Code:

Ready for grading, 3300~ words

Last season, Mikke Laukkanen was a virtual unknown. He signed as a free agent with the Kelowna Knights to back up star goaltender Christoffer Bjornsson, and posted a rocky 4-5-2 record in his first pro season, with a save percentage of 0.847 and a GAA of 3.88. This offseason, he was drafted 44th overall by the New England Wolfpack. Jake Lowry of Between the Pipes got a chance to sit down with Laukkanen just before the start of his first season as Kelowna’s starting goalie.

JL: First of all, Mikke, congratulations on the promotion with the Knights, and being drafted to New England!

ML: Thanks! Obviously Bjorns getting the call for the SHL is really great, but I’m super excited to be given this opportunity with the Knights.Hopefully I can help the team win another championship and play well enough to show the GMs of the Wolfpack that I was worth taking a chance on.

JL: You kind of came out of nowhere just before the start of last season. Could you talk a little bit about your decision to come to North America for hockey, and maybe about your decision to sign with the Knights?

ML: Sure! I actually was about to sign with a team in Finland, Karpat, because that’s where my uncle used to play and I grew up around the team. I knew the GM and the head coach really well, but a couple of the guys I played with for the Finnish national junior team had just signed or been drafted by the SMJHL, and they told me it could be worth a shot, so I reached out to the league.

JL: So you got a few offers, then?

ML: [nods] One of the GMs for the Knights was the first to reach out, and she gave me a pretty convincing pitch, but Halifax and Detroit also reached out too, with very generous offers. I ended up signing with the Knights because they offered me a sizable chunk of playing time, and what I thought would be the best opportunity to progress. I didn’t want to be a career back-up, you know? I want to play. I think every hockey player wants that.

JL: How are you adjusting to North America?

ML: My mom is from Britain, so I grew up speaking both Finnish and English, which means the language barrier wasn’t too bad. Everyone here’s been really great. [he pauses] I was surprised by how much [the city of] Kelowna cares about its team, to be honest with you. It blew me away, the first time I played a game and there were people out there wearing my jersey. I thought for sure it must be a mistake, and they were actually wearing 18 or something, but no, they had Laukkanen on the back. That was a really great feeling, but it was insane. The other thing was the size of the ice. It's a little narrower here in Kelowna than back home, so the shot angles change a little, not too much, but enough that I think that’s why it took me a little time to find my groove last season.

JL: What was it like at your SHL draft?

The draft was ridiculous. I honestly thought I might go as a depth pick in the sixth or seventh round, but to go fourth-round was so much higher than I was expecting. I didn’t have the best rookie season, so for New England to take a chance on me was really great of them. I thought I’d misheard when they called my name.

JL: You thought it might’ve been another mistake?

ML: [laughs] For sure. Putting on the jersey felt like a dream come true. When people have asked what I wanted to get out of hockey, I’ve always said that I’m willing to go as far as the sport will take me. Somehow, hockey brought me four thousand miles away from home and into an SHL jersey. It’s unbelievable. It’s what every kid wants when they first lace up their skates.

JL: Are you excited to join the Wolfpack?

ML: For sure. There are a couple of guys I played with last season who got drafted too, Mia and Dieter, so when I showed up to training camp, there were a couple of familiar faces, so that really helped calm my nerves. And there are guys there like Maniac [Mainio Makainen] who I know really well, another Knights alum. They’re a really great group of guys, and though I’m obviously a ways away from joining them full-time, Wolfpack training camp was a lot of fun. I learnt a lot, especially from Ciarelli.

JL: Did you always know you wanted to be a goalie?

ML: [laughs] I, uh, I actually played as a forward for the first three or four years of my hockey career. My uncle [Viljami Laukkanen, SM Liiga Alumni] was a winger, and he was convinced I was gonna be a goal-scorer like him.

JL: What happened?

ML: I think I scored one goal in my three seasons? [laughs] I just wasn’t very good, and I was thinking about quitting entirely and trying another sport when I was about seven or eight, and then my coach came to me and asked me to fill in for Kaapo, our goalie who got hurt, and I just… fell in love. I don’t know how else to explain it. Being in the blue paint just gives this weird-- calmness, I guess. [laughs again] My uncle was so mad, he couldn’t believe his nephew was a goalie. I remember him talking to my mom about it, saying ‘He’ll never go anywhere in goalie gear, he just needs to try harder on the wing.’ Luckily my mom told him I could play wherever I wanted to.

JL: Is it true you didn’t have a non-secondhand kit until you were sixteen?

ML: It is. My mom and dad both worked incredibly hard, long hours to put food on the table, and I have three brothers who all play a sport. It was hard to find the money, sometimes. Until I was about fifteen or sixteen, I was really small, so I wore a lot of secondhand gear, stuff that the other kids had grown out of. I didn’t mind, I was playing hockey. I would have played naked if it meant playing. When I was sixteen, three things happened. I had a growth spurt and grew eight inches over the offseason, none of my gear fit me, and I got named to the U17 National Team. They paid for all my gear, so I got top-of-the-range pads, skates, sticks, all stuff I still wear today--though my new pads and helmet for the season have arrived, and they look pretty cool. [Laukkanen grins, and gets his phone out to show the interviewer pictures of his new set-up].

JL: Very cool. Will you talk about your new helmet design? I understand there’s a pretty cool story behind the backplate.

ML: Yeah, of course. During the offseason, a very close friend of mine was diagnosed with PCS [post concussion syndrome] and made the decision to retire. So the backplate has the Finnish flag on it, for my family, and the logo for HPK, in Hameenlinna, for Teemu. I’m also donating a portion of my salary to a charity for former athletes who suffer from PCS and concussion symptoms.

JL: That’s very touching. I understand one of your close friends was just drafted to the Knights this offseason, what’s it like getting to play with someone you grew up with?

ML: Incredible. I’ve known Mik since I was about seven years old, we used to play shinny together back in Rauma, me and him and his brothers [Though born in Turku, Laukkanen and his family moved to Rauma at an early age for his father’s work]. And we obviously played together on the National Team for a number of years. He told me he was coming out to Kelowna for the prospects showcase and the draft, and it turns out he got drafted here. It’s awesome. He’s actually living with me at the minute--I know what it’s like being stuck in a hotel all season and he would have hated it, so as soon as I found out he was going to make the team and be in North America permanently, of course I opened my home to him. Mik’s an amazing player. He’s going to be really good for the team and I’m excited to play with him again, since it’s been a couple of years. He’s my best friend, you don’t get luckier than that.

JL: Has there been much of an adjustment to your routine, having a roommate?

ML: Not a huge amount. Like I mentioned in another interview, we were roommates at the U18 championships a few years back, we worked together really well then, and I think we just kind of slotted back together easily. I chirp him a lot, but Mik’s really easy to live with. He’ll even take Arnold [Laukkanen’s Great Dane] out for runs if I’m busy.

JL: Do you think the team has a chance to win this year?

ML: Definitely. We have a really great group, awesome leadership, and the locker room has a really good feel to it. I think every team has a chance to win, but preseason went really well, and I think everyone in the room thinks we have the potential to bring the Four Star Cup back to Kelowna this season.

JL: What are your personal goals this year?

ML: To win, obviously. [smiles, laughs] I want to bring a new level to my game; it’s been a hard offseason, a hard training camp in New England, and I’ve never felt better on the ice. I really think this season is going to be a good one, for me as a player and as a person. I’m in the best shape of my life.

JL: You’ve been known to have some… interesting superstitions. Could you talk a little bit about those?

ML: [laughs] I don’t think they’re really that much weirder than any other goalie. I don’t eat red food on game days, I really try to stay away from red altogether, it makes me think of the goal light behind me, and I try not to think about anything connected with allowing goals. It’s all about the win, right? [interviewer nods] That’s probably the weirdest. I don’t listen to music in the locker room, so I always make sure I have my earplugs with me. I don’t drive on game days, so Mik will have to get used to driving both of us to the rink [smiles]. Like I said, not really much weirder than any other goalie.

JL: How about you walk me through your game day routine?

ML: Of course! Usually I’ll wake up maybe six or seven in the morning, have breakfast early, usually oatmeal and a smoothie. I shower, let Arnold out, feed him, and get to the rink for ten fifteen, so I have some time to sit in my gear before getting on the ice and think about the game that night. The other guys usually get there at about eleven, for morning skate, so I get on the ice early and stretch properly, take a couple of shots from [the Knight’s goaltending coach], and then the guys join me for morning skate. I’m always the first one off the ice, before all the other players. My nap is at two thirty, and is about forty five minutes long. I usually have an iced coffee before it, so the caffeine kicks in about the time I’m supposed to wake up. I’m probably going to have to start waking Mik up, he’s always sleeping through alarms. Or I’ll get Arnold to do it for me, he still think’s he’s small enough to climb into bed without being noticed. The three of us will eat, I’ll walk Arnold, and then Mik will drive us both back to the rink, where we’ll go over game tape, I’ll sit down with the goalie coach, and then have another snack before starting my warm up at five, which usually consists of more stretching, twenty minutes on the bike, and I, uh, I juggle. I’m in my gear at six with my ear plugs in, and I keep them in until the coach arrive with the starting line up. Like I said. Not that weird.

JL: Well, thanks for sitting down with me, Mikke.

ML: You’re welcome!

JL: I think I speak for everyone in Kelowna and with Between the Pipes when I wish you good luck for the upcoming season, and that we’re all rooting for your success this season and beyond.

ML: Oh god, that’s a lot of pressure. [laughs] Thank you. I’m rooting for that too.

HabsFanFromOntario:Are you planning on being a scrub like Ciarelli?

ML: I mean, there are worse players to model my game after. I feel like irresponsible, underdeveloped defencemen shouldn't be judging the goalies when they're the ones passing the puck through the crease, to be honest. So yeah, perhaps I am gonna be like Ciarelli. He's a perfectly good goalie.

Lil: What do you miss most about Finland?

ML: I miss my family a lot, I think that goes without saying, and I miss the rink at home. I knew the ice there, I knew the net. I know it sounds weird, but the rink back home smelt different. [laughs] Maybe it just smells a little less like hockey player at home. The food though, I think is what I miss the most. You have no idea how hard it is to find good rieksa in this city. I had to get my mom to email me her recipe. Mik got really excited the first time I made it for him, we must have eaten the whole batch in about an hour.

Lil: What are your goals for your junior career?

ML: To win. I know that sounds kind of obvious, but. [laughs] Everyone wants to win, right? I know the right answer here is to better myself as a player, but with guys like Mikko and Dieter leading the charger, and with me finally starting to find my rhythm [Laukkanen raps his knuckles on the wooden table] I really believe we have a group here that can win. In a more personal sense, I’d like to make myself into the kind of player that the Wolfpack would be confident playing in front of. I know they have two very good goalies at the minute, and I know I still have a ways to go, but my goal is to play in the SHL, and I want to earn my spot there like everyone else, by playing hard, and playing well. What better way than to win the Four Star Cup, right?

Lil: Thoughts on joining Team Finland someday?

ML: I’d be honoured. There’s no other way to put it. I know Finland has a tradition of incredible goalies representing them, and to be able to join that list, even for a short while, would be amazing. [Jakub] Aittokallio, the current goalie, is a player that I really look up to, and he’s been really good for them, I can only hope that one day I get a chance to try and fill his shoes.

Akamai: What do you like best about Kelowna as a city? Is it different to where you grew up?

ML: For me, there are a lot of similarities. Obviously, Rauma and Kelowna both care really intensely about their hockey team, and for me, I can see that in the city. It’s full of people in jerseys, and playoffs are insane. It’s awesome. That’s one of my favourite things about the city, too. I talked about it a little bit earlier, but seeing people in my jersey? That’s gonna be something I’m gonna remember for a long time. There’s also a really great restaurant that Mik and I go to after home wins, if we want something a little quieter than Chemical Reaction [a bar in downtown Kelowna, frequented by the Knights after a win], they do the best dumplings I’ve had outside of Russia. Mik really likes their lamb, too, so we always end up there, sometimes just because we can’t be bothered to cook.

Akamai: If hockey hadn’t panned out, what would you have done instead?

ML: [laughs] One of my dad’s favourite stories to tell is about when I was five or six, and he asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I said that I wanted to be a fire engine. [Interviewer laughs] Seriously though, I don’t remember ever wanting to be anything but a hockey player, once I got old enough. I like animals, so maybe something like that? I worked at Rauma’s Wildlife Park during offseasons when I was sixteen and seventeen, and I liked that a lot, so. That’s if the fire engine career doesn’t pan out, anyway.

Akamai: Who would you consider to be your mentor, or a player you don’t know but look up to?

ML: Mik’s dad, who I grew up basically calling Uncle Joonas, was a goalie for Karpat while my uncle was playing. I learnt a lot from him about how to handle my temper on the ice, how to deal with a loss, how to put something away and say “next game, it will be better.” I think I learnt more from him than anyone else I’ve ever played with or trained with. Here in Kelowna, last season I got to watch Bjorns play an awful lot of games. I learnt a lot from him about how to read the game, and develop with the players. Playing with the Knights is very different to playing back home. It’s almost a different game. He taught me to be able to trust my defence [grins] Well, most of the time.

EJ27: As a goalie, who’s your favourite team to play against?

ML: Well, I always enjoy beating Colorado, after they kicked my ass all last season. But my favourite team to play/\ against is probably Montreal. They give me the best challenge, and now that my buddy Ilmari [Maatta, 9th overall pick in the recent SMJHL draft] plays for them, it’ll be fun to catch up with him. I think we [Laukkanen and Talo] already made plans to get dinner with him after the game next week. It’ll be great to see him again, it’s been a while.

EJ27: And least favorite?

ML: ...Well, Colorado is never fun, win or lose, and I don’t think I’d be allowed to stay in Kelowna if I didn’t hate the Whalers at least a little bit. It's still fun to play a rival team though, it really feels like they play with a little more determination against Vancouver, it makes for a really good atmosphere. There aren't really any games where I look at the schedule and think "Oh dear," though. I love my job. It's a privilege, day in, day out.

EJ27: Favourite cheat day food that the team’s nutritionist would kill you for eating?

ML: Well, when Mik and I sat down with Man Advantage last week, he kind of spilled the beans on my cheat day food. We both have a bit of a sweet tooth, and sometimes, if we’re running late, or I don’t want to cook, we’ll have sugary kids cereal. You know, the kind you get a toy with? We keep the toys on a shelf above the microwave, we already have quite the collection. [laughs]

александр счербак || C || Kelowna Knights
Name: Aleksandr Scherbak
Age: 18
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 165lbs
Number: 17
Signed in KEL as free agent in S45
Drafted by WKP in S46

Mikke Laukkanen || G || New England Wolfpack || Retired
S30-S44 || GP: 603 || Record: 329-219-55 || GAA: 2.84 || SV%: .905
Three Challenge Cups
Winningest Goalie in NEW History

Fantastic article! I love how much thought you've put into your backstory--the no red food on game days superstition had me dying )

:D

Thanks to sulovilen for the sigs!
Adam Prpich Portal Link
Adam Prpich | Center | Los Angeles Panthers
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 208 lbs
Birthplace: Zagreb, Croatia
Number: 38
==============================================
Regular Season Stats:
TBD
Bobby Lane | Right Wing | Retired
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 183 lbs
Birthplace: East Grand Forks, MN, USA
Number: 88
==============================================
Regular Season Stats:
S52 - TOR: 50gp | 20g | 26a | 46pts | -6 | 88hits
S53 - TOR: 50gp | 12g | 23a | 35pts | -41 | 2hits
S54 - TOR: 50gp | 18g | 23a | 41pts | -18 | 14hits
S55 - TOR: 50gp | 8g | 10a | 18pts | -41 | 22hits
S56 - TOR: 50gp | 21g | 25a | 46pts | -5 | 30hits
S57 - TOR: 66gp | 24g | 39a | 63pts | +12 | 67hits
S58 - TOR: 66gp | 36g | 42a | 78pts | +17 | 74hits
S59 - TOR: 66gp | 28g | 32a | 60pts | +28 | 51hits
S60 - TOR: 66gp | 34g | 31a | 65pts | +10 | 61hits
S61 - TOR: 66gp | 14g | 40a | 54pts | +2 | 58hits
S62 - TOR: 66gp | 21g | 31a | 52pts | -9 | 130hits
S63 - LAP: 66gp | 28g | 33a | 61pts | +1 | 84hits
S64 - LAP: 66gp | 15g | 36a | 51pts | +36 | 83hits
S65 - LAP: 66gp | 12g | 18a | 30pts | +6 | 55hits
Jonathan Lundberg |Center| Retired
Rollergator
Height: 6'
Weight: 196 lbs
Birthplace: Gothenburg, Sweden
Number: 31
Position: Center
==============================================
Regular Season Stats:
S24 - KEL: 52gp | 1g | 5a | 6pts | -1
S25 - KEL: 50gp | 13g | 17a | 30pts | +14
S26 - KEL: 50gp | 13g | 32a | 45pts | +14
S27 - KEL: 50gp | 18g | 37a | 55pts | +21
S28 - WKP: 50gp | 7g | 11a | 18pts | +9 | 99hits
S29 - MAN/WIN: 48gp | 9g | 27a | 36pts | +11 | 108hits
S30 - NEW: 50gp | 9g | 20a | 29pts | +13 | 88hits
S31 - NEW: 50gp | 11g | 22a | 33pts | +11 | 60hits
S32 - NEW: 50gp | 13g | 22a | 35pts | +16 | 58hits
S33 - POR: 50gp | 19g | 25a | 44pts | +8 | 156hits
S34 - POR: 50gp | 21g | 27a | 48pts | +10 | 179hits
S35 - POR: 50gp | 17g | 26a | 43pts | +14 | 176hits
S36 - POR/SEA: 51gp | 11g | 24a | 36pts | -18 | 163hits
S37 - SEA: 50gp | 17g | 34a | 51pts | +15 | 195hits
S38 - SEA: 50gp | 14g | 28a | 42pts | +2 | 229hits
S39 - MIN: 50gp | 14g | 25a | 39pts | +11 | 201hits
S40 - MIN: 50gp | 16g | 28a | 44pts | +19 | 193hits
S41 - MIN: 50gp | 13g | 27a | 40pts | +2 | 207hits
S42 - MIN: 50gp | 14g | 16a | 30pts | -3 | 185hits
S43 - MIN: 50gp | 15g | 14a | 29pts | -3 | 155hits
S44 - TOR: 50gp | 9g | 14a | 23pts | +3 | 189hits
S45 - SFP: 50gp | 11g | 17a | 28pts | -6 | 180hits
S46 - SFP/EDM: 50gp | 11g | 18a | 29pts | +1 | 197hits
========================================
S24 - Signed as a UDFA with the Kelowna Knights
S25 - Selected 18th overall by Calgary
S25 - Won Four Star Cup with the Kelowna Knights
S28 - Rights traded to West Kendall. Signed for 2 seasons
S28 - Selected to SHL All-Star Rookie Team
S29 - Traded to Manhattan
S29 - Traded to Winnipeg
S30 - Signed with New England for 2 seasons.
S30 - Won Challenge Cup with New England Wolfpack
S31 - Won Challenge Cup with New England Wolfpack
S32 - Signed with New England for 1 season.
S33 - Signed with Portland for 3 seasons.
S35 - Extended with Portland for 3 more seasons.
S36 - Traded to Seattle.
S38 - Rights traded to Minnesota.
S38 - Signed with Minnesota for 2 seasons.
S39 - Won Challenge Cup with the Minnesota Chiefs
S39 - Extended with Minnesota through S43.
S44 - Signed with the Toronto North Stars for 1 season.
S45 - Signed with the San Francisco Pride for 1 season.
S46 - Signed with the San Francisco Pride for 1 season.
Check out past episodes of Rich and Luke!

Awesome article !

Stavros Kondos || F || Regina Elk || Seattle Argonauts



Theo Kondos || F || Jesster & Darr Winner - CC x2 || 
-- CAREER STATS --
-- SHL Regular Season --
S58 - GP:66 | G:17 | A:36 | P:53 |  SOG: 130 |  HITS:35  |  TOI: 17:32
S59 - GP:66 | G:14 | A:36 | P:50 |  SOG: 181 |  HITS:41  |  TOI: 18:15
S60 - GP:66 | G:19 | A:37 | P:56 |  SOG: 184 |  HITS:44  |  TOI: 18:34
S61 - GP:66 | G:32 | A:26 | P:58 |  SOG: 188 |  HITS:48  |  TOI: 19:50
S62 - GP:66 | G:21 | A:32 | P:53 |  SOG: 207 |  HITS:57  |  TOI: 20:36
S63 - GP:66 | G:23 | A:40 | P:63 |  SOG: 297 |  HITS:90  |  TOI: 22:00
S64 - GP:66 | G:27 | A:59 | P:86 |  SOG: 237 |  HITS:110 |  TOI: 21:30
S65 - GP:66 | G:39 | A:46 | P:85 |  SOG: 240 |  HITS:161 |  TOI: 21:59
S66 - GP:66 | G:39 | A:65 | P:104| SOG: 230 |  HITS:134 |  TOI: 22:08
S67 - GP:66 | G:27 | A:38 | P:65 |  SOG: 177 |  HITS:164 |  TOI: 21:40
S68 - GP:66 | G:19| A:41 | P:60  |  SOG: 177 |  HITS:159 |  TOI: 19:51
S69 - GP:66 | G:16| A:41 | P:57  |  SOG: 143 |  HITS:110 |  TOI: 19:21
S70 - GP:66 | G:11| A:37 | P:48  |  SOG: 120 |  HITS:123 |  TOI: 18:40
S71 - GP:66 | G:30| A:36 | P:66  |  SOG: 199 |  HITS:126 |  TOI: 20:46
-- SHL Playoffs --
S58 - GP:12 |  G:2 |  A:7   |  P:9   | SOG: 16  | HITS:6  | TOI: 17:35
S59 - GP:16 |  G:6 |  A:10 |  P:16  | SOG: 33  | HITS:4  | TOI: 19:39
S60 - GP:9  |  G:0 |  A:5   |  P:5   | SOG: 23  | HITS:11 | TOI: 18:55
S61 - GP:19 |  G:6 |  A:12 |  P:18  | SOG: 47  | HITS:18 | TOI: 19:21
S62 - GP:24 |  G:9 |  A:11 |  P:20  | SOG: 75  | HITS:34 | TOI: 20:55
S63 - GP:9  |  G:0 |  A:3   |  P:3   | SOG: 37  | HITS:20 | TOI: 22:21
S64 - GP:13 |  G:3 |  A:10 |  P:13 |  SOG: 58 | HITS:31 | TOI: 22:55
S65 - GP:17 |  G:3 |  A:7 |  P:10  |  SOG: 46 | HITS:46 | TOI: 22:21
S66 - GP:14|  G:8|  A:12 |  P:20  |  SOG: 56 | HITS:22 | TOI: 21:59
S67 - GP:7 |  G:0 |  A:4  |  P:4  |  SOG: 18  | HITS:9 | TOI: 22:01
S68 - GP:15|  G:5 |  A:12 |  P:17 |  SOG: 56 | HITS:27 | TOI: 21:45
S69 - GP:7|   G:1 |  A:6 |  P:7 |  SOG: 14 | HITS:19 | TOI: 19:59
-- SMJHL --
S54 - GP:50, G:7, A:7, P:14, SOG: 47, HITS:31, TOI: 11:22
S55 - GP:50, G:13, A:16, P:29, SOG: 98, HITS:35, TOI: 18:09
S56 - GP:50, G:18, A:26, P:44, SOG: 128, HITS:35, TOI: 16:53
S57 - GP:66, G:26, A:26, P:52, SOG: 220, HITS:48, TOI: 19:05
-- AWARDS --
S54: Drafted 6th Overall - Anchorage Armada[SMJHL]
S55: Drafted 5th Overall - Texas Renegades [SHL]
S57: Four Star Cup Champions - Anchorage Armada [SMJHL]
S57: DeMaricus Smyth Award for Top Forward - Dach [WJC]
S57: Brady McIntyre Award for WJC MVP - Dach [WJC]
S58: Ryan Jesster Award - Best SHL Rookie [SHL]
S58: All Rookie Team [SHL]
S59: CHALLENGE CUP WINNERS [SHL]
S62: CHALLENGE CUP WINNERS [SHL]
S64: West All Star [SHL]
S64: 2nd Team All Star [SHL]
S65: West All Star [SHL]
S65: 3rd Team All Star [SHL]
S65: Darr Nominee [SHL]
S66: West All Star [SHL]
S66: Darr Winner [SHL]
S66: 1st Team All Star [SHL]
S68: Bronze Medal - Austria  [IIHF]
S71: West All Star [SHL]


Ostap Maksimov || D || Retired || Challenge Cup x3 ||
------------------------------------------------------------
SHL Regular Season Statistics:
600 GP - 325 P - 3 Cups
--------------



Ales Smirnov RW/D || Retired || Ron Mexico MVP: S35 ||
-- CAREER STATS --
REGULAR SEASON GP: 857 G:210 A:389 P:599
-- AWARDS --
S21: SMJHL Presidents Trophy & Four Star Cup | Kelowna Knights
S21:Elias Armia Trophy (Award in Excellence Given By The League Commissioner.)
S22: Four Star Cup Champs | Kelowna Knights
S22: Ted Lindsay Award (SMJHL MVP)
S22: Brodie Witzel Trophy (Playoffs MVP)
S23: SHL All Rookie Team
S26: IIHF Gold (Russia)
S28: IIHF Silver (Russia)
S32: IIHF Bronze (Russia)
S35: Ron Mexico (SHL MVP)
S38: IIHF Gold (Russia)

BUMP

This article is open for questions from you guys.

александр счербак || C || Kelowna Knights
Name: Aleksandr Scherbak
Age: 18
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 165lbs
Number: 17
Signed in KEL as free agent in S45
Drafted by WKP in S46

Mikke Laukkanen || G || New England Wolfpack || Retired
S30-S44 || GP: 603 || Record: 329-219-55 || GAA: 2.84 || SV%: .905
Three Challenge Cups
Winningest Goalie in NEW History

I learned a lot for Ciarelli

Do you also plan on being a scrub?

“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. ... There are neither beginnings nor endings to the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.”

Ólafur Atlason| C | SMJHL Prospect | Future Edmonton Blizzard
Birthplace: Reykjavik, Iceland
------------------------------------------------------------
Transactions
[/pbl]
------------------------------------------------------------
Awards
------------------------------------------------------------
Achievements
[/pbl]
------------------------------------------------------------
SMJHL Season Stats
S76: GP: 0 | G: 0 | A: 0 | P: 0 | 0 | PIM: 0 | Hits: 0 | |
SMJHL Playoff Stats
S76: GP: 0 | G: 0 | A: 0 | P: 0 | 0 | PIM: 0 | Hits: 0 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
SHL Season Stats

Updated

александр счербак || C || Kelowna Knights
Name: Aleksandr Scherbak
Age: 18
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 165lbs
Number: 17
Signed in KEL as free agent in S45
Drafted by WKP in S46

Mikke Laukkanen || G || New England Wolfpack || Retired
S30-S44 || GP: 603 || Record: 329-219-55 || GAA: 2.84 || SV%: .905
Three Challenge Cups
Winningest Goalie in NEW History

Originally posted by jjaybs@Mar 22 2016, 03:43 PM
Updated

SHOTS FIRED

What do you miss most about Finland?

What are your goals for your junior career?

Thoughts on joining Team Finland someday?

Do you feel Finnish players are generally inadequate due to their birthplace or is it just a coincidence?

“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. ... There are neither beginnings nor endings to the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.”

Ólafur Atlason| C | SMJHL Prospect | Future Edmonton Blizzard
Birthplace: Reykjavik, Iceland
------------------------------------------------------------
Transactions
[/pbl]
------------------------------------------------------------
Awards
------------------------------------------------------------
Achievements
[/pbl]
------------------------------------------------------------
SMJHL Season Stats
S76: GP: 0 | G: 0 | A: 0 | P: 0 | 0 | PIM: 0 | Hits: 0 | |
SMJHL Playoff Stats
S76: GP: 0 | G: 0 | A: 0 | P: 0 | 0 | PIM: 0 | Hits: 0 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
SHL Season Stats

More troll questions=more word count=more $$$.

What do you like best about Kelowna as a city? Is it different from where you grew up?

If hockey hadn't panned out, what would you have done instead?

Who would you say you consider to be your mentor, or a player you don't know but look up to?

Great article! :-x

As a goalie, who's your favorite team to play against?

Least favorite team to play against?

Favorite cheat day food that the team's nutritionist would kill you for eating?

Leopold Lockhart || D || San Francisco Pride || Anchorage Armada S44-S46
pbl]Name: Leopold Lockhart[/pbl]
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 198 lbs
Number: 27
------------------------------------------------------------
SHL Career Statistics
S47 SFP: GP: 50, G: 3, A: 9, P: 12, +/-: -4, PIMS: 30, H: 68, SB: 48
------------------------------------------------------------
SHL Playoff Statistics
S47 SFP: GP: 5, G: 0, A: 0, P: 0, +/-: -5, PIMS: 2, H:6, SB: 6
------------------------------------------------------------
SMJHL Career Statistics
S46 ANC: GP: 50, G: 9, A: 28, P: 37, +/-: -6, PIMS: 16, H: 45, SB: 58
S45 ANC: GP: 50, G: 16, A: 19, P: 35, +/-: 6, PIMS: 20, H: 56, SB: 56
S44 ANC: GP: 50, G: 8, A: 23, P: 31, +/-: -4, PIMS: 32, H: 39, SB: 70
------------------------------------------------------------
SMJHL Playoff Statistics
S46 ANC: GP: 11, G: 1, A: 3, P: 4, +/-: 4, PIMS: 4, H: 17, SB: 9
S45 ANC: GP: 6, G: 3, A: 2, P: 5, +/-: -4, PIMS: 0, H: 1, SB: 7
S44 ANC: GP: 7, G: 2, A: 2, P: 4, +/-: 7, PIMS: 2, H: 0, SB: 4
------------------------------------------------------------
Career Milestones:
S46: Re-Named Captain of Anchorage Armada
S45: Named Captain of Anchorage Armada
S45: Signed 3-yr/$3mil deal with San Francisco
S45: Drafted 1st overall by the San Francisco Pride in the SHL Entry Draft
S44: Became alternate captain of Anchorage Armada
S44: Signed 1-yr/$3mil deal with Anchorage
S44: Drafted 2nd overall by the Anchorage Armada in the SMJHL Entry Draft


Mikko Linna || RW || Kelowna Knights S27-29 || West Kendall Platoon S30-S41 || Calgary Dragons S42-S44
Name: Mikko Linna
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 182 lbs
Number: 84
------------------------------------------------------------
SHL Career Statistics
S44 CGY: GP: 50, G: 13, A: 22, P: 35, +/-: 1, PIMS: 2, H: 10, SB: 17
S43 CGY: GP: 50, G: 20, A: 34, P: 54, +/-: 14, PIMS: 4, H: 5, SB: 13
S42 CGY: GP: 50, G: 18, A: 30, P: 48, +/-: 2, PIMS: 6, H: 43, SB: 18
S41 WKP: GP: 50, G: 21, A: 27, P: 48, +/-: 16, PIMS: 39, H: 92, SB: 12
S40 WKP: GP: 50, G: 25, A: 30, P: 55, +/-: 10, PIMS: 12, H: 58, SB: 13
S39 WKP: GP: 50, G: 17, A: 31, P: 48, +/-: 4, PIMS: 18, H: 61, SB: 14
S38 WKP: GP: 50, G: 19, A: 25, P: 44, +/-: 14, PIMS: 71, H: 163, SB: 19
S37 WKP: GP: 50, G: 27, A: 33, P: 60, +/-: 18, PIMS: 25, H: 115, SB: 20
S36 WKP: GP: 50, G: 24, A: 21, P: 45, +/-: 0, PIMS: 24, H: 71, SB: 8
S35 WKP: GP: 50, G: 18, A: 26, P: 44, +/-: -13, PIMS: 6, H: 90, SB: 17
S34 WKP: GP: 50, G: 21, A: 22, P: 43, +/-: 9, PIMS: 47, H: 110, SB: 14
S33 WKP: GP: 50, G: 16, A: 14, P: 30, +/-: -1, PIMS: 38, H: 45, SB: 15
S32 WKP: GP: 50, G: 13, A: 20, P: 33, +/-: 1, PIMS: 32, H: 47, SB: 15
S31 WKP: GP: 50, G: 16, A: 16, P: 32, +/-: 20, PIMS: 16, H: 34, SB: 7
S30 WKP: GP: 50, G: 13, A: 13, P: 26, +/-: 11, PIMS: 5, H: 31, SB: 4
------------------------------------------------------------
SHL Playoff Statistics
S44 CGY: GP: 5, G: 1, A: 3, P: 5, +/-: 2, PIMS: 7, H:1, SB: 0
S43 CGY: GP: 6, G: 2, A: 6, P: 8, +/-: -3, PIMS: 0, H:0, SB: 3
S42 CGY: GP: 16, G: 7, A: 10, P: 17, +/-: 10, PIMS: 4, H:17, SB: 5
S41 WKP: GP: 20, G: 11, A: 17, P: 28, +/-: 14, PIMS: 10, H:30, SB: 5
S40 WKP: GP: 6, G: 2, A: 3, P: 5, +/-: 1, PIMS: 0, H:2, SB: 2
S39 WKP: GP: 4, G: 0, A: 4, P: 4, +/-: 4, PIMS: 7, H:10, SB: 1
S38 WKP: N/A
S37 WKP: GP: 12, G: 5, A: 7, P: 12, +/-: 0, PIMS: 6, H:23, SB: 2
S36 WKP: N/A
S35 WKP: GP: 5, G: 2, A: 1, P: 3, +/-: -1, PIMS: 7, H: 6, SB: 0
S34 WKP: N/A
S33 WKP: GP: 4, G: 1, A: 1, P: 2, +/-: -3, PIMS: 0, H: 3, SB: 0
S32 WKP: GP: 6, G: 0, A: 2, P: 2, +/-: -2, PIMS: 5, H: 4, SB: 1
S31 WKP: GP: 7, G: 0, A: 1, P: 1, +/-: -6, PIMS: 2, H: 2, SB: 0
S30 WKP: GP: 13, G: 3, A: 5, P: 8, +/-: 1, PIMS: 2, H: 6, SB: 2
------------------------------------------------------------
SMJHL Career Statistics
S29 KEL: GP: 50, G: 20, A: 29, P: 49, +/-: 9, PIMS: 2, H: 58, SB: 13
S28 KEL: GP: 50, G: 15, A: 23, P: 38, +/-: -9, PIMS: 20, H: 45, SB: 16
S27 KEL: GP: 50, G: 15, A: 18, P: 33, +/-: 8, PIMS: 20, H: 46, SB: 2
------------------------------------------------------------
SMJHL Playoff Statistics
S29 KEL: GP: 11, G: 8, A: 8, P: 16, +/-: 11, PIMS: 2, H: 17, SB: 3
S28 KEL: GP: 6, G: 2, A: 1, P: 3, +/-: 0, PIMS: 2, H: 7, SB: 2
S27 KEL: GP: 13, G: 5, A: 4, P: 9, +/-: 4, PIMS: 2, H: 5, SB: 1
------------------------------------------------------------
Career Milestones:
S49: Inducted into SHL Hall of Fame
S45: Inducted into WKP Hall of Fame, Number Retired
S44: Retired, Played last season with Calgary Dragons
S42: Challenge Cup Champion with Calgary Dragons
S42: Traded to Calgary Dragons
S41: Won IIHF Silver with team Finland
S41: Challenge Cup Champion with West Kendall Platoon
S41: Won Mathias Chouinard Trophy (East Champions) with West Kendall Platoon
S41: Named Captain of the West Kendall Platoon
S40: Named Captain of the West Kendall Platoon
S39: Won IIHF Silver with team Finland
S39: Named IIHF Top Forward
S39: Named Captain of the West Kendall Platoon
S38: Became Captain of the West Kendall Platoon
S37: Recipient of SHL Jeff Dar Trophy (Best Two-Way Forward)
S37: Won IIHF Gold with team Finland
S37: Named to All Star Team
S35: Won IIHF Bronze with team Finland 
S35: Signed 3yr/$9mil extension with West Kendall
S33: Signed 3yr/$15mil extension with West Kendall
S30: Recipient of SHL Ryan Jesster Award (Best Rookie)
S30: Named to All Star Rookie Team
S30: Won IIHF Gold with team Finland
S29: Recipient of SMJHL Ron Bolt Award (Most Sportsmanlike)
S29: Re-Named Captain of Kelowna Knights
S29: Signed 4-yr/$12mil extension with West Kendall
S28: Won IIHF Bronze with team Finland
S28: Became Captain of Kelowna Knights
S28: Signed 2-yr/$7mil deal with West Kendall
S28: Drafted 8th overall by West Kendall in the SHL Entry Draft
S27: Recipient of Kelowna's Maxim Horvat Award (Rookie of the Year)
S27: Recipient of Kelowna's Miikka Granlund Award (Leadership)
S27: Became Alternate Captain of Kelowna Knights  
S27: Signed 1-yr/$2mil deal with Kelowna
S27: Drafted 9th overall by Kelowna in the SMJHL Entry Draft


ZzRaven's Robot Snoop Lion | Retired Kelowna Knights GM | S30-S36
S36 | 23-25-2
S35 | 24-23-3
S34 | 23-17-10
S33 | 31-14-5 | Occasus Trophy |  Mathias Chouinard Award  
S32 | 31-16-3 | Occasus Trophy | Four Star Cup |  Mathias Chouinard Award  
S31 | 30-13-7 | Laurifer Trophy | Occasus Trophy | Four Star Cup |  Mathias Chouinard Award 
S30 |  33-13-4 | Laurifer Trophy

Sigs by: King, Tweedledunn, Me
Player Page|Twitter|Update Page

Updated! (And closed for questions)

александр счербак || C || Kelowna Knights
Name: Aleksandr Scherbak
Age: 18
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 165lbs
Number: 17
Signed in KEL as free agent in S45
Drafted by WKP in S46

Mikke Laukkanen || G || New England Wolfpack || Retired
S30-S44 || GP: 603 || Record: 329-219-55 || GAA: 2.84 || SV%: .905
Three Challenge Cups
Winningest Goalie in NEW History