Rumored Tappara Lions forward: the scenery is changing!
Forward Joona Luoto is leaving the Swedish club HV71 after the past season. The club will not offer the 28-year-old alternate captain a new contract, so the forward seen in the Lions will continue his career elsewhere next season.
Luoto’s departure from HV71 comes as part of a broader wave of changes, as the club had to play in the SHL qualifiers for the second consecutive year to maintain its league position. Luoto scored 9 points (4+5) in 30 games this past season. In the previous season, Luoto reached 25 points in 40 games.
The Swedish newspaper Expressen previously reported that Luoto might be returning to the Liiga, specifically to his former club Tappara, where he won Finnish championships in 2017 and 2022.
Rumors attracted attention in Finland, but the player’s agent Ilkka Larva denied the claims to Aamulehti. According to Larva, Luoto has not signed a contract with any club, and his next destination is not in Finland.
Luoto last played in the Liiga during the 2021–22 season with Tappara. In the domestic top league, he has also represented HIFK. He also has experience from 23 NHL games and national team games at the EHT level from the 2023–24 season.
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