Finnish players represented on 25 teams in the NHL this season

Miikka Kiprusoff

Stanley Cup

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Tonight's the night. The puck drops on a new NHL hockey season in North America, and the Finnish presence is strong.
      As the accompanying map shows, Finnish players are plying their trade in some 25 NHL teams, though in some cases the likelihood is that the player will be turning out for a farm side in the AHL throughout the season.
     
This season, the wage cap that followed last year's extended strike and lock-out, a tougher refereeing line, and some big upsets in the play-offs in recent years have encouraged speculation that the race for the coveted Stanley Cup is wide open. No longer do the rich clubs like Detroit, Dallas, or Colorado dominate the advance betting.
      One team that has been generating a buzz in the weeks leading up to the start of the season is the Calgary Flames, not least because their roster includes the NHL's best goaltender and arguably the MVP of the entire league, Miikka Kiprusoff. There are no fewer than eight Finnish goalies in the NHL this year.
      The Dallas Stars again has a small Finnish settlement, with four players on the roster, all among the forwards.


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