Noora Tulus is considered one of the PWHL's top prospects for the upcoming draft. Here she talks to Cee Benwell about playing in Europe, the draft, and her future in the PWHL.
Noora Tulus is considered one of the PWHL's top prospects for the upcoming draft. Here she talks to Cee Benwell about playing in Europe, the draft, and her future in the PWHL.
Finland star Noora Tulus is almost certain to be taken in one of the first two rounds of the PWHL Draft next week. The 28-year-old forward has a lot of international experience with the Finnish team, and led the entire SDHL in scoring last year with 22 goals and 39 assists for Lulea, the championship-winning team.
Here's a Q & A with Noora Tulus on her career and future in the PWHL:
You’re one of the players everyone has their eye on in the PWHL Draft - a great offensive player with Lulea of the SDHL, who won the championship (two years) in a row.
I’ve been in Lulea for nine years, we have been really successful and won a lot of championships. It’s been a nice journey with Lulea but now I’m looking forward to the new chapter.
You were the leading scorer for your team and the entire league. You must be used to scoring and being looked to by your teammates to score. Is that something you enjoy?
Well, that was one part last season where I wanted to focus on to be better, and I think I did a good job to be able to help the team from it, so, yes, it’s always fun to score, but for me, the most important thing is that the team is winning.
I’m sure you will look back on this chapter with fondness - playing with Jenni Hiirikoski, Petra Niemenen, Ronja Savolainen (who is also joining the draft this year)?
Yes, it’s been amazing to be able to play with them. I’ve learned a lot, especially from Jenni and I’m really happy and thankful about all the help she has given me. Those three, and also the Swedish players are really talented, so I have been a part of the really talented team for the last few years.
Did you get a chance to watch the PWHL this past season, and what did you think?
Well, with the time difference, I couldn’t watch that many games during the season, but it was mostly like checking in the morning, the highlights. I really liked to see it, and I recognized immediately that it’s really high speed during the games, really busy games, so that’s what I need to prepare myself to be able to play next season if someone is going to say my name in the draft. So it’s really professional and the league is looking good.
Susanna Tapani played for PWHL Minnesota and then was traded to Boston. Were you able to speak to her and get her thoughts on the league?
Yeah, she’s the only Finnish player right now in the league; of course, we are hoping for more Finnish players to come. We were in one national camp at the same time. Unfortunately, I didn’t really have time to talk with her but we were playing in the World Championship and we chatted a little bit about the league and she was sharing her opinion on how it feels and how everything is working, and I have just been hearing positive things about the league.
Are you used to being away from home - playing 36 games in the season is a lot Does that become a long time to be away for so many months?
Yeah, it’s kind of a funny story actually, before I moved to Sweden, I told myself I was never going to play anywhere else other than Finland, and all of a sudden, I moved to Sweden to Lulea and I got stuck there nine years, so anything can happen! But I have been enjoying my time there. Of course, it can be tough to be away from home, especially those first years when I was still kind of young and moved away from home for the first time. And the season is a full schedule, I don’t have time to travel back home to spend time with my family. It’s tough, but it’s something I love to do, I love to play hockey, and I love to put my heart into it, so that’s my choice
Can you tell us about your play style - you obviously score a lot, would you say you are a playmaker, a sniper, a power-play specialist? What would fans want to know about Noora Tulus if you join their favorite team?
I would say I’m a team player, I always put the team in front of myself, I want team success. But then, I would say that shooting is one of my strengths and I try to use it as much as I can. And lately, like last years in Lulea and also on the national team, I have gotten a lot of special teams time with the power play and box play, so I feel like it’s something that I’m good at. I try to create a lot of things, I want to make my linemates better, I want to create the situation for them and not just for myself that I can score, I love to pass more than to shoot myself, so I think there is a lot of creative passes, like something you’re not expecting.
Are you nervous about the draft? Have you ever experienced anything like this before where you wait for your name to be called to find out where you’re going to be playing?
Yeah, it’s a huge event, it’s something I’ve never been part of. I’m super excited but also really nervous. It’s going to be a lot of interviews and cameras and new people I haven’t met before so probably a little bit uncomfortable situation for me, but something that I really want to experience. It’s going to be a moment to remember the rest of my life, so I’m super excited to join this draft and I’m going in with an open mind, so whatever happens, I’m taking it, and I’m just hoping that someone’s going to say my name.