HF Article
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- Nov 16, 2005
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The number of players drafted from Finland will likely never again reach the record numbers prior to the 2004-05 NHL lockout. Since that time, NHL clubs have tended to see how players from Finland and other European countries develop and then sign them as free agents rather than drafting youngsters.
But after hitting a post-lockout low of four players in 2007 the number of players drafted from Finland has steadily increased, with at least one Finnish-trained player being taken in the first round in each of the last three drafts.
That trend should continue this year as 17-year-old Tappara forward Aleksander Barkov could be one of the top five players picked, while TPS defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is expected to follow shortly after.… read more
More...
The number of players drafted from Finland will likely never again reach the record numbers prior to the 2004-05 NHL lockout. Since that time, NHL clubs have tended to see how players from Finland and other European countries develop and then sign them as free agents rather than drafting youngsters.
But after hitting a post-lockout low of four players in 2007 the number of players drafted from Finland has steadily increased, with at least one Finnish-trained player being taken in the first round in each of the last three drafts.
That trend should continue this year as 17-year-old Tappara forward Aleksander Barkov could be one of the top five players picked, while TPS defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is expected to follow shortly after.… read more
More...
