Olli Määttä

Observations:

Ocxtober 2015 – In a somewhat surprising development, the young Finnish blueliner was demoted to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. Were it not for a disastrous sophomore season shortened by injury and illness to a mere 20 games, Määttä likely would have solidified his place on the Pittsburgh blueline by now. His future is bright and do not be surprised if he's back up in the NHL before the season is over. Mark Allan

August 2015 – Following a promising rookie campaign with an injury-plagued sophomore season from hell, the rangy Finn with the explosive point shot is primed to blossom. A top-pairing matchup with blueline stud Kris Letang is likely. Because the Pens have more than half of their cap space dedicated to five stars, they will be forced to rely heavily on young, talented and affordable players such as Määttä. Mark Allan 

January 2015 – The impressive young Finnish blueliner is the victim of a gypsy curse or he’s contracted a serious case of bad luck from oft-injured teammate Beau Bennett. Shoulder surgery in mid-January ended one of the most agonizing sophomore campaigns in league history. Määttä, who hadn’t played since Dec. 6, finished the season with one goal and eight assists for nine points in 20 games. Other misfortunes included mumps and surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his neck. His absence creates an opportunity for one of the Penguins’ other talented young defense prospects who would otherwise have been demoted to the AHL. Mark Allan

December 2014 – Things have not gone smoothly for the 20-year-old in his sophomore NHL campaign. He’s got a goal and eight assists in 20 games, but after surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his neck, mumps temporarily derailed his efforts to rehab an injured shoulder. The impressive young Finn, who hasn’t played since Dec. 6, continues to aim for a return in late January. Mark Allan

June, 2014 – Olli Maatta had an amazing rookie season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played in 78 games and totaled 29 points. Olli showed how important he is to the future of the Penguins early on in the season when a few key defenseman went down with injuries. He stepped up and formed a make-shift top-line, along with Matt Niskanen. Maatta's stock is improving, and his upside can be viewed now as a potential top-line defenseman. Though Maatta's future is very bright, after the Penguins season was over, he needed surgery on his shoulder. He's expected to be out 4-6 months, and if all doesn't go well, he could miss a month or more of the regular season. Seth Brisendine

October 2013 – Maatta has impressed the staff enough throughout training camp and preseason to earn a spot on the main roster. He has played in three games so far and already picked up his first two NHL assists. He may still be sent down to London of the OHL before his 10th game, but his goal is to stick all season with the Penguins. Seth Brisendine

April 2013- Maatta once again helped lead the Knights to first place overall in the OHL standings. He led all Knights defensemen in scoring with 8G-30A-38PTS and a solid plus-8 rating. Despite not making as big of an impact as most anticipated after last years otherworldly 6G-17A-23PTS and plus-11 rating in 19 games in the playoffs, Maatta showed he plays a well-rounded dependable two-way game that Coaches covet. Travis Watson

September 2012 – Olli Määttä has inked an entry-level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Brendan Ross

June, 2012 – The Penguins added their second London Knights' defenseman in as many years making Finnish rearguard Olli Maatta as their 22nd overall pick joining Scott Harrington as a Penguins' prospect. Brendan Ross

 May 2012 – Maatta was named OHL Player of the Week ending April 29 after scoring three goals and five points in two playoff games.  Olli Maatta has impressed offensively in post-season action as he sits among the defensive scoring leaders as well as his team scoring.  Scouts are beginning to second guess his "limited upsde". Brendan Ross

March, 2012  – Olli Maatta impressed during his rookie OHL season as a member of the powerhouse London Knights, showing off his excellent passing and decision-making skills. His plus-25 rating ranked him second among first-year OHLers, while his 32 points paced all rookie defensemen. He also suited up for one game for Team Finland at the 2012 Under 20 World Junior Championships in Calgary and Edmonton, as a concussion sidelined him for most of the tournament. John Canario

Fantasy Outlook: B+
Decent offensive player in junior but upside may limit him to a second-pairing role at the NHL level. However, so far he has transitioned very well at such a young age

Footage:
Olli Maatta drops the gloves with Tyler Bertuzzi:
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Power-play assist by Määttä at 10:51:

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