The Carolina Hurricanes signed Finnish prospect Janne Kuokkanen to an entry level contract. So, today we take a look back at the Finnish contingent of the Canes.
The signing of Janne Kuokkanen to an entry level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes yesterday means that the London Knight can now play AHL hockey next season. He will likely be joined by fellow Finn Aleksi Saarela in Charlotte this fall.
Kuokkanen officially joins a franchise with a short, but great history of talented Finnish players making a big impact. With this in mind, we thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane. Here is the brief history of the Carolina Hurricanes’ Finnish stars.
The First Generation
The Carolina Hurricanes arrived in North Carolina in 1997. When they made the move south, they brought with them the first great Finn of Canes lore. Sami Kapanen was that player. The small, speedy forward, along with Keith Primeau, led the Hurricanes in scoring in their first season of existence.
From that point on, Kapanen became a key part of early Canes teams. In the first five Carolina seasons, Kapanen was always top 5 in team scoring. In 2001-02, his 27 goals helped the Hurricanes reach the playoffs where they then marched all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.
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The season after, Kapenen was traded to the Flyers. He never found the success he had with the Canes up in Philly. Eventually, he returned to Finland to continue playing all the way into 2014.
Into Our Hearts
After the Cup and after Sami Kapanen, the Hurricane reloaded their roster. Large components of that retooled team were Finns who would become beloved cult heroes. Those players were forwards Tuomo Ruutu and Jussi Jokinen, and defenseman Joni Pitkanen.
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All three joined the Hurricanes in between 2008 and 2009. Their inclusion into the team was the catalyst for Carolina’s Eastern Conference Finals run in 2009. During this run, the three Finns, especially Jokinen, were the heart and soul of the team. Instantly, they began to creep into the hearts of Caniac Nation.
For the next few years, Ruutu’s willpower, Pitkanen’s vision with the puck, and Jokinen’s clutchness became hallmarks of those Hurricane teams. This was especially true in 2010-11 with the famed Skins and Finns line. Ruutu and Jokinen flanked a young Jeff Skinner en route to his Calder Trophy.
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Sadly, by the time the Canes started their rebuild, none of these Finnish heroes stuck around. Both Ruutu and Jokinen were traded (in Jokinen’s case, the return was embarassingly awful). Pitkanen’s career took a horrible turn with a career ending injury that served as one the main reasons for the NHL’s adoption of hybrid icing.
The New Wave
In the present day, Carolina is once again seeing a reemergence of Finnish talent on its roster. Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen both are going to be significant pieces of the franchise going forward. Aho may even end up being the best Finn ever to wear a Canes jersey.
It doesn’t stop there either. Newly signed Janne Kuokkanen joins the young group that is rounded out by goalscorer Aleksi Saarela. Both players could feature in Charlotte next season, and soon be knocking on the door of the NHL.
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For whatever reason, the Finns who play for the Carolina Hurricanes almost always shine incredibly bright. They usually are a big part of some of the best teams Carolina has ever had. From Kapanen, to Jokinen and Ruutu, to now Aho and Teravainen, there is just something about Finns playing for Carolina. Perhaps its just that their style that fits in so well with the Hurricanes. Whatever it is, expect Finland to play a big part in Carolina’s successes in the future.