Finnish hockey legend Michelle Karvinen is heading to the PWHL next season as a member of PWHL Vancouver. Vancouver said they intended to target top six forwards in free agency and the draft and they did just that.

Karvinen led Frölunda to a title this season scoring 21 goals and 35 points in 32 games. It was the club's the first ever SDHL title. 

Now, Karvinen returns to North America after more than a decade in Europe to challenge herself in the final leg of her storied career. 

This spring the 35-year-old captains Finland and became Finland's all-time leading scorer en route to a bronze medal at the IIHF World Championships in Czechia. Internationally, Karvinen is a three-time World Championship All-Star and was named Best Forward at the 2014 Olympic Games.

Leading up to the draft, Karvinen was a player many general managers across the PWHL were targeting as a replacement for veteran leadership and offensive skill lost in expansion.

With Karvinen's experience and ability to elevate her game against top competition, she should be able to immediately step into a PWHL top six and contribute offensively, as well as on the defensive side of the puck. 

Karvinen previously spent multiple seasons in North America playing in the NCAA with North Dakota. While with North Dakota she accumulated 131 points in 87 games from 2011 to 2014.

Karvinen joins a strong forward group including Sarah Nurse, Hannah Miller, Tereza Vanisova, Jennifer Gardiner, and Michela Cava.