his face flying all over the ice in Detroit wearing the Winged Wheel soon.
The 19-year-old defenseman enters his second year as a member of the Wings’ organization and said he was able to take on a leadership role in his second go-around at development camp in Traverse City.
“For sure, a little bit, obviously more than last year,” Saarijarvi said. “Just try to show an example on the ice and off the ice, too.”
He added that having the same familiar faces around also made year two a bit more comfortable.
“It’s second year, and it’s pretty much all the same guys, but also the new guys, all the coaches, stuff like that. So it’s been helping a lot, and I’m just trying to enjoy every day.”
Saarijarvi, a former third-round pick in 2015, has impressed and gained confidence with each step forward thus far.
His final junior season in Finland saw him tally 28 points in 40 games from the back end with Karpat U20.
In 2014, he came overseas and adapted to the North American game well, posting 23 points in 57 games with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers. He then added nine points in seven games with Finland in the U18 World Junior Championship, where he captured a silver medal and was named the tournament’s best defenseman.
The right-shot rearguard completed his first OHL campaign this past season, registering 12 goals and 43 points in 59 games with a Flint Firebirds team that had a rollercoaster-like inaugural year to put it mildly.
“It was my first year in the OHL and I was very happy and I enjoyed my time there,” Saarijarvi said.
“I had great team, great billets, great staff, great organization and what happened is in the past now. There’s great fans, so I’m thankful that I got to spend my first OHL year in Flint.
He then ended the year with the Red Wings’ ECHL affiliate in Toledo, potting four points in five games, perhaps further signaling he’s ready to take the full-time plunge into pro hockey.
“It helped me a lot,” Saarijarvi said. “Great teammates, they took me in well and they took good care of me, and it was easy to me to fit in, so I didn’t have any problems there. I think the game was a little different in juniors, so it was a good experience.”
If he were to return to the OHL, it wouldn’t be with the Firebirds; Saarijarvi was dealt to Mississauga in late June for a trio of draft picks and forward Everett Clark.
”I don’t know,” Saarijarvi said of where he’ll be in 2016-17. “We’re in the middle of summer and there’s still a couple more months’ time to improve. I’ve been working hard and I still work hard every day. We’ll see what happens.”