Sisu4ever
Registered User
- Jan 6, 2020
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Recent Mikkola/Kakko article in Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat. I did Google translate, and corrected a few things, but there might still be some minor translation errors:
(I also posted this in the Kakko thread, but it is as much about Niko, how he became a Ranger)
VLADIMIR TARASENKO moves to the New York Rangers.
This kind of information started to spread last Thursday, but the information about the amount paid by the Rangers to the St. Louis Blues began to leak a little later, and the official confirmation of the deal came only about an hour later.
- I played on PlayStation with my Finnish friends. At the same time, I was browsing social media and saw that Tarasenko was coming. Of course, I immediately started to see if there would be a call that I could go the other way myself, Kaapo Kakko told Ilta-Sanomat on Monday in Vancouver.
- You never know, and sometimes there have been rumors.
Little by little, it became clear that Niko Mikkola would also be involved in the deal from the Blues' side, in addition to the goal scorer. From the Rangers, Sammy Blais, farm player Hunter Skinner and draft picks left in the other direction.
Mikkola's transfer came to Kakko's attention from a message from fellow player Braden Schneider.
- Schneider sent a message and asked if I knew the guy. I hadn't even noticed yet that he was involved in the training.
- It's somehow strange that we read about them on social media, even though we play in the same team. However, that's the name of the business. The player who left us (Blais) probably found the information there himself.
Lauri Pajuniemi and Tarmo Reunanen have been in the Rangers organization at the same time as Kakko.
Both have been familiar to the Turku native for years, but apart from Reunanen's short four-game stint in the NHL and Taxi squad, Kakko has basically played his entire nearly four-year NHL career without a Finnish teammate.
- When Schneider came to ask if I knew Mikkola, of course I immediately connected it to the trade. I went looking for more information and was pretty excited. Finally a Finnish playmate, Kakko said with satisfaction.
Mikkola and Kakko played together in the men's WC gold team 2019 and sauna’d frequently before the games.
- We immediately cursed, where to find the best sauna.
What about Mikkola himself?
He was getting ready for the Blues' first practice after the star break, when he learned that there is no need to go to the ice.
- Five minutes before the meeting, the GM called the coach. I was picked up, and I found out that I had been traded, Mikkola said.
One announcement changes life a lot and is sure to be a shock.
- It is. There had been talk in the media and I knew that something could happen before the transfer deadline, but you can't prepare for it. It came quite suddenly.
The day in the Rangers started right away with consecutive days of games, where there were victories over Seattle and Carolina.
- Except for the penalties in the first game, it has gone well. There are few new things. I have tried to play simply and communicate a lot on the ice. There were good wins, which one can only be satisfied with.
IN HIS DEBUT against Seattle, Mikkola received no less than three two-minute penalties.
The "hat trick" was special.
There haven't been any penalties like that in my entire career. In the first one, the guy skated after the whistle and lifted the stick to the stick, lifting it a little, Mikkola said about the situation where his stick then went up into the opponent's face.
The second, Mikkola's hook ice, was preceded by an offside. The third came from delaying the game, when Mikkola shot the puck into the stands - though clearly through the stick of Matty Beniers.
- I didn't even say anything to the judge, when I thought it was clearly seen. Yes, there was a bit of a laugh already.
RANGERS will play in Vancouver on Wednesday, but traveled to the venue already on Sunday.
As you might guess from the schedule, the team then held a traditional Rookie Party, i.e. a rookie dinner.
After a long drawn-out evening, we went to the ice around 12:30.
How did the skate move?
- Well, it wasn't the fastest, but I hope it didn't look too slow, Mikkola smiled.
Mikkola has previously played in the NHL on the same team as Ville Husso. Husso was also now simultaneously in Vancouver and in the same hotel with the Rangers – but with the Detroit Red Wings.
- I saw "Hude" for the first time this season.
Now 26-year-old Mikkola got into the same group as Kakko.
- There hasn't been a Finnish teammate this season, it's so fun to chat with a Finn too. However, I have also tried to get to know new guys. There are many new names and other new things.
Original article in Finnish
(I also posted this in the Kakko thread, but it is as much about Niko, how he became a Ranger)
VLADIMIR TARASENKO moves to the New York Rangers.
This kind of information started to spread last Thursday, but the information about the amount paid by the Rangers to the St. Louis Blues began to leak a little later, and the official confirmation of the deal came only about an hour later.
- I played on PlayStation with my Finnish friends. At the same time, I was browsing social media and saw that Tarasenko was coming. Of course, I immediately started to see if there would be a call that I could go the other way myself, Kaapo Kakko told Ilta-Sanomat on Monday in Vancouver.
- You never know, and sometimes there have been rumors.
Little by little, it became clear that Niko Mikkola would also be involved in the deal from the Blues' side, in addition to the goal scorer. From the Rangers, Sammy Blais, farm player Hunter Skinner and draft picks left in the other direction.
Mikkola's transfer came to Kakko's attention from a message from fellow player Braden Schneider.
- Schneider sent a message and asked if I knew the guy. I hadn't even noticed yet that he was involved in the training.
- It's somehow strange that we read about them on social media, even though we play in the same team. However, that's the name of the business. The player who left us (Blais) probably found the information there himself.
Lauri Pajuniemi and Tarmo Reunanen have been in the Rangers organization at the same time as Kakko.
Both have been familiar to the Turku native for years, but apart from Reunanen's short four-game stint in the NHL and Taxi squad, Kakko has basically played his entire nearly four-year NHL career without a Finnish teammate.
- When Schneider came to ask if I knew Mikkola, of course I immediately connected it to the trade. I went looking for more information and was pretty excited. Finally a Finnish playmate, Kakko said with satisfaction.
Mikkola and Kakko played together in the men's WC gold team 2019 and sauna’d frequently before the games.
- We immediately cursed, where to find the best sauna.
What about Mikkola himself?
He was getting ready for the Blues' first practice after the star break, when he learned that there is no need to go to the ice.
- Five minutes before the meeting, the GM called the coach. I was picked up, and I found out that I had been traded, Mikkola said.
One announcement changes life a lot and is sure to be a shock.
- It is. There had been talk in the media and I knew that something could happen before the transfer deadline, but you can't prepare for it. It came quite suddenly.
The day in the Rangers started right away with consecutive days of games, where there were victories over Seattle and Carolina.
- Except for the penalties in the first game, it has gone well. There are few new things. I have tried to play simply and communicate a lot on the ice. There were good wins, which one can only be satisfied with.
IN HIS DEBUT against Seattle, Mikkola received no less than three two-minute penalties.
The "hat trick" was special.
There haven't been any penalties like that in my entire career. In the first one, the guy skated after the whistle and lifted the stick to the stick, lifting it a little, Mikkola said about the situation where his stick then went up into the opponent's face.
The second, Mikkola's hook ice, was preceded by an offside. The third came from delaying the game, when Mikkola shot the puck into the stands - though clearly through the stick of Matty Beniers.
- I didn't even say anything to the judge, when I thought it was clearly seen. Yes, there was a bit of a laugh already.
RANGERS will play in Vancouver on Wednesday, but traveled to the venue already on Sunday.
As you might guess from the schedule, the team then held a traditional Rookie Party, i.e. a rookie dinner.
After a long drawn-out evening, we went to the ice around 12:30.
How did the skate move?
- Well, it wasn't the fastest, but I hope it didn't look too slow, Mikkola smiled.
Mikkola has previously played in the NHL on the same team as Ville Husso. Husso was also now simultaneously in Vancouver and in the same hotel with the Rangers – but with the Detroit Red Wings.
- I saw "Hude" for the first time this season.
Now 26-year-old Mikkola got into the same group as Kakko.
- There hasn't been a Finnish teammate this season, it's so fun to chat with a Finn too. However, I have also tried to get to know new guys. There are many new names and other new things.
Original article in Finnish
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