When the league announced that the Carolina Hurricanes and the Seattle Kraken would represent the NHL at the Global Series in Finland, I immediately knew that I needed to dedicate something to the best Finns to ever play for the franchise by putting together an all-Finnish team. It felt like a no-brainer, until I hit a tiny snag in my research.
Since joining the NHL as the Hartford Whalers in 1979, there have only been 19 Finns to play for either Hartford or Carolina, which isn't enough to make a full team, and some didn't spend a lot of time with the franchise. So, I pivoted. Instead of a full roster, I've gone with an All-Star roster, comprised of six forwards, three defensemen, a goalie, and two extras. Even then, it wasn't easy.
To be considered, the criteria were pretty simple. All you needed was to be Finnish and have played a game for the franchise. Only time spent with the organization was considered, so you won't see Mikko Rantanen or Eetu Luostarinen here. Also, no honorary Finns, which means Seth Jarvis didn't quite make the cut.
Extras: Erik Haula/Juuso Valimaki
There is a considerable gap between the six best Finnish forwards and the rest of the pack. Sitting at #7 is everyone's favorite Hurricane. Haula only spent half a season in Raleigh, recording 12 goals and 22 points. History shows that he wasn't very fond of the team, and the fans have responded in kind by letting them know how they feel about him every time he visits.
It should speak volumes that only eight games this season put Valimaki under consideration. However, the fact remains that there have only been five Finnish defensemen in franchise history. The only other, Rasmus Rissanen, played just six games and didn't record a point. Of course, an argument could be made that Valimaki is the third-best in this group, but I won't let recency bias determine that.
Goalie: Antti Raanta
This was a very easy pick. Only one Finn has ever stood between the pipes for the Carolina Hurricanes. Therefore, Raanta is the pick. However, that doesn't downplay how important he was to the team's success when he played in Raleigh. Joining Frederik Andersen as his battery mate in 2022, Raanta might be a little underappreciated for what he did as a Hurricane.
The tandem won the Jennings Trophy in their first season, the first time the Canes ever finished with the lowest GAA in the league. When Andersen went down at the end of the season, Raanta led the team through a seven-game gauntlet with the Bruins. The following postseason, he won three games against the Islanders before Andersen finished the job. In 79 games, Raanta finished with a 2.53 GAA.
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Jani Hakanpaa: Playing in 15 games during the regular season and another 11 during the 2021 postseason, Hakanpaa wasn't around for very long. Still, the 2021 deadline acquisition had a few big moments during his short stint. The bar is relatively low for Finnish defensemen in franchise history, though that's not to say he isn't deserving.
Hakanpaa had just two goals and three points with the Hurricanes during the latter half of the season, and each goal was of great importance. His first was a game-winning goal against the Predators, and his second ensured the Canes made it to overtime, securing a point and clinching their spot in the playoffs. He went pointless in the playoffs, and his tenure ended that summer.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi: Bringing Kotkaniemi into the fold was one of the most talked-about moments in franchise history. It's not every day that a team signs a player to an offer sheet and it results in them changing teams. While the move hasn't worked as well as the team had hoped it would, that's not to say there haven't been good moments for him.
Kotkaniemi's tenure with the Canes has been rocky. The highs, like the 2022-23 season and postseason, have been very high. The lows have been understandably frustrating. While Kotkaniemi spent half of last season and the entire playoffs in the press box, he is a Stanley Cup champion. Now, he's getting ready to play in front of his home country while playing some of his best hockey.
Tuomo Ruutu: When the Hurricanes last visited Finland in 2010, the team had three Finns on the roster. All three are on this team, with Ruutu being the first. During that trip, Ruutu scored the Canes' only goal in regulation in the second contest, a 2-1 shootout win to help the group sweep the Minnesota Wild and begin their season 2-0-0.
Ruutu is one of four Finns in franchise history with more than 200 points, amassing 216 points in 378 games over parts of seven seasons. The only postseason action of his career came with the Canes in 2009, recording four points in 16 games. Ruutu was an integral part of the team's offense, playing his best seasons in Raleigh.
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Joni Pitkanen: There are only two Finnish defensemen in franchise history who ever accomplished a ton with the organization. Pitkanen wasn't a prolific scorer, though he put up 140 points in 266 games, the 12th most points among defensemen in franchise history. He had eight assists during the team's 2009 playoff run, including a helper on a fellow Finn's game-tying goal during the Shock at the Rock.
Pitkanen's career took a major turn on a fateful night in 2013. During a race to create icing against the Capitals, back before hybrid icing was a thing, he crashed into the boards, breaking his heel bone. The injury effectively ended his NHL career at 29 years old. He attempted a return in 2016, playing three games for Karpat in Finland before calling it quits for good.
Jussi Jokinen: I've gushed a lot about how well Jokinen played with the Hurricanes during the 2009 playoffs. In fact, during his 13-year career, playing nearly 1,000 games with nine franchises, Jokinen played his best hockey in Carolina. His 185 points don't seem like a lot, especially compared to other forwards in franchise history, but that 2009 run and his first full season with the team were incredible.
After being acquired during the 2008-09 season, Jokinen scored some of the biggest goals during the team's run to the conference finals. He finished second to Eric Staal in goals (7) and points (11). The following season, Jokinen posted the best season of his career, scoring 30 goals and 65 points. While he never quite got back to that level after that, we'll always remember peak Jokinen.
Sami Kapanen: There are only two Finns on this list who have the distinct honor of being drafted by the organization, and you know exactly who the other one is. Selected by the Whalers in the fourth round in 1995, Kapanen was among the final Whalers and the original Hurricanes. He has one of the most impressive resumes for any Hurricane, both in the NHL and internationally.
Kapanen was a five-time 20-goal scorer for the Hurricanes, a two-time All-Star, and a two-time Fastest Skater winner. He was part of the team's 2002 Stanley Cup Final run. He also represented Finland at the World Championships seven times, including a gold in 1995, and at the Olympics three times, winning bronze twice. Kapanen is also a member of the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame.
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Risto Siltanen: It's rare that I open the floor to Whalers players when I'm doing things like this because it incorporates an era that I wasn't alive for and know considerably less about. Siltanen might not be a household name, but he put together a few good seasons with the Whalers, and when it comes to Finnish defensemen in franchise history, there is arguably no one better than him.
Listed somewhere between 5'6" and 5'9", Siltanen wasn't the biggest player in the world, but his shot packed some serious heat. In Whalers history, Siltanen ranks in the Top 5 in goals, assists, and points among defensemen, recording 158 points in 277 games. Even factoring in Hurricanes players, he's in the Top 10 in goals and points, and only Justin Faulk and Dave Babych have more power-play goals.
Teuvo Teravainen: Stuck in a logjam of young forwards in Chicago shortly after winning a Stanley Cup in 2015, the Canes made a move to bring him in. It's safe to say that the move worked swimmingly for the team. Teravainen immediately jumped to the top of the lineup and formed a serious bond with a fellow Finn, becoming the franchise's top-scoring duo.
In eight seasons with the Hurricanes, Teravainen recorded 415 points, the ninth-most in franchise history. He ranks in the Top 10 in most offensive categories in the playoffs across seven postseason appearances. It's a serious bummer that he wasn't on last year's Stanley Cup team, though he still got to celebrate with his close friend, the best Finn in Whalers and Hurricanes history.
Sebastian Aho: In the next few years, Aho will establish himself as the best player to ever play for the Carolina Hurricanes. Assuming he remains healthy, Aho will pass Eric Staal for the most goals since relocation before the end of the month, and the record for assists and points is well within his reach to beat by the end of the season.
When you talk about the embodiment of consistency with the team, Aho is the first player you think of. He has led the team in scoring almost every year since his debut. He is the team's most prolific postseason scorer, and now he's a Stanley Cup champion, too. His #20 will be retired at some point after his career ends, and there's no question about that. He'll revel in this experience for sure.
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