First of all, the name of Matt Nickerson seems to have appeared on the player list of the Edmonton Oilers website. It has been reported that the Oilers are trying to help the development of their prospects by adding some more experienced players on the Springfield Falcons roster. Nickerson is likely to be one of them, even though he has much more experience from SM-liiga than the AHL.

There was also another surprise signing earlier this week, when the New Jersey Devils announced they had signed winger Ilkka Pikkarainen. Pikkarainen is already 28, so he can’t be considered a prospect at this point of his career. He scored a career high 24 goals in SM-liiga last year.

Prospect Camps

At the same time when Finnish teams are about to begin their on-ice training, NHL clubs are having their prospect development camps. I’ve tried to gather a comprehensive list of Finnish players who are attending the camps of their respective NHL clubs.

Ilkka Heikkinen attended the Rangers’ camp which took place earlier this week. According to a Hockey’s Future article, he was a standout among the blueliners, which he should be, considering that most of the participants are significantly younger and less experienced than he is.

Teemu Hartikainen and Toni Rajala will be tearing up the Oilers development camp which starts on Monday. I’m sure Coming Down the Pipe in going to follow the camp closely.

Minnesota Wild’s camp will have a strong Finnish flavour to it, as there are a total of four Finns attending. Their both 2009 draft picks Erik Haula and Jere Sallinen will be there, as will their 2007 6th round pick Harri Ilvonen and 2008 5th round pick Eero Elo. The Wild camp opens on Tuesday.

The Canadiens also drafted a pair of Finns this year and both Joonas Nättinen and Petteri Similä are on their camp roster. Nashville Predators also have a number of Finnish prospects, so their camp, opening on Wednesday, also interests me. Their 2008 7th round pick Jani Lajunen is attending, as is their 2007 7th round pick Atte Engren. Teemu Laakso is also there, but that goes without saying, I guess.

St. Louis Blues will announce their camp roster just before the camp opens on Wednesday and I expect to see Jori Lehterä‘s name on it. Washington Capitals will open their camp in a week and Oskar Osala could be participating, depending a bit on the profile of players the Capitals want to see on their camp. Riku Helenius is naturally attending the Tampa Bay Lightning camp.

I couldn’t find the development camp rosters of the following clubs: Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks If you can help me with any of these, I’d be grateful. Is Joni Ortio attending the Flames camp? Is Perttu Lindgren going to the Stars camp? Mikko Koskinen is for sure on the Islanders camp? What about Tommi Kivistö and Rasmus Rissanen and the Hurricanes?

edit: According to a blog post from June 29th, both Rasmus Rissanen and Tommi Kivistö should attend the Carolina Hurricanes prospect camp. According to the same post, Kai Kantola (he may have born in Canada and grown in the US, but his parents are Finnish) is also attending their camp. No official roster has been announced yet, but their camp doesn’t open until July 15th, so there is still time.

The last two lists, former prospects signed by Finnish clubs and former prospects signed by foreign clubs from Finland and simply lists of players without much context, I just didn’t think most readers would care. If you have any questions, I’m happy to answer them.

Prospects signed by NHL clubs

4/25 - Joonas Lehtivuori, Ilves → Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers signed their fourth round pick from 2006 to a three-year entry-level deal. Lehtivuori had a rather difficult year after his breakout in 2007-08. He suffered a hand injury in September and never quite returned to the level he was on before that. Hopefully he’ll bounce back in the AHL, he has the tools to be a second PP unit quarterback in the NHL one day.

5/21 – Ilkka Heikkinen, HIFK → New York Rangers

Heikkinen was never drafted, but has had reasonable success in SM-liiga ever since making his breakthrough in 2005-06. As his points totals from the past four years – 15, 24, 37, 34 – suggest, he’s an offensive defenseman who excels on the powerplay. He also has a nice frame (6’2″, 200 lbs.) and likes to hit. His contract, as obligated by the CBA, is a one-year, entry-level deal.

5/26 – Ryan Keller, Blues → Ottawa Senators

Keller only had one year of AHL experience when he came to Finland, but during his two years at Espoo, he proved to be one of the most lethal offensive weapons of SM-liiga. He’s a natural sniper, but has developed into a much more complete package during his time in Finland. He might not make the Senators team out of camp, but I fully expect him to see NHL action next year.

5/29 – Alexander Salak, TPS → Florida Panthers

Salak first came to Finland in August 2006 to play in the second-tier league Mestis for Jokipojat (Joensuu). He was one of the best goalies of the league during 2006-07, but he was still a diamond in the rough. It took two years in the school of Urpo Ylönen to make him one of the hottest young goalies in Europe. His unorthodox style still needs some work, it’ll be interesting to see if the Panthers’ decision to go with a part-time goaltending coach has an effect on Salak’s future development.

Prospects signed by Finnish clubs

3/9 – Mikael Granlund, Kärpät → HIFK

Granlund is one of the best prospects Finland has ever produced, so this was a huge signing by HIFK. The sad part is that the controversy around Granlund’s contract with Kärpät stole the show. There still hasn’t been an official announcement by Kärpät that they’re letting Mikael Granlund go, but the fact that HIFK already has the name of his little brother Markus on their junior site says a lot. (There will be a lot of Granlund coverage on this site (and the internet in general) during the next year, so I’ll just skip all the other things for now.)

5/4 – Juha Metsola, Lethbridge Hurricanes (CAN) → HPK

Metsola played two years in the WHL and a lot of my readers can probably tell more about his progress there than I can. I like this signing though, he should serve as a reliable backup behind Teemu Lassila and develop into a starter with the help of Jari Kaarela.

5/5 – Tommi Kivistö, Red Deer Rebels (CAN) → Jokerit

I’m not sure what to make of this. First of all, I’m thrilled to see one of my favorite prospects back in the uniform he left a year ago. Second of all, I’m happy that he might be able to recover after an abysmal (latter half of the) year. Third of all, I’m wondering why he decided to return after just one year in the WHL. Fourth of all, I’m worried that he’ll spend most of the year in the juniors, playing against sub-par opponents.

6/4 – David Leggio, Florida Everblades (USA) → TPS

Leggio replaces Salak in TPS. I don’t think I had heard his name ever before, so I’m not going to pretend that I know anything about him. Let’s just say that working with one of the best goalie coaches of the world has never done anyone anything bad.

6/22 – Joni Karjalainen, HIFK → Tappara

HIFK may have got Granlund, but they lost one of their own crown jewels. Karjalainen is a diminutive forward who has been a mainstay on all junior national teams of his age group. He’s available to be drafted this year, but I don’t think he has done enough to warrant a pick at this point. He does have a nice skillset though.

Former prospects signed by Finnish clubs

3/12 – Colby Genoway, Mora (SWE) → Ilves
4/2 – Antti-Jussi Niemi, Leksand (SWE) → Jokerit
4/6 – Tuukka Mäntylä, Frölunda (SWE) → Tappara
4/14 – Ari Ahonen, Frölunda (SWE) → KalPa
4/23 – Dale Clarke, Blues → HIFK
4/27 – Jarkko A. Immonen, SaiPa → Blues
4/30 – Justin Morrison, Hamburg Freezers (GER) → Lukko
5/5 – Esa Pirnes, Atlant Moscow Oblast (RUS) → Jokerit
5/5 – Jukka Hentunen, Ak Bars Kazan (RUS) → Jokerit
5/15 – Jakub Petruzalek, Albany River Rats (USA) → Lukko
5/19 – Jarno Kultanen, Blues → KooKoo
5/20 – Martti Järventie, Kärpät → HIFK
5/25 – Kurtis McLean, Bridgeport Sound Tigers (USA) → Lukko
6/10 – Darcy Campbell, Lake Erie Monsters (USA) → TPS
6/12 – Kamil Piros, HV-71 (SWE) → Ässät

Former prospects signed by foreign clubs

4/15 – Mikko Jokela, Jokerit → Dynamo Minsk (BLR)
4/15 – Jonas Andersson, Kärpät → Dynamo Minsk (BLR)
4/23 – Bernd Brückler, Blues → Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (RUS)
4/26 – Ville Mäntymaa, JYP → Frölunda (SWE)
5/2 – Tomas Duba, Ässät → HV Trinez (CZE)
5/3 – Tom Walsh, HIFK → Belfast Giants (GBR/NI)
5/8 – Leo Komarov, Pelicans → Dynamo Moscow (RUS)¹
5/15 – Geoff Platt, Ilves → Dynamo Minsk (BLR)
5/19 – Marko Kiprusoff, TPS → Angers (FRA)
5/26 – Toni Koivisto, Kärpät → Metallurg Magnitogorsk (RUS)
5/27 – Hannu Pikkarainen, HIFK → MoDo (SWE)
5/30 – Derek Damon, Ässät → Kassel Huskies (GER)
6/4 – Daniel Corso, Kärpät → Timrå (SWE)
6/4 – Jarkko Immonen, JYP → Ak Bars Kazan (RUS)
6/4 – Jamie Johnson, TPS → Leksand (SWE)
6/17 – Josef Boumedienne, Kärpät → Dynamo Minsk (BLR)
6/22 – Joey Tenute, Jokerit → Frankfurt Lions (GER)

Still coming this week: NHL Entry Draft 2009 preview. Stay tuned.

Footnotes
1. Ok, Komarov is not really a former prospect, but I didn’t want to make a separate list for just him…↑