It’s been a bounce-back season for Finnish defenseman Aron Kiviharju, who made IFK Helsinki’s roster at the start of last season as a 17-year-old but suffered a horrible ACL injury just seven games that cost him the rest of the season.

This season, the 18-year-old is a regular in the team’s lineup, playing top-four minutes and recording 11 points in 36 Liiga games. But the highlight of his season so far was the IIHF World Junior Championship, where he showed an international audience that he’s fully recovered from his injury, captaining Finland to a silver medal.

“The medal was of course a great thing,” Kiviharju recently told Mathias Lahtinen of Finnish hockey website Jatkoaika. “I’m very grateful for the kind of trip I had with the team. We started with camp in Cornwall and then moved on to Ottawa. The three weeks we spent with the guys were the best time of my life.”

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rmfnPHw0-E[/embed]

As for his own play, Kiviharju recorded three assists in seven games for the Finns. His performance on the NHL-sized rink gives him confidence in returning home to the Finnish league, stating, “I know that the things I can do on a small rink, I can also do on a big one.”

Kiviharju was a highly-rated prospect entering last season but his injury obviously scared some NHL teams off, even though he returned to play in the U-18 World Championship in April. He ended up being a fourth-round pick, 122nd overall, by the Minnesota Wild. He was also the first overall pick in the CHL Import draft by the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats.

That leaves numerous possibilities for Kiviharju next season. He could simply re-sign with HIFK if he thinks that’s the best path for his development. He could go to Moncton, as he still has one more year of junior eligibility. Or he could sign an entry-level contract with Minnesota. That would most likely lead to him being assigned to the AHL’s Iowa Wild or loaned back to HIFK.

“Let's see what's best for the future,” said Kiviharju. “Plans are starting to take shape, but we're keeping them private for now.”