Joni Jurmo

March 2024 – Jurmo was traded to the Calgary Flames in the Elias Lindholm deal. Pat Quinn

March 2023 – Jurmo has wrapped up his third – and likely final – season in Liiga, capping it off with a career-high five goals and 13 points. Whether it is this season or next, you can expect the 20-year-old, 6-foot-4 rearguard to cross the pond to take on a North American pro tour. At his best, Jurmo possesses great offensive instincts and seamless skating ability, which could plant him in a consistent top-four role in Abbotsford out the gate. While the timeline is still a few seasons away, bottom-pairing NHL potential continues to linger. Dave Hall

March 2022 – After posting a subpar, mistake-ridden 20 game Liiga stint in 2020-21, Jurmo has taken a full 180-degree turn and is currently enjoying a very strong (official) rookie campaign with Jukurit. While he sports nine points (2G + 7A) through 46 matches, it is his progress in both the defensive zone and overall poise with his decision-making that has taken lengthy leaps. It is clear that he has gained the trust of the coaching staff and on occasion, even enjoys top-pairing minutes against the league’s primed offensive producers. For now, he continues to work on his two-way game overseas. However, his current trajectory has enjoyed a respectable boost in 2021-22. Dave Hall

May 2021 – After a pointless 20 game stint with JYP (Liiga), Jurmo was demoted to Finland’s Mestis League. This proved to be a comfortable move for his development, stacking up to players closer in age and like-skill. Over his 10 games, he notched eight points, 14 penalty minutes and also pitched in for a goal and an assist in two playoff matches. The 6-4, left-handed defender continues to show promise and should be considered a prospect to keep close tabs on over the next few years. Unfortunately, fans will be forced to watch from afar as he has officially extended his contract in Finland for the next two years. Realistically, this extension should be viewed as a positive for his development as he is still some time from being NHL ready. The upside continues to grow. Dave Hall 

December 2020 – As expected, the puck-moving defender was left off of Finland’s WJC selection camp roster. For whatever reason, the junior national team has had no interest in Jurmo. The 18-year-old was recently suspended one game for a headbutting incident at the Liiga level. It ran right into the month-long break instituted by the league to avoid the pandemic’s grasping reach. He remains pointless this season but has watched his minutes and role grow – a good sign. Cam Robinson

October 2020 – The Vancouver Canucks selected Jurmo with the 82nd overall selection in the 2020 Entry Draft. After not taking a defenseman in the entire 2019 class, they grab a 6’4 back who can absolutely fly. Jurmo led all U18 defenders in points and points-per-game in the Jr SM liiga last season. He has some pop, now they need to work on making quicker, more decisive decisions. The gist of this kid is he has NHL-plus size and can skate like the wind. At the junior level, he did it at every opportunity. He thrives on the rush; sometimes to a fault. Defensive positioning needs cleaning. Seeing passing lanes needs cleaning. The upside is real. Cam Robinson

> Interview: 2020 NHL Draft Prospect Joni Jurmo

March 2020 – Jurmo finished a very successful rookie season in Jr. SM-liiga with five goals and 28 points in 43 games. That points total was tenth best in the league among defensemen, and his points-per-game average was the best among under-18 defensemen. Jurmo was one of the biggest surprises in the entire league.

Jurmo’s combination of size (6-4, 190) and skating ability is something that doesn’t come by too often. His playing style draws comparisons to Philip Broberg who played a similar puck-rushing style in his draft season, although he did it at a higher level. Jurmo loves to take the puck from his own end and carry it all the way to the other end. And because of his puck-handling skills and skating ability, he can often be successful at that. But sometimes, he loves carrying the puck way too much and doesn’t even consider other options. He tries to force himself through traffic and if that fails, that usually means a breakaway or an odd-man rush against. He is capable of making good breakout passes, so it’s just a matter of making better decisions with the puck.

Even though Jurmo has good puck-skills, he isn’t the most creative player in the offensive end. He can definitely pinch in and participate in the cycle game but he won’t be an offensive dynamo out there. But his biggest weaknesses are in his own end where he is still very raw and not the type of player you would want on the ice protecting a lead or killing a penalty. His positioning isn’t all that great, and he also lacks urgency in his defensive game. He could also use his big frame more effectively and play a more physical brand of hockey. His hockey sense can also be called into question at times because he makes blind passes to no one in particular every now and then. Jurmo is a long-term project but because of his raw potential, he is projected to be drafted in the second or third round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Long-term, he could become a very good middle-pair defenseman who creates offense by being great in transition and decent in the cycle game.  Jokke Nevalainen