Vancouver, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks General Manager Jim Benning announced today that the club has re-signed defenceman Olli Juolevi to a one-year contract at a value of $750,000.
“Last season was an important step in Olli’s development as an everyday NHL defenceman,” said Benning. “We’re glad to have him signed and look forward to his game progressing further next season.”
Juolevi, 23, appeared in 23 games during his debut NHL season in 2020.21, recording three points (2-1-3) and 24 shots. He tallied his first career NHL goal in his seventh career game on Jan. 25, 2021, vs Ottawa and finished the season fourth on the team in blocked shots per 60 minutes (5.92).
Prior to the 2020.21 season, Juolevi made his NHL playoff debut in Vancouver’s series-clinching game during the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers vs Minnesota. Juolevi also spent two seasons with Vancouver’s AHL affiliate Utica Comets (2018.19, 2019.20), collecting 38 points (3-35-38) and 26 penalty minutes in 63 games.
The Helsinki, Finland, native represented Finland at the IIHF World Junior Championships on three occasions (2016-2018), capturing gold in 2016. He was named to the tournament All-Star Team in 2016 with nine points (0-9-9) in seven games, and captained Finland at the World Juniors the next year (2017).
The 6’2″, 182-pound defenceman was originally drafted by Vancouver in the first round, fifth overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
