What the LA Kings Need From Ján Chovan Over the Next 3 Years Andrew Epps | September 1, 2025 Los Angeles used a sixth-round pick on 19-year-old Ján Chovan, a 6-foot-2 left shot who split last season with Tappara U20 and Slovakia’s national teams. With a move to the…
What the LA Kings Have in 2025 NHL Goalie Draft Pick Petteri Rimpinen Andrew Epps | August 25, 2025 The Los Angeles Kings used a fifth-round pick on 19-year-old Petteri Rimpinen, a Finnish goaltender whose game leans on poise, efficient routes, and “quiet” saves in the Liiga. For Kings…
What the Oilers Need From Goalie Prospect Daniel Salonen Andrew Epps | August 22, 2025 The Edmonton Oilers used pick No. 191 in the 2025 NHL Draft on Daniel Salonen (goaltender, Lukko), a right-catching, 6-foot-3 Finn coming off a decorated U20 season and stepping into…
Finland at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup – A Fourth-Place Finish With Lessons Learned Andrew Epps | August 18, 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Tournament The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is an annual U18 best‑on‑best showcase for next‑draft‑class prospects. The 2025 edition, held in Czechia and Slovakia, provided NHL scouts a critical first look at 2008‑born…
What Europe’s Hockey Leagues Can Learn From Each Other Andrew Epps | August 11, 2025 Finland’s Liiga does not match the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) or Switzerland’s National League on market power. Budgets, broadcast reach, and top-end salaries are higher in Sweden and Switzerland, which…
Finland Made a Statement at the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase Andrew Epps | August 7, 2025 The 2025 edition of the World Junior Summer Showcase (WJSS) wrapped up in Minneapolis with Finland proving once again that their development system is one of the most consistent and…
Utah Mammoth Prospect Reko Alanko Faces First Test in Pitsiturnaus Tournament Andrew Epps | August 5, 2025 Pitsiturnaus is Rauma’s annual preseason hockey festival that brings six teams together every August in Kivikylän Areena. First held in 1993 as part of the city’s Lace Week celebrations, it…
Nokian Pyry Closes the Gap in Their Mestis Journey Andrew Epps | July 31, 2025 In my first article, I covered who Nokian Pyry is and gave you some details on how the Finnish hockey system works. Then, in my second article, I went into…
What NHL Fans Can Learn from Nokia Pyry and Finnish Hockey Culture Andrew Epps | July 29, 2025 A lot of the time, the goal for any team not already in the top tier of Finnish hockey, Liiga, is to get there. Thanks to the promotion and relegation…
How Jerkko Virtala Fits into Nokian Pyry’s Mestis Ambitions Andrew Epps | July 24, 2025 The top level of professional hockey in Finland is the Finnish Championship League, Suomen Mestaruusliiga or SM-Liiga for short. Similar to the English Football League, Finnish hockey uses a tier…
