Story Summary
Tappara and Ilves are reportedly in competition to sign JYP forward Leevi Tukiainen.
Tukiainen scored 29 goals and recorded 44 points in 40 games for JYP last season. He has maintained that finishing pace in the early part of the current campaign, posting nine goals and one assist through 16 Liiga appearances.
A possible new contract for the Pelicans youth product could reportedly contain an overseas option.
Key Facts
- Esko Seppänen says Tappara and Ilves are both involved in bidding for JYP forward Leevi Tukiainen.
- Tukiainen scored 29 goals and collected 44 points in 40 games for JYP last season.
- Tukiainen has nine goals and one assist in 16 Liiga games this season.
- Tukiainen is 26 years old and came through the Pelicans youth system.
- A potential new contract for Tukiainen could reportedly include an overseas option.
IHM Discussion
The reported interest reflects the value placed on a forward who has supplied goals at an exceptional rate for JYP. Tukiainen’s 29-goal season was not merely a strong points total built on secondary production: goals have been the defining feature of his output, and his nine strikes in 16 league matches show that the scoring has continued.
Proven finishing is difficult to acquire within Liiga, particularly when a player is producing regularly in his mid-twenties. The prospect of an overseas option also adds an important layer to the reported contract situation, since any agreement would need to account for that possibility.
Why It Matters
This is a significant reported market development because it involves two local rivals pursuing a productive player from another Liiga club. Tukiainen’s scoring record gives the story substance: he delivered 29 goals for JYP last season and has already reached nine this term.
Seppänen also pointed to the approaching international break as a useful opportunity for clubs to make acquisitions for the remainder of the season. That does not confirm a move for Tukiainen, but it places the reported bidding in a period when teams may look to act on their recruitment plans.