Speculation: Non-Russian KHL players who could play in the NHL next season

[Mestaruus]

Who do you guys think are the kind of players in the KHL right now who could play in the NHL or NHL organizations next season? It's very possible that there won't be a single foreign (non Russian) player playing in KHL the next season because of the unstable situation in Russia now.

I'm from Finland and my expertise lies more in the Finnish players. I'm quite confident that these players would do well in the NHL right now:

-Hannes Björninen - center - team: Jokerit - 3rd or 4th line center. Face off specialist. He is a very versatile player. Fast enough skater. I'm 100% that this guy should be in the NHL.

-Sakari Manninen - center - team: UFA - small but very skilled player. He should be a second liner in the NHL and has potential to be even #1 center in some weaker teams in my opinion. Fast enough skater. Also 100% that this guy should be in the NHL.

-Teemu Hartikainen - winger - team: UFA - He has a legend status in UFA team. He would've spent the rest of his career in the KHL and his salary has been over one million in euros with low taxes in the KHL. He had no reason to leave KHL, but now there is a reason. A come back to NHL?

-Harri Säteri - goalie - team: Sibir - Very solid season in KHL and he was the starting goalie in the recent Olympics and he played great. Close to MVP of the tournament in my opinion. His short visit in NHL featured only 4 games with a 2-2 record or so. He wasn't given a proper chance.

-Juho (Jussi) Olkinuora - goalie - team: Magnitogorsk - He would've been the starting goalie for Finland in the Olympics without the Covid problems. He also was the starting goalie for Finland in the previous WHC tournament where Finland lost to Canada in the final. He's been great in KHL season after season.

-Mikko Lehtonen - Defender - team: SKA St. Petersburg - He played some games for Columbus when season started and surprisingly he left in the middle of the season to play in KHL. Will he go back to NHL? Many say that he has been the best defender in Europe & KHL for some years.

There are more Finnish KHL players who have some potential for NHL or who could still play in there such as Leo Komarov, Miro Aaltonen, Oliwer Kaski to mention a few. I didn't mention players from other leagues. This list has more Finnish players in the KHL this season:
Suomalaiset KHL-pelaajat kauden 2021-2022 runkosarjassa

What about players from other nations than Finland?

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[OneSniffTwoSniff]

Who do you guys think are the kind of players in the KHL right now who could play in the NHL or NHL organizations next season? It's very possible that there won't be a single foreign (non Russian) player playing in KHL the next season because of the unstable situation in Russia now.

I'm from Finland and my expertise lies more in the Finnish players. I'm quite confident that these players would do well in the NHL right now:

-Hannes Björninen - center - team: Jokerit - 3rd or 4th line center. Face off specialist. He is a very versatile player. Fast enough skater. I'm 100% that this guy should be in the NHL.

-Sakari Manninen - center - team: UFA - small but very skilled player. He should be a second liner in the NHL and has potential to be even #1 center in some weaker teams in my opinion. Fast enough skater. Also 100% that this guy should be in the NHL.

-Teemu Hartikainen - winger - team: UFA - He has a legend status in UFA team. He would've spent the rest of his career in the KHL and his salary has been over one million in euros with low taxes in the KHL. He had no reason to leave KHL, but now there is a reason. A come back to NHL?

-Harri Säteri - goalie - team: Sibir - Very solid season in KHL and he was the starting goalie in the recent Olympics and he played great. Close to MVP of the tournament in my opinion. His short visit in NHL featured only 4 games with a 2-2 record or so. He wasn't given a proper chance.

-Juho (Jussi) Olkinuora - goalie - team: Magnitogorsk - He would've been the starting goalie for Finland in the Olympics without the Covid problems. He also was the starting goalie for Finland in the previous WHC tournament where Finland lost to Canada in the final. He's been great in KHL season after season.

-Mikko Lehtonen - Defender - team: SKA St. Petersburg - He played some games for Columbus when season started and surprisingly he left in the middle of the season to play in KHL. Will he go back to NHL? Many say that he has been the best defender in Europe & KHL for some years.

There are more Finnish KHL players who have some potential for NHL or who could still play in there such as Leo Komarov, Miro Aaltonen, Oliwer Kaski to mention a few. I didn't mention players from other leagues. This list has more Finnish players in the KHL this season:
Suomalaiset KHL-pelaajat kauden 2021-2022 runkosarjassa

What about players from other nations than Finland?

Lmao at 30 year old 5'7 center having 1st line potential.

I think the only guy who could crack an NHL line up would be that Bjorn guy, he is young and seems to have a playing style to fit the NHL. Sateri could also be a decent back up I guess.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Sounds good except for one thing: most of these guys would have played in the NHL already if they were good enough to play in the NHL. It does make sense for Bjorninen to try it, maybe he makes it as a 4th liner somewhere. It makes sense both for him and teams interested, next to no risk from either side.

Others are either just bad or would require a reasonably big financial commitment from the team signing them in terms of cap space and I just don't see why would NHL teams do that. Contenders can't afford it and bad teams are for the most part fine with being bad, they don't need some 30+ aged Finn to make them very slightly less bad.

 

[JAK]

I would not be surprised if a few end up playing in Arizona just to make cap floor

 

[SoundAndFury]

Lmao at 30 year old 5'7 center having 1st line potential.

Yeah that evaluation is terrible but I know Mestaruus is a big Manninen fan, I won't crush his dreams.

I would not be surprised if a few end up playing in Arizona just to make cap floor

Why would they do that instead of just collecting garbage from other NHL teams with additional assets?

 

[barriers]

Björninen I could see in the NHL as a bottom-6 centre on a cheap 1-year ELC but I'm not sure about the others. I have doubts Lehtonen would give the NHL another shot, he was UFA this summer and I suspect if he had several other offers he wouldn't have re-signed with Columbus.

 

[Metroid]

Change the title.

Should say 'Non Russian KHL players who could play in the NHL next season because Russia decided to invade a country'

 

[OrangePMD]

Björninen might get a look, but does he want to play for two-way AHL money ? He isn't a sure thing to make a NHL team. It's also worth noting that the IIHF faceoff rule might heavily skew his (and other top faceoff guys) numbers.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Björninen might get a look, but does he want to play for two-way AHL money ? He isn't a sure thing to make a NHL team. It's also worth noting that the IIHF faceoff rule might heavily skew his (and other top faceoff guys) numbers.

He can just have an out-clause if he doesn't make the NHL team. I don't think he would want to play in the AHL but it does make sense for him to try to make the NHL, he isn't making millions in Europe either. Unlike the other guys on the list, it has to be noted.

Also, Metsola seems to be missing from the list. Considering a few goalies that did make the KHL>NHL jump with reasonable success somebody might roll dice on him.

 

[Djp]

CurrentRussian players playing in the nhl now….if they return to Russia don’t count on them being back next year.

 

[OrangePMD]

He can just have an out-clause if he doesn't make the NHL team. I don't think he would want to play in the AHL but it does make sense for him to try to make the NHL, he isn't making millions in Europe either. Unlike the other guys on the list, it has to be noted.

True, but there are more jobs available now, than after NHL camps. He would probably get a better deal in Europe now, and try NHL a year from now with a cheap one-way contract.

I do believe he'll get NHL offers. He might sign, he might not.

 

[Mestaruus]

Sounds good except for one thing: most of these guys would have played in the NHL already if they were good enough to play in the NHL. It does make sense for Bjorninen to try it, maybe he makes it as a 4th liner somewhere. It makes sense both for him and teams interested, next to no risk from either side.

Others are either just bad or would require a reasonably big financial commitment from the team signing them in terms of cap space and I just don't see why would NHL teams do that. Contenders can't afford it and bad teams are for the most part fine with being bad, they don't need some 30+ aged Finn to make them very slightly less bad.

I didn't say that they would be stars, other than Manninen. I personally believe that the defender Mikko Lehtonen has that potential as well. Also never know about goalies.

I think that we'll see more KHL guys than usual next season in the NHL as a result of this war. In my opinion it's an interesting point of discussion who those guys might be. I gave my perspective from one Finnish guy's point of view on who I think are most likely to make it if they decide to go to North-America next season.

 

[Mestaruus]

Change the title.

Should say 'Non Russian KHL players who could play in the NHL next season because Russia decided to invade a country'

Your wish has been granted except that was too long for a thread title. Did my best lol.

What about the Swedes and Czech players of KHL. Anyone got a perspective of them about possibly going to North-America next season?

 

[Petes2424]

It’s more likely the coming exodus will point these players towards the SHL, DEL, etc. not the NHL.

 

[Mestaruus]

He can just have an out-clause if he doesn't make the NHL team. I don't think he would want to play in the AHL but it does make sense for him to try to make the NHL, he isn't making millions in Europe either. Unlike the other guys on the list, it has to be noted.

Also, Metsola seems to be missing from the list. Considering a few goalies that did make the KHL>NHL jump with reasonable success somebody might roll dice on him.

True about Metsola. He has similar potential as Säteri and Olkinuora, but thread turned into a Finnish players only thread sadly, which wasn't the intention lol.

 

[Mestaruus]

It’s more likely the coming exodus will point these players towards the SHL, DEL, etc. not the NHL.

When the second best league in the world option disappears I think that many players won't give up as easily as before on their NHL dream and some more players compared to before are willing to take the AHL path to get to NHL if that is required. We'll see more competition than before about the roster spots in the top leagues including NHL next season. It will be interesting.

 

[DrDangles]

Was Hartikainen that Finnish prospect that had an insane clapper but nothing else?

 

[Mestaruus]

CurrentRussian players playing in the nhl now….if they return to Russia don’t count on them being back next year.

If they will be even allowed to play in the NHL next season. Some sports just straight out banned Russian athletes. I didn't notice this happening in North-America yet (UFC, NHL), but that might be coming.

 

[M Ace]

Lmao at 30 year old 5'7 center having 1st line potential.

I think the only guy who could crack an NHL line up would be that Bjorn guy, he is young and seems to have a playing style to fit the NHL. Sateri could also be a decent back up I guess.

Derek Armstrong or Cliff Ronning 2.0…

 

[Mestaruus]

Was Hartikainen that Finnish prospect that had an insane clapper but nothing else?

His biggest strength is his size and puck protection ability. Poor man's Mikko Rantanen. I think that other KHL teams would've killed to get him from team UFA, but he has stayed loyal to that team. He seemed good in the Olympic tournament which was played on small ice.

This upcoming WHC tournament in Finland this spring will be played on small ice as well and it could be a great opportunity for some of these players to showcase what it could look like in the NHL.

 

[belair]

Was Hartikainen that Finnish prospect that had an insane clapper but nothing else?

That's Iiro Pakarinen, isn't it?

Hartikainen is a gritty crash and bang left winger. Very little flash to his game. He may not have the footspeed for the NHL.

 

[Mestaruus]

That's Iiro Pakarinen, isn't it?

Hartikainen is a gritty crash and bang left winger. Very little flash to his game. He may not have the footspeed for the NHL.

Edmonton went through so many Finnish fourth line grinders at one point. Pakarinen, Hartikainen and Lennart Petrell. Each stayed there for only some seasons.

Iiro Pakarinen could probably still be a 4th liner in the NHL and Hartikainen has developed more since his NHL visit in my opinion. Yeah foot speed might be a little concern with Hartikainen but that didn't slow him down in the Olympic tournament played on small ice rink, which of course wasn't against the best players in the world.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Was Hartikainen that Finnish prospect that had an insane clapper but nothing else?

You are thinking about Pulkkinen.

 

[Brodeur]

-Mikko Lehtonen - Defender - team: SKA St. Petersburg - He played some games for Columbus when season started and surprisingly he left in the middle of the season to play in KHL. Will he go back to NHL? Many say that he has been the best defender in Europe & KHL for some years.

Lehtonen cleared waivers (twice) in order for his contract to be terminated, essentially every NHL club figured they couldn't guarantee him an NHL roster spot on a relatively affordable contract. Not sure if much has changed in six months or perhaps he'd be more amenable to playing in the AHL. But I'd figure he'll stay in Europe for at least another season.

 

[dbaz]

More interesting would be to think of the amount of Russians coming. think there would be a bunch of Russians trying to escape even to play Ahl due to sanctions and overall craziness there atm.