Brown University‘s 2nd year Finnish-born defenseman Samuli Niinisaari(7) leaves college for hockey season to head back home and play in tier 3 league Suomi-sarja for Kotkan Titaanit and already has a nice 3 goals and 10 assists in 17 regular season games and has added another pair of helpers in the playoffs.
The 6’1″ 194 lbs. blue liner took spent most of his early game in his home country but did stretch out for one campaign of juniors in Saskatoon and then agreed to a year with Lincoln Stars of the USHL before making the college commitment.
It would be surprising to not see the 22-year old return to school as soon as the coast is clear.
He does return for the 2021/2022, recording a new best 11 assists and 12 points, then appeared in 30 games last season with 8 helpers to his credit.
For his senior year, he has decided to go for some new frozen waters, enters the transfer portal and comes out a member of the 2023/2024 UMass Minutemen.
He ups his challenge to take on Hockey East.
Through 27 games, he takes up his scoring to 3 goals and 9 assists with a +2 rating for possibly his best college frame.
He takes it back home to sign a 1+ year deal with Saipa and will skate his games in Liiga for 2024/2025.