Elisa Holopainen has stepped seamlessly into the SDHL this season, making an immediate impact with Frolunda, and catching the attention of onlookers.
Elisa Holopainen has been one of Finland's top players for years, despite being only 22. After leading Naisten Liiga in goals several times, Holopainen made the jump this season to the SDHL, considered the best league in Europe.
After scoring 73 goals and 132 points in her last 47 games in Naisten Liiga playing for KalPa, Holopainen was in search of a bigger challenge.
Through the first two weeks of the SDHL season however, Holopainen finds herself in familiar territory scoring more than two points per game and leading the league in scoring.
Playing for Frölunda, Holopainen has four goals and nine points in four games. Alongside Hanna Olsson and Michelle Karvinen, Holopainen is helping boost Frölunda to new heights. That included Holopainen stepping up against Lulea, who have dominated the SDHL for close to a decade, winning the past six championships.
Holopainen scored a pair against Lulea leading Frölunda to a 3-1 win, the organization's first ever win over Lulea. Behind Holopainen in the scoring race are five members of Lulea including Viivi Vainikka, Reece Hunt, Akane Shiga, Jaycee Magwood, and Petra Nieminen.
"She is incredibly skilled, and does that little unexpected thing," Hanna Olsson said following the game.
A skilled player with a hard and accurate release, Holopainen sees the ice well and can get her shot off from almost anywhere. One of the question marks Holopainen has been answering as it relates to a PWHL future, is if she can handle the physical play, and how her game will translate against stiffer competition.
If her early results in the SDHL are any indication, Holopainen could be drawing more interest from PWHL teams this season than some expected, and it could prompt her to declare for the 2025 Draft.