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When Patrik Laine pulls on a Montreal Canadiens sweater for the primary time in an everyday season sport on October 9 towards the Toronto Maple Leafs, he’ll develop into solely the sixteenth Finnish-born skater in group historical past.
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Of their illustrious historical past, solely 37 gamers have performed for the Canadiens from a Nordic nation, together with 15 from Finland, 21 from Sweden, and only one from Norway.
Moreover the apparent identify on the high of this record, who’re another Finnish-born gamers who wore the Canadiens jersey, and what influence did they’ve throughout their tenures?
5. Jesse Ylönen (Scottsdale, AZ)
Jesse Ylönen was born in Scottsdale, AZ, however maintains twin citizenship in Finland and america. Regardless of being born in North America, he grew up taking part in hockey in Finland and represents the Nordic nation in worldwide hockey, dressing for the U16, U17, U18, and U20 groups.
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As a second-round decide (thirty fifth general) within the 2018 Draft, Ylönen performed elements of 4 seasons with the Canadiens, gathering 29 factors in 111 video games from 2020 to 2024. In July 2024, he departed the membership to signal with the Tampa Bay Lightning as a free agent.
4. Jesperi Kotkaniemi (Pori, Finland)
It’s secure to say that Jesperi Kotkaniemi will all the time have a particular place in Canadiens historical past because the participant who signed a proposal sheet at 20 and was whisked away by a rival basic supervisor.
Because the third general decide within the 2018 Draft, Kotkaniemi registered 34 factors in 79 video games as a rookie, by no means scoring greater than 20 over the subsequent two seasons.
When he was a restricted free agent in the summertime of 2021, Kotkaniemi opted to signal with the Carolina Hurricanes, the place he is been taking part in ever since. In 2022-23, he scored a career-high 43 factors.
In the end, Kotkaniemi ended up in Carolina as a retaliation to a Montreal provide sheet in 2019 for a fellow Finnish participant, Sebastian Aho.
3. Joel Armia (Pori, Finland)
Joel Armia is one other first-round decide (sixteenth general in 2011) who debuted with the Buffalo Sabres in 2014. He made a reputation for himself with the Winnipeg Jets earlier than turning into a dependable winger for the Canadiens in 2018.
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Up to now six seasons, Armia has scored 66 targets and 120 factors in 325 video games, taking part in within the Stanley Cup Closing with Montreal in 2021. His greatest NHL season got here in 2019-20 when he scored 16 targets and 30 factors.
2. Artturi Lehkonen (Piikkio, Finland)
The Canadiens chosen Artturi Lehkonen because the fifty fifth decide within the 2013 Draft, and he would play six seasons with the group.
In 396 video games, Lehkonen scored 74 targets with 149 factors earlier than a commerce to the Colorado Avalanche in March 2022. He is blossomed right into a 20-goal scorer in Denver whereas rating because the second-highest Finnish scorer in Montreal historical past.
1. Saku Koivu (Turku, Finland)
It may very well be argued that Saku Koivu is among the greatest Canadiens gamers who by no means received the Stanley Cup. As a late first-round decide (twenty first general) in 1993, he turned one of many longest Montreal captains, carrying the “C” from 1999 to 2009.
Due to 641 factors in 792 video games, Koivu is the highest-scoring Finnish participant in Canadiens historical past, and his place on this class will stay unmatched for many years.
Relating to his place in franchise historical past, Koivu ranks tenth all-time in factors, twenty eighth in targets, and seventh in assists. He is just one of two on the group’s high 50 highest-scoring gamers with a adverse plus/minus complete of minus-10.
Regardless of serving as an inspiration by way of his battle with most cancers, which resulted in a Invoice Masterton Trophy win in 2002, Koivu didn’t end his profession in Montreal, signing as a free agent with the Anaheim Geese, taking part in out the ultimate 5 years in southern California.
Statistics used within the submit obtained from NHL.com/stats/
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