Finnish defenseman Roni Hirvonen, 23, has signed a one-year contract with Kärpät Oulu, the Liiga club announced on Monday.

“We have a great team and high expectations for the season,” Hirvonen was quoted. “Let’s all have a nice summer and recharge our batteries before the start of the season.”

“He’s a young player who has already shown his talent and still has a huge potential to develop,” said Kärpät GM Kimmo Kapanen. “In addition to his playing skills, we also get a lot of leadership in daily work with him.”

Originally from the Helsinki suburb of Espoo, Hirvonen turned pro with with Ässät at age 17 and eventually moved on to IFK Helsinki. He has 101 points in 225 Liiga regular-season and playoff games.

Hirvonen was chosen in the second round, 59th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and spent the past two seasons playing in the AHL for the Toronto Marlies, where he recorded 35 points in exactly 100 games.

Aku Räty Returns Home To Finland Finnish winger Aku Räty, 23, has signed a two-year contract with his hometown team Kärpät Oulu, <a href="https://karpat.fi/aku-raty-tekee-paluun-karppapaitaan/">the Liiga club announced</a> on Tuesday.

Hirvonen is the second 23-year-old Finn to sign with Kärpät this off-season, following Chicago Blackhawks prospect Aku Räty in May. The team also has 20-year-old prospects Janne Peltonen (Chicago) and Visa Vedenpää (Seattle Kraken) under contract.

Kärpät had high expectations for last season but missed the playoffs, causing the club maangement to issue an apology to the fans.

Keeping the puck out of the Kärpät net was a particular issue for the team, and during the course of the season the team acquired, among others, defensemen Dominik Mašin, Marcus Björk and Ville Pokka and goaltender Damian Clara, with limited success. As the transfer deadline approached, native son Jesse Puljuärvi was rumored to be headed there after securing his release from the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he instead signed with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Photo © David Kirouac-Imagn Images

After Disappointing Season, Kärpät Management Addresses Fans: 'The On-Ice Goal Was Far From Achieved' A perennial powerhouse and seven-time champion in Finland since being promoted to the top-tier Liiga in 2000, this past season was bitterly disappointing for Kärpät Oulu. Despite the high hopes and a high payroll, the team finished 13th in the 16-team league, missing the post-season for the first time since the turn of the Millenium.