HIFK went on a raid: caught an NHL prospect from another Liiga team!
HIFK has signed a contract with 18-year-old center Atte Joki. The contract covers two seasons and keeps the player in Helsinki until spring 2028.
Joki moves to HIFK from Rauman Lukko, where he played 40 Liiga games last season with stats of 4+8=12.
The forward, originally from Nokia, has gone through the junior paths of Tappara and Lukko. He won the U20 Finnish championship with Lukko in the spring of 2025.
Joki has also played for Finland’s youth national teams and was drafted into the NHL by the Dallas Stars in the summer of 2025 in the fifth round.
– The NHL and North America are the goal, and I work for that every day. That is the target I want to reach one day, Joki says in HIFK’s statement.
HIFK’s head coach Olli Jokinen sees a clear role for Joki in the future.
– Atte is a young, progressing center. Despite his age, he has a good understanding of the game’s principles.
– Last season, he showed that he can play men’s games. Atte is an excellent addition to our center. He will be a big player for the team in the upcoming season, Jokinen describes.
Joki himself describes his playing style simply:
– I am a two-way worker. I can help a lot in offensive play, and I am reliable in defense and on the penalty kill. I like physical play, and many might recognize me for that. I enjoy hitting and fighting.
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