Contract revealed - here is Kristian Vesalainen's next season team!

Kristian Vesalainen is changing teams in the Finnish Liiga.

HPK announces that they have signed Vesalainen to a one-year contract.

Vesalainen, 26, played for HIFK in the past three seasons. In the last season, he played 40 regular-season games for the team, scoring 17+19=36 points, and four playoff games without points.

HPK is a familiar team for Vesalainen from previous years. He played for the team in the seasons 2016-18 and 2020-21. In the Liiga, Vesalainen has also represented Kärpät in the spring of 2018, winning the Finnish championship with the team.

– Kristian is a strong, offensive player known for his dangerous shot. Despite his young age, he is an experienced player expected to bring leadership on the ice and in the locker room. We are very happy to have him back in the Kerho jersey for the upcoming season, HPK’s CEO Kaj Källarsson says in the team’s press release.

In his career, Vesalainen has played 70 NHL regular-season games for the Winnipeg Jets, scoring 2+3 points, and four playoff games without points. In the AHL, he has played 105 games (20+34=54).

Over the past two seasons, Vesalainen has also been seen in the Finnish national team jersey in EHT tournaments.