Finnish forward Oiva Keskinen, 21, was cut by the Columbus Blue Jackets this weekend and has been assigned to Tappara Tampere, the Finnish Liiga club announced on Sunday.

Keskinen, who has played for Tappara since he was 15, was the Blue Jackets’ seventh choice, 194th overall, in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

Since then, he has recorded 72 points in 138 Liiga regular-season and playoff games in his first two professional seasons and was part of the team’s 2023-24 Liiga championship team. He also recorded seven points in 13 Champions Hockey League games.

Internationally, he tallied five points in seven games for Finland at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden.

This past May, Keskinen signed a three-year entry-level contract with Columbus.

John Quenneville Retires In Finland At 29 Canadian left winger John Quenneville, 29, has retired as a player and has accepted an assistant coaching position with the Binghamton Black Bears, the Federal Prospects Hockey League <a href="https://www.binghamtonblackbears.com/news/quenneville-hired-as-assistant-coach">club announced</a> on Saturday.

“Getting Keskinen to be a center strength is an important thing in building the team this season,” said Tappara GM Janne Vuorinen. “I would like to thank the Columbus club management for the good cooperation and welcome Oiva back.”

Tappara has already played seven Liiga regular-season games this season, winning five of them. Keskinen will join a roster that includes ex-NHL defensemen Jyrki Jokipakka and Olli Juolevi and 20-year-old Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Benjamin Rautiainen.

Keskinen is the second 21-year-old to be loaned back to his European club this week after the Montreal Canadiens sent Vinzenz Rohrer back to Switzerland.

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