Finnish NHL Players

tiistai 13. joulukuuta 2016

Markus Hannikainen #33

Name: Markus Hannikainen

Born: March 26, 1993

Helsinki, Finland

Height: 188cm /6'2"

Weight: 86kg/190 lbs

NHL draft: No
Teams: Columbus Blue Jackets

Career stats

GP G A P PIM +/-
9 0 0 0 0 -3

Markus Hannikainen played his first NHL games in last season. Only 4 games and then he get shoulder injury. He was unlucky, cause actually those 4 games went well for him. He isn't player how are fighting position in first 2 lines and in last season there was room for him in lower lines. Hard worker and very energy, those describe well how Hannikainen play.

I have seen him first time in Finnish league and first seasons his skating was awful. It was so angular and slow, but he was working hard with it. His first full season in Finnish league was 2014-15 and that was breakthrough season for him 60 games and 46 points. Before that i didn't expect anything for him, actually i didn't even expect his breakthrough in Finnish league, so every game witch he is playing in NHL or even AHL is surprise to myself. Jackets GM Kekalainen sign Hannikainen to Columbus and i was totally flabbergasted. That season was good but to north america? it was hard to believe that was true.
Today i'm proud about him. He is really fighting for position in NHL and he isn't player how got highest skill level, but he got very hard attitude.

Season 2016-17

He started season in AHL and played 5 games in NHL and then he was sent back to AHL. I'm little worried about his future career in NHL, because he wasn't that good in those 5 games than in last season. He wasn't ready when he get his showtime. It's hard to get your name in playing roster in NHL and when you got your chance to show what you got you have to be ready for that. Sadly for him, he wasn't ready. I'm sure he will get his second chance and then we see what he got for Jackets.

Is he really in NHL level? Is his attitude and energy enough to take his place in Jackets? I don't expect, but let time tell truth.

Jari Kaarela #35

Name: Jari Kaarela

Born: August 8, 1958

Tampere, Finland
Position: G

Height: 178cm /5'10"

Weight: 75kg/165 lbs

NHL draft: NO
Teams: Colorado Rockies

NHL career stats

GP W L T GAA
5 2 2 1 6.00

Jari Kaarela doesn't have his name in NHL history and his NHL career wasn't long and highly memorable, but he was second Finnish goalie in NHL after Markus Mattson. Kaarela came to North America quite young player and played there 2 years, most of time in CHL. He has also couple games in IHL.

Kaarela has told; Time in North America wasn't easy. American and Canadian players was thinking that European players is trying to eat their bread from the table.
Kaarela was in preseason camp and he must fight against another goalie, that was something what he wouldn't used to do in Finland. Also other players was trying to break him and shoot right to his shoulders. Practice style was hard and new to Kaarela, player how doesn't speak English and how was "weird" north European.

After 2 years in America he went back to Finland and played there 5 seasons. After player career Kaarela has been goalie coach many years in many different teams. Right now he is coaching in Belarus.

Antero Lehtonen #14

Antero Lehtonen #14

Name: Antero Lehtonen

Born: April 12, 1954

Tampere, Finland
Position: RW

Height: 183cm /6'0"

Weight: 84kg/185 lbs

NHL draft: NO
Teams: Washington Capitals

NHL Career stats

GP G A P PIM +/-
65 9 12 21 14 -4

Antero Lehtonen came to NHL in season 1979 with 3 other Finnish player. He was in Finnish league All-Star team in 1978-1979 season and after that he sign professional contract with Capitals. He played only one season in NHL 65 games and then he went back to Finnish league.

Someone can think he is just never heard player from history, but he is one player how was made the road to NHL easier for European players. Atmosphere wasn't easy and those players how came to NHL in 70' or early 80' had much more job to do to get position in NHL than North American players.

Raise Hat to Antero Lehtonen and other European players how made NHL more international!

perjantai 9. joulukuuta 2016

About Jesse Puljujarvi

About Jesse Puljujarvi #98

Puljujarvi didn't play well in last game and today he is again eating popcorns in stand. He made couple mistakes in last game and take couple penalties. That is the reason and thats fine, but what i'm thinking right now, is NHL right place for him?
For my opinion, it is much more clever put Puljujarvi to AHL and teach there how to play north american hockey. Is much better to him play there and get big role and get high playing minutes than play in NHL 8 minutes in one game and then watch next games in grandstand.
I don't know what Oilers are thinking. Puljujarvi was having his chance to show his skills and talent, but it wasn't enough. He have to learn how to play in smaller rink and how much you can take risk in NHL. For my opinion, Puljujarvi tries too hard and take too much risk on puck and without.
I hope he will be send soon to AHL and when time is right he can come back and show to us what he really got. He isn't ready yet.

torstai 8. joulukuuta 2016

Kasperi Kapanen #37

Name: Kasperi Kapanen

Born: July 23, 1996

Kuopio, Finland
Position: RW

Height: 183cm /6'0"

Weight: 82kg/181 lbs

NHL draft: 2014 round 1 #22 overall by Penguins
Teams: Toronto Maple Leafs

Career stats

GP G A PIM +/-
9 0 0 2 -3

No played games this season.

Kasperi Kapanen is Sami Kapanen son. Sami Kapanen made huge career in NHL and played every season between 1995-2008. Like i'm doing also, always when we talk about Kasperi and his upcoming NHL career we are talking also about his father. Kasperi Kapanen is third generation hockey player, so i think this family knows what to do if you would like to play hockey. His grandpa has played long career in Finnish league.

But let's talk about Kasperi. He is very creative player and got good moves in 1 vs. 1 situations. He is good scorer and got hockey sense on offensive zone to play game. He is also good tackler, this is thing what you don't normally see, cause we are talking about offensive wing.

Last season he played 9 games without any points and started this year with Toronto Marlies in AHL. In AHL he need to work hard with his overall play, strength and he had told he can be faster also. AHL season has started very well for him. He has made in 22 games 22 points (11+11). I sure Maple Leafs will give him order to show his skills in NHL soon, but it might needed some injury. No! I don't hope any injury to anybody, but season is long,so i believe some injuries is coming. Why injury? Truth is, Leafs got very good roster right now. There isn't place to Kapanen. He is offensive player how needs big role to use his skills, but right now there isn't need for that. Maple Leafs got players like Nylander, Marner....how fight for same place in roster with Kapanen and they are also very young players and they are playing very well.

Ofcourse if some player lose his moment and get cooler Kapanen is there right away to take his place, but i don't see that is coming.

I'm sure Kapanen can already to play in NHL and when he was traded to Toronto from Penguins i was thinking that was good move to his career, but i think i was wrong. Pens don't have that much young players like Leafs have and that's why Kapanen have only 9 played NHL games in this point, but beware Kasperi Kapanen will show you, when he get that chance!

Jesse Puljujarvi #98

Name: Jesse Puljujarvi

Born: May 7, 1998

Alvkarleby, Sweden

Height: 190cm /6'3"

Weight: 92kg/203 lbs

NHL draft: 2016 round 1 #4 overall by Oilers
Teams: Edmonton Oilers

Career stats (12.08.2016)
GP G A P PIM +/-
21 1 6 7 4 4

Jesse Puljujarvi was first round pick in 2016 draft. Edmonton pick him and i'm sure they was surprised, because everybody was thinking Puljujavi will go to Columbus, but Columbus picked Dubois.
Puljujarvi played with Patrik Laine in U20-champion tournament and they was creating the best line with Sebastian Aho. Finland won and Puljujarvi took almost every award in that tournament, MVP, most points, most assist, best forward and chosen to all-star team. It was perfect tourney for him. He was played very well also in Finnish league, but this tournament was big showtime to Puljujarvi and scouts was writing at least this point his name down.

When this season was started Puljujarvi was starting with Oilers. We know he was having knee operation earlier on training season. Nobody knows how much harder it made season start, but it's clear he wasn't get best possible training season before his first NHL season. Right now he is fighting for play position. He has been in popcorn unit in couple games, but now came back to playing roster.
He got skills, nobody ain't complain about that, but he has some problems with smaller ice rink and faster game, but i'm sure he will handle it, but youngster will need some time.

Puljujarvi is very big and highly talented wing how skates very well. He hasn't show his high talent in NHL yet, but he will. For me it's totally clear he will be superstar in NHL and i expect he will make over 50 points on next season.
This year is going to learn things in brighter stadiums.

And one thing. Puljujarvi is hockey player and he is NOT reader type person. So let's forgive him his funny English!! Puljujarvi interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJYT0LoCa1E

Artturi Lehkonen #62

Name: Artturi Lehkonen

Born: July 4, 1995

Piikkio, Finland
Position: LW

Height: 181cm /5'11"

Weight: 80kg/176 lbs

NHL draft: 2013 round 2 #55 overall by Canadiens
Teams: Montreal Canadiens

Career stats (12.8.2016)
GP G A PIM +/-
17 3 1 4 1

Lehkonen is very good with the puck and got good scoring instincts. Overall play is also one of his big strength. Today Lehkonen's positon on ice is LW, but he has played before NHL also center. Lehkonen got very good hockey sense. Artturi's father and uncle also has been hockey players both of them have made career in Finnish league. Father Ismo was forward and uncle Timo goalie. Artturi is coming from hockey family. Ismo Lehkonen is well known hockey person in Finland. He is honest and tight hockey guy and i'm sure he has coached Artturi starting from maternity hospital.

Montreal drafted Lehkonen 2013 on round 2, that was surprise, because i thought he will be sure first round pick, maybe his small size is one big reason for that.

3 years after draft Lehkonen got more power on his bones and he is better shape, but this is thing what he still have to brush up. He is small, but it's not excuse to him, he is not afraid to enter battles in corners.

I wasn't sure about Lehkonen's playing in NHL this season. I was knowing he will get chance to play in Montreal, but he has staying in roster. That has been little surprise for me. In the games what i have watched Lehkonen has been good on defensive play, but i expect more in offensive zone. He is well know scorer in Finland. Lehkonen will be very good two-way player and points and goals will come. I promise.