Lausanne signs trio of Finns: Janne Kuokkanen, Lauri Pajuniemi, Ahti Oksanen

Clubs from Switzerland’s National League continue to skim many of the top available European-based players and on Monday, it was Lausanne HC’s turn. The Swiss club announced the signings of a trio of Finnish forwards: Janne Kuokkanen, Lauri Pajuniemi and Ahti Oksanen.

Kuokkanen, a 26-year-old center, will enter his third season back in Europe after a six-year stint in North America that saw him play 119 NHL games for the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils. Pajuniemi, a 24-year-old right winger, was drafted by the New York Rangers in 2018 and played two seasons for the AHL’s Harftord Wolfpack before returning to Europe. Both played in Sweden for the Malmö Redhawks last season. 

Oksanen, 31, played in North America several years ago but has bounced around Europe the past few seasons. It is expected that he will play on a line with Antti Suomela – the fourth Finn on the team – as they did two seasons ago with IK Oskarshamn.

This past season, Lausanne finished third in the National League regular season and then reached the final, extending the ZSC Lions to seven games before falling. This off-season, they’ve been busy constructing a roster that should once again contend.

The team has been busy constructing a roster that includes imports David Sklenička, Lawrence Pilut, Tim Bozon, Ronalds Kenins, Michael Raffl and Robin Kovács, along with non-imports Damien Riat, Théo Rochette and Andrea Glauser under former NHL coach Geoff Ward, who has been nominated for European coach of the year.

In the past week, Swede Jacob Larsson signed with the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers and Finn Markus Granlund signed to play with Genève-Servette.