Justus Annunen needs a new nickname.
Acquired by the Predators via trade from Colorado on Saturday, the goaltender’s first name resembles the word “Juice,” a natural fit in a world that relies on teammates and coaches referring to one another by their monikers and rarely by their given first names.
On just about any other team, Annunen wouldn’t have an issue.
Except he was dealt to Nashville.
Of course, the Predators already have another “Juice” - Juuse Saros, their starting goaltender who, like Annunen, is also a native of Finland.
Herein lies the issue. So, what’s the solution?
“Well, I think the guys are going to switch that pretty soon,” Annunen smiled when asked on Monday.
“It was an interesting situation,” Saros laughed following Tuesday’s practice, the issue seemingly still up for debate. “We'll see if there's going to be any new nicknames. But at least for the first game, he was the ‘Big Juice' and I was the ‘Little Juice.’ But yeah, we'll see if it changes here.”
The 29-year-old Saros, who has 342 more games of NHL experience than the 24-year-old Annunen, is smaller in stature by about five inches, hence the size distinction in the potentially temporary nicknames.
But regardless of what Annunen becomes known as to his new teammates, one thing is for sure - the Predators are high on his potential and are eager to see him develop with the help of Mitch Korn, Ben Vanderklok and Nashville’s goaltending department.
“He’s a younger goalie that we feel has potential to develop into an even better goalie than he is now,” Preds Head Coach Andrew Brunette said of Annunen. “I don't know if the game plan is going to change all that much. I think it's more getting our hands on him, getting Benny and Mitch working with him, and just looking at him today, it looked like a pretty good body of work. He’s a big guy, he’s a hard worker - like all Finns are - so I think there's some room there to even be a better goaltender.”
Originally selected by Colorado in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft, Annunen is in the midst of his fourth partial NHL season having posted a 6-4-0 record with the Avalanche on the current campaign. Last season, he established career highs with eight wins and two shutouts.
Annunen, who hails from the same hometown as former Preds goaltender Pekka Rinne, is now ready to take the next step and become a full-time NHLer, something he’ll have plenty of chances to do alongside Saros.
“I think it's a great opportunity for me to learn from one of the best goalies in the League right now,” Annunen said of Saros. “And the goaltending department here, I’ve only heard a lot of good things. So, I'm really excited to get the opportunity to work with all those guys and have a mentor like Juuse, to watch how he practices and plays…and get to know him. So, it’s a perfect spot for me at this point in my career.”
“[It’s been a] good first impression,” Saros said of Annunen. “He seems like a very nice guy. I actually got a text from [former Preds forward Miikka] Salomaki right away, because they practiced together in the summer. So, I got a little pre-scout from him. Obviously it was sad with [Scott Wedgewood being traded]. I got along really well with him too, but it’s part of the business. But this seems like a switch from one good guy to another good guy.”
After starting his NHL career learning from Rinne, Saros shared the net with Kevin Lankinen, an established netminder, before Wedgewood, another well-traveled goaltender, arrived to start this season.
Now, for the first time in his career, Saros is the clearcut veteran between the two partners, but there’s no expectation for the former Vezina finalist to change who he is or how he operates.
“In my time around ‘Juice,’ ‘Juice is going to be ‘Juice,’” Brunette said of Saros. “I think he respects the game, respects his teammates, he respects his goalie partners; I don't think that'll ever change. If it’s a young guy, an old guy, a call-up, a Hall-of-Famer… He’s a rock-solid human being. He's just going to be who he is.”
“It's a good question - I still feel like I'm young in my heart, even though the years go by fast,” Saros said. “But maybe I can help with some things that ‘Peks’ helped me [when I first started]… Being here for so long, maybe I can, in those kind of cases, I can help out. But other than that, I feel like just be myself.”
Saros will certainly assist in that regard as Annunen not only gets acclimated to a new team and city, but also the day-to-day rigors of life in the NHL.
“I feel I'm just starting [my career], and I guess I'm still learning what [it’s like to play in] the NHL,” Annunen said. “I don't have that many games or that much experience here, so I think that's just the biggest thing for now. [But I want to be] able to use my size better and try to be as fast as possible. I talk with [Goaltending Coach] Ben [Vanderklok], that’s his philosophy, to make the goalies as fast as possible, and that’s what [Saros] is like. I’m trying to get better at that and get to the next level.”
With three games in four nights on Nashville’s upcoming road trip through eastern Canada, Annunen is likely to make his Preds debut sooner than later.
Until then, Annunen will continue to acclimate to a new organization, learn from his fellow Finn and improve his game on the ice and his habits off.
Maybe he’ll even receive a new nickname, too.
“The first thing is, of course, to learn the way things are done here…but I’ve got to be myself and do my best every day,” Annunen said. “They want me here, so it's up to me to do my best every day.”
