Konsta Helenius, Emil Hemming and Kasper Haltunnen will be released from their clubs to play in this year’s IIHF World Junior Championship, according to Finnish media outlet IltaLehti.
Helenius and Hemming were both first-round picks in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, while Haltunnen was a second-rounder in 2023.
Hemming, who plays for the OHL’s Barrie Colts, seemed a pretty safe bet as a junior player. From the TPS club in Turku, Hemming was drafted 24th overall by the Dallas Stars in the draft this past summer.
Haltunnen, who was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the second round in 2023, started the season in the AHL for the San Jose Barracudas, but after playing just six games was recently returned to the OHL’s London Knights. Haltunnen had six points in seven games at last year’s World Junior Championship in Sweden.
Helenius, who was picked 14th overall by the Buffalo Sabres this past summer, was probably the biggest question mark for the team. He currently plays in the AHL for the Rochester Americans and has eight points in 16 games. Helenius had the distinction of representing Finland at the World Juniors, the U-18s and the senior men’s World Championship last season.
Hemming was on Finland’s World Junior Summer Showcase team but Helenius and Haltunnen were not.
In addition to the above-mentioned trio, age-eligible Finns currently playing in North America include Jesse Nurmi (New York Islanders), Tuomas Uronen (Vegas Golden Knights) and Markus Loponen (Winnipeg Jets).
Icing a team of only European-based players, Finland managed only one overtime win in four games at a U-20 tournament at home in November. That team was also without Jesse Kiiskinen (Nashville Predators), Aron Kiviharju (Minnesota Wild) and Topias Hynninen (undrafted), who were originally selected to play for the team but later withdrew for various reasons.