Jokerit may receive an interesting last-minute confirmation for their team for the upcoming Liiga season.

Jokerit’s own forward prospect Samu Salminen, 23, agent Markus Lehto tells New Jersey Hockey Now that the 190-centimeter forward does not intend to continue his career next season in the United States college league.

The New Jersey Devils hold the NHL rights to the Finnish forward, so one option is to sign a two-way contract with the Devils and start the season with the AHL’s Utica Comets.

As a second option for the upcoming season, the site mentions a return to Jokerit, from which Salminen left for North America in the fall of 2022. He played last season with the University of Denver team and collected 29 points with 11 goals and 18 assists in 43 games. Salminen served as the alternate captain of his team.

Salminen is a third-round draft pick of the Devils from 2021. In his previous season in Finland 2021-22, the big forward scored 48 points with 19 goals and 29 assists in 44 games played with Jokerit’s U20 team.

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