Toronto Maple Leafs prospect leaving North America for Finland
The fate of one Toronto Maple Leafs prospect might rest in a bit of a reclamation project on his home soil.
Roni Hirvonen, a Leafs second-round draft pick in 2020, has signed a one-year deal with Oulun KƤrpƤt in his native country of Finland.
In 59 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies this season, his second in North America, Hirvonen put up 10 goals and 11 assists for a total of 21 points.
Though he’s made appearances in preseason, Hirvonen has yet to crack an NHL roster five years out from being drafted.
“It’s great that we reached an agreement with Ron! He is a young player who has already shown his talent and still has a huge potential to develop. In addition to his playing skills, we also get a lot of leadership in daily work with him,” Kimmo Kapanen said in a release.
The 23-year-old has dealt with a series of tough injuries in his time in North America, suffering both a bad concussion and getting hit with an errant high stick in the 2023-24 season that limited him to just 37 AHL games.
Hirvonen is currently a restricted free agent heading into this summer, meaning the Leafs either can offer him a qualifying offer to retain his rights or let him potentially walk to another NHL team in the future upon his return from Europe.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Hirvonen said. “We have a great team and high expectations for the season. Let’s all have a nice summer and recharge our batteries before the start of the season. See you at the rink!”
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