8th year former Washington Capitals‘ 1st round pick in the 2005 draft (#27 overall) mammoth-sized 6’8″ 252 lbs. defenseman Joe Finley(3) switches it up for the first time in his pro career, leaving North America heading to Finland’s Liiga to join HIFK.
He played last season under a minor league deal with Iowa Wild and posted a career high 5 goals, tying his points best at 6.
Needless to say, he’s never really been counted on to help scoring but has been a formidable shutdown blue liner.
Originally signed to a two-year entry level contract, he was left unqualified then invited to Buffalo Sabres‘ 2011 training camp but initially inked with their farm squad Rochester Americans, where he led them early in plus/minus and penalty minutes before getting a 3-year commitment.
He played his first 5 NHL games early in 2011/2012 but spent all the next season in the AHL before being claimed on waivers by New York Islanders suiting up for 16 games and even getting his first point, an assist.
That would be all the time in the show for the big d-man. He would be reassigned to Bridgeport Sound Tigers for the entire 2013/2014.
The soon-to-be 29-year old should do well as a shutdown player overseas and could easily prosper nicely with his experience as he heads into his thirties.