Tappara is steel! Here is the All-Star lineup of the league's regular season

The league’s regular season was wrapped up on Tuesday night with a full round of eight matches. There was drama and impressive individual performances right up to the last seconds.

SuomiKiekko summarizes the regular season by assembling an all-star lineup of the best-performing individuals. Tappara dominated the regular season, and so did the list of names for the all-star team.

Goaltender: Kim Saarinen, HPK

This season, there were many great goaltending stories in the league. However, HPK’s 19-year-old Kim Saarinen was the most consistent performer from start to finish. He was also under a heavy workload throughout the season, but the games he missed were few. Ultimately, despite the U20 World Championships, Saarinen played 38 matches. His save percentage of 91.6 was the best among all goaltenders.

Defenseman: Jyrki Jokipakka, Tappara

Jyrki Jokipakka was the biggest positive surprise among defensemen. His previous stint in the league with Ilves was a major disappointment, but now Jokipakka showed his skills. The solidly defending blueliner also performed sharply in the offensive zone, scoring 11 goals and 25 assists for a total of 36 points in 48 games. His plus-minus rating was an impressive +27.

Defenseman: Simon Johansson, Ilves

For Ilves, scoring was at times like pulling teeth during the regular season, but for Simon Johansson, it seemed almost easy. Johansson easily won the defensemen’s points and goals leaderboard and was also the top scorer for the entire Ilves team. What more could you hope for from a puck-moving defenseman? Johansson ultimately tallied 19 goals and 32 assists for 51 points in 58 games.

Simon Johansson was Ilves’ best player this season by many measures. Photo: All Over Press

Winger: Benjamin Rautiainen, Tappara

The 20-year-old Benjamin Rautiainen had a season that no one could have believed in the fall. At first, it seemed that the young Finnish player was benefiting from his linemate Joachim Blichfeld’s production. In the end, it might have been the other way around, with Blichfeld benefiting more from Rautiainen. The 20-year-old winger has a unique vision for the game, but the versatile forward also knows how to score. A talent like this is unlikely to be seen in the league for years. Ultimately, Rautiainen collected 25 goals and 52 assists for 77 points in 59 games, winning the regular season scoring title by a wide margin.

Center: Mikael Ruohomaa, Lukko

Mikael Ruohomaa’s season started a bit sluggishly. But once the engines got going, the results came in at a furious pace. Ruohomaa’s movement was dynamic, and he was one of the best playmakers in the entire league. The crafty center stood out immediately whenever he entered the offensive zone. In 57 games, he ultimately recorded 16 goals and 46 assists for 62 points.

Winger: Joachim Blichfeld, Tappara

Joachim Blichfeld is perhaps the league’s best natural goal scorer. He doesn’t rely solely on his powerful shot; the Danish forward can finish in many different ways. He doesn’t need much space or time, as his shot is very quick and can come from tight spots. When opponents eventually started playing more aggressively to take away Blichfeld’s shot, the Dane began to create more plays and rack up assist points. In 53 games, the Danish winger amassed an impressive 33 goals and 38 assists for 71 points.