SM-liiga | CollegeHockeyPlayers

21May

Harri Sateri (35)

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San Jose Sharks‘ 6th year Finnish-born goaltender Harri Sateri(35) heading into his second restricted free agency decides it’s time to leave and signs a 1-year deal in the KHL with Vityaz Podolsk for 2014/2015.

It comes after 4 seasons tending net for minor league affiliate Worcester Sharks.

He played a regular season high 45 AHL games last season, winning a career best 18 but also losing a worst 24. His goals against average and save percentages also started slipping on a team that has struggled more often than not.

The 6’1″ 205 lbs. goalie played two seasons pro in his home country’s top league Liiga for Tappara before joining the Sharks‘ prospect system.

He’ll likely be qualified for another year to keep his North American playing rights but it seems likely that the 24-year old won’t be returning to these shores again.

19Dec

Ilari Melart(22) Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk

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Columbus Blue Jackets‘ undrafted, large-sized Finnish-born rookie defenseman Ilari Melart(22) has decided to pack his bags and move his game “on loan” to the KHL joining Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk for the remainder of the 2013/2014 season.

The 6’4″ 227 lbs. blue liner was playing on reassignment with minor league affiliate Springfield Falcons. In 24 AHL games, he netted one goal and two assists but connecting on the score sheet has yet to really become part of his impact.

Through four pro seasons with HIFK in SM-Liiga, he never put up big numbers but was always a leader in penalty minutes and never shies away from the rough stuff, playing a very defensive-minded game.

Signed to a 1-year entry level deal with the Blue Jackets, it’s a bit doubtful they will qualify him to keep him around but the still young 24-year old might be better suited for pro hockey closer to home.

13Aug

Simon Gysbers(24) Ilves

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After three years in Toronto Maple Leafs‘ prospect system, first a 2-year entry level deal and then a one-year extension, undrafted defenseman Simon Gysbers(24) was unrestricted but quickly grabbed a deal overseas in the Finnish elite league SM-liiga with Ilves for the 2013/2014 season.

He had good but declining numbers with minor league affiliate Toronto Marlies through 196 AHL games (16 goals, 65 assists, +7 rating). It just seemed that the clock on the parent club’s waiting game for him to develop had run its course though.

At 6’4″ 200 lbs. he’s a big frame although doesn’t necessarily play an overtly physical style. He’s more of a shooter and a set-up guy as indicated by his consecutive 20+ assist seasons to start his pro career. He also threw at least a shot (and more) on net in each game played.

The 26-year old is likely another soon-to-be former North American player that should do well on the bigger sheets of ice and different talent pool and we expect him to move up to some higher leagues. He could even potentially come back. We shall see. 10 more pounds of muscle probably wouldn’t hurt either.

13Apr

Sami Aittokallio (30)

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Colorado Avalanche 4th round pick in the 2010 draft (#107 overall), Finnish rookie net minder Sami Aittokallio(30) got his first crack at an NHL start for a team that is out of the playoff picture in this lockout shortened season.

He performed well only allowing a pair of goals on 25 shots in two periods before having to be relieved in the third with muscle cramps he was suffering due to dehydration.

The Avalanche ended up losing the game 3-2 in the shootout.

In 26 appearances for AHL affliate Lake Erie Monsters, he has a 14-11-1 record with a 2.89 GAA and .903 SV%.

At 20-years old, the parent club believes he could be their starting goalie of the future, signing him to a 3-year entry level deal that runs through 2015.

The 6’1″ 180 lbs. backstop could be their answer between the pipes.

They need one as they ended up signing three goaltender prospects on one day in the offseason.

He performed nicely in the last couple of years as a teenager in Finland’s elite league, SM-liiga, so if he can stay on course he could be their guy.

18Mar

Harri Pesonen(18) New Jersey Devils

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New Jersey Devils‘ undrafted Finnish rookie left wing Harri Pesonen(18) made his NHL debut over the weekend, a 2-1 loss.

He skated 13 shifts for 8:32 total ice time and was credited for one hit.

In 53 AHL games with minor league affiliate Albany Devils, the 5’11” 198 lbs. forward has scored 11 times and added 15 assists, while maintaining a 0 plus/minus.

Folks are hot on him to succeed in the show. He’s already played four seasons of pro hockey in Finland’s elite league, SM-liiga for JYP and put up some decent numbers.

In a very interesting move, the Devils have only signed the 24-year old to a one-year two-way deal with a signing bonus, which makes this recall seem more like an audition for an extension.

There’s only upside for the organization to continue to pursue more time to him to develop.

20Dec

Ryan Lasch(11) Fort Wayne Komets

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3rd year, undrafted right wing Ryan Lasch(11) started his pro career with a couple of seasons overseas, first in Sweden and then in Finland with Pelicans of SM-liiga, where he led the league in scoring with 24 goals and 38 assists in 59 games.

The California-born skater comes back to the North American hockey for 2012/2013, signing a deal two-year, two-way deal with Anaheim Ducks, which gives him some stability coming back to these shores.

No chance at him competing for a spot on the NHL roster right now, so he was reassigned to start the year with their new AHL affiliate Norfolk Admirals.

In 11 contests the 5’9″ 170 lbs. forward (who looks a bit bigger on ice than those measurements) scored his first goal and added 3 assists.

Apparently the brass was expecting more or just wanted to try some different looks with a team was slow to start in the first third of the season, so they reassigned him to the ECHL Fort Wayne Komets.

The 25-year wasted zero time proving that his play is above this league. In 10 games, he exploded for 5 goals (including a hat trick) and 9 assists with a +4 plus/minus.

No surprise he was picked as the ECHL Player Of The Week for 12/10-12/16. If he continues on this tear, look for him to get recalled sooner than later but he’ll still need to put up points consistently to stay.

04Dec

Riku Helenius(31) Syracuse Crunch

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Tampa Bay Lightning 1st round pick in the 2006 draft (#15 overall), Finnish goaltender Riku Helenius(31) has already had quite the ride through North American pro leagues and Europe in his 5-year playing career.

In his rookie campaign he saw 7 minutes of NHL game action, 25 appearances in the AHL with then affiliate Norfolk Admirals and 11 contests with three different ECHL teams.

Entering his sophomore season he started with Norfolk but after a dozen games was reassigned to the top league in Sweden, where he stayed through the next year while still under he 3-year entry level contract.

For 2011/2012 the decision was made for him to join JYP Jyvaskyla in his home country’s SM-liiga, where he won the National Championship with the team and posted his most impressive numbers yet over the course of the regular season and in the playoffs.

The now 24-year old, 6’3″ 211 lbs. netminder was wooed back to the United States to compete for a job in the show. But due to the NHL lockout the first season of that 2-year deal (the 2nd is a one-way contract) may be spent entirely with the Lightning‘s new minor league affiliate, Syracuse Crunch. The same team that won the 2012 Calder Cup as Norfolk Admirals.

In 8 AHL starts, he’s off to an ok start with a 5-2 record on a very good team but has a not so great 3.04 GAA and .878 SV%. He may heat up as the 2012/2013 rolls on but he’s already mixed it up in a goalie fight early in his time back.

28Jun

Marco Rosa (19)

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Entering his 10th pro season, center Marco Rosa(19) skips the country to play with Espoo Blues of the SM-liiga for the 2012/2013 season.

Hampered by post-concussion symptoms, he was limited to just 31 games during the regular season but did manage to produce close to a point per game with 6 goals and 21 assists.

He was on par to beat his career high point totals from 2 years ago until he got sidelined.

Although he did return for 9 postseason contests, he wasn’t nearly the same player, getting only one assist.

Originally a Dallas Stars‘ 8th round pick in the 2001 draft (#255 overall), the 6’ 180 lbs. forward worked his way up through the ranks first with a few years in the ECHL and for the last 5 seasons he’s been an AHL mainstay.

At 30 years old, no doubt he’s making the right decision to possible play his final years in Europe.

27Jun

Corey Locke(84) TPS

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There comes a time when a player has pretty much done all he can in North America. Even though he was drafted by Montreal Canadiens in the 4th round of 2003 (#114 overall), has 573 AHL regular season and another 62 playoff games to his credit; plus 2 Calder Cup Championships (Binghamton 2011 and Hamilton 2007), has scored 197 goals and added 383 assists for a total of 580 points and has plenty of other accolades including league MVP to his credit, sometimes it’s just time.

28-year old center Corey Locke(84) signed on with TPS of SM-liiga for the 2012/2013 season as he becomes an unrestricted free agent after signing a two-year deal in 2010 with Ottawa Senators.

Odds are the quick thinking, skillful 5’9″ 175 lbs. playmaker will continue to produce a point per game even in the new environment.

It comes as a bit of a surprise that he would leave to go play in Europe as his two-way contract pays him pretty well and another team could easily use his services for another couple of seasons, but again, seems like more of a timing issue; and the level of hockey he’s entering will keep him at the top of his game.

Ironically he earned his only NHL point, an assist, last season. He’s appeared in only 9 big league games.

See related posts: 1/15/11, 5/6/11, 6/5/11.