Liiga | CollegeHockeyPlayers

21Feb

Petteri Lindbohm(48) St. Louis Blues

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St. Louis Blues‘ 6th round pick in the 2012 draft (#176 overall) Finnish-born rookie defenseman Petteri Lindbohm(48) has been on a slingshot between the parent club and affiliate Chicago Wolves.

He has already been reassigned and recalled 10 times (5 of those in December alone) since the start of the 2014/2015 season.

The fairly large 6’3″ 198 lbs. d-man connected with his first NHL goal in his most recent journey back.

The tally goes along with his one assist in 10 games.

In that contest he played a season high 26 shifts for 17:06 of total ice, including a small amount of time on the power play and penalty kill, had 3 shots on net and got into his first fight in the big league.

He has 4 fighting major in 41 AHL games, so is not afraid to mix it up, and has scored 6 goals and 11 assists with a +5 rating.

The 21-year old came in with 2 years of pro experience, 72 contests in Liiga with Jokerit and Assat and looks to be well on his way to a permanent roster spot with the Blues.

09Feb

Jyrki Jokipappa(2) Dallas Stars

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Dallas Stars‘ 7th round deep pick in the 2011 draft (#195 overall) 5th year Finnish-born defenseman Jyrki Jokipappa(2) won a Calder Cup in his rookie season on reassignment with affiliate Texas Stars.

In 21 playoff games he had 5 assists and was a +8.

The rangy 6’3″ 210 lbs. blue liner was a late training camp cut showing in preseason action he was ready to step up his efforts.

In 23 NHL games he already has 6 assists.

In 19 AHL games he struck for 3 goals and 2 assists.

With 3 years of pro hockey under his belt with Ilves of Liiga, the top league in Finland, he’s one of many new international players that are taking that route to North America.

He was even loaned back in the first season of his three-year entry level deal to continue his development overseas before arriving here and is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the current campaign.

The 23-year old will easily be given a qualifying offer for another year, if not tied up for another two.

05Jan

Borna Rendulic(71) Colorado Avalanche

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Colorado Avalanche‘ undrafted Croatian-born rookie right wing Borna Rendulic(71) became the first player from his country ever to sign a big league contract, play in a game and get an NHL goal in only his fourth appearance.

He inked a two-year entry level deal after first having participated in pro games as a youngster in his native land and Austria before moving up to the top ranks of Finland’s SM-liiga, doing decently in two seasons with HPK.

He played a lot of his junior hockey in the country before getting a contract with a team so was on their radar but he continues to train a home and still participates in all their tournament play.

At 6’3″ 199 lbs. the forward obviously dominates play in these games.

After his first parent club development and training camps, he started his pro career in North American on reassignment to affiliate Lake Erie Monsters.

There he has 4 goals and 4 assists in 26 AHL games, which isn’t exactly amazing but they must be seeing something right in his skating because he was initially recalled for three games with no points and then called back for another look where he potted his first.

He does use that large frame to play a thumping style and does throw the puck at the net on at least a couple of occasions each contest.

Regardless of how long this lasts and hopefully it will for a long while, the 22-year old has already made hockey history.