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Finnish league update
Written by: Mikko Vuori on 01/30/2001 
First, thank you for all your mails. I've tryed to add requested
players to this update. Lately I haven't been able to answer anything,
some problems with computers. If you still want me to add other
players to update don't hesitate to mail.
Name - team drafted stats - since last update
W Frank Banham - Mighty Ducks 40 19+19=38 +7 52
Banham has been the lone scorer in Espoo Blues. He is seeking
for a one-way NHL contract.
W Teemu Elomo - Stars 41 2+9=11 +11 38 - 11 1+3=4 +7 4
Elomo has been able to play bit better, though he could
be playing even better.
D Ray Giroux - Islanders 30 5+13=18 +4 38 - 8 2+4=6 +3 4
Giroux came back to Finland, now to play for Jokerit Helsinki.
He has but up some points in his first games.
C Riku Hahl - Avalanche 40 2+6=8 -5 24
Hahl hasn't yet made his break thru. Maybe next season?
W Niklas Hagman - Panthers 41 19+10=29 -3 26 - 11 4+4=8 -1 2
Kärpät Oulu fired head coach Juhani Tamminen after losing
streak. Hagman has been able to score even when the team was losing.
W Jukka Hentunen - Flames 40 20+20=40 +8 22 - 10 11+6=17 +5 4
Hentunen is now 5th in scoring in the whole league. He can win
the scoring title if he continues to play like he has been playing.
F Mikael Holmqvist - Mighty Ducks 31 2+3=5 0 8 - 4 0+0=0 0 0
Holmqvist has been suffering from injuries. His last season
was promising. Now his situation doesn't look very good.
W Hannes Hyvönen - Sharks 41 11+10=21 +3 22 - 11 2+4=6 +2 2
Hyvönen continues to shine when rest of the IFK Helsinki
team is strugling right now.
C Niko Kapanen 41 10+16=26 +7 14 - 11 6+4=10 +6 4
As expected Kapanen has been playing better when he
has adapted to the TPS Turku's game.
D Marko Kauppinen - Flyers 33 3+4=7 0 35 - 7 1+2=3 +2 27
Kauppinen is back with Jokerit. Has scored some points lately.
C Toni Koivisto 32 2+1=3 -2 2
2001 eligible Koivisto has had some icetime in Lukko Rauma.
C Mikko Koivu 21 0+1=1 -1 2 - 6 0+0=0 -2 0
Koivu has slipt time between TPS Turku and TPS jrs.
W Teemu Laine - Devils 9 2+1=3 +3 6
With Ruutu and Rita in the WJC Jokerit promoted
Laine to their squad. Laine has been playing nicely
since then.
C Antti Miettinen - Stars 40 9+9=18 -1 20
Antti Miettinen has been a suprise. He has good in Finnish
national team in lesser Moscow tournament.
D Ilkka Mikkola - Canadiens 28 2+5=7 +9 12 - 11 1+3=4 -1 2
Nothing new about Mikkola. He part of a solid TPS Turku defense.
D Tero Määttä - Sharks 28 1+1=2 -1 16 - 8 1+0=1 +1 2
Nothing new here really
W Tuomas Pihlman 34 2+5=7 +7 18 - 7 0+0=0 -1 0
Pihlman seems to wear off. No points in WJC, no point in SM-liiga
lately.
F Teemu Riihijärvi - Sharks 39 4+13=17 -1 44 - 9 1+4=5 -1 6
Pelicans Lahti has been a surprise. Riihijärvi is playing his
best season so far. Still, nothing great.
W Jani Rita - Oilers 34 4+7=11 +1 18 - 8 3+3=6 +3 0
Good WJC really boosted Rita's confidence. He also received PP-time
in second line.
W Pavel Rosa - Kings 38 17+18=35 -2 22
Rosa is the second best scorer in HPK Hämeenlinna. He hasn't
been scoring as much as in the beginning fo the season.
W Mikko Ruutu - Senators 40 2+5=7 +5 26 - 10 0+2=2 +2 6
Nothing new here really.
F Tuomo Ruutu 37 7+8=15 +4 40 - 8 2+4=6 +2 12
Ruutu has continue to play with Rita. Both have played
good hockey after the WJC.
W Tony Salmelainen - Oilers 30 3+7=10 -3 2 - 8 2+6=8 -2 0
Icetime has again done wonders. Salmelainen has been playing
on Ilves' second line. You can see what that means to his numbers.
C Tommi Santala - Thrashers 40 13+17=30 -8 72 - 10 4+3=7 -4 12
Santala is still playing in either of top two lines of HPK.
D Markus Seikola - Maple Leafs 10 1+0=1 +3 6
Seikola was promoted to SM-liiga after Mika Lehtinen's arm injury.
He has been pretty good. He is out for couple of weeks with minor
groin injury.
D Henrik Tallinder - Sabres 41 4+4=8 +18 44 - 11 1+1=2 +8 4
Tallinder continues to play solid hockey for TPS Turku.
He seems to have adapted to Finnish league very nicely.
W Timo Vertala - Canadiens 31 14+7=21 +7 60 - 6 2+1=3 +2 26
Vertala has been suffering from an ankle injury. He
has played some games with broken ankle and has scored a few goals.
W Tomek Valtonen - Red Wings 33 2+1=3 +3 80 - 16 0+0=0 0 2
Nothing new here.
D David Ytfeldt - Canucks 11 0+4=4 -2 26
Ytfeld is now back in Sweden
G Ari Ahonen - Devils 30 2.62 .926
Ahonen has had a great season in IFK Helsinki.
He has won many games for his team.
G Kristian Antila - Oilers 26 3.26 .910
Kristian Antila has been playing for Ässät Pori.
Antila has not been the player to blame for team's
losses.
G Mika Lehto - Penguins 26 2.97 .905
Lehto moved to JYP Jyväskylä in summer and is now playing very good hockey. Lehto has been one of the best players of his team.
Copyright 2001 Hockey’s Future. Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.
