Story Summary
The Carolina Hurricanes have turned their attention to the NHL Global Series Finland after an 8-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at Lenovo Center. The reigning Stanley Cup champions will face the Seattle Kraken twice at Veikkaus Arena in Helsinki, while the trip also offers a rare homecoming for several players.
Centres Sebastian Aho and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, plus defenceman Juuso Valimaki, will play NHL games in their home country with family and friends expected to be in attendance. Aho is from Rauma, Kotkaniemi is from Pori and Valimaki was born in Tampere before growing up in Nokia.
The hockey remains Carolina’s priority. Aho gave the clearest possible target for a Hurricanes side carrying a 14-3-2 record into the trip: four points from the two games. Yet he and his Finnish team-mates are also preparing to introduce the wider group to Helsinki and Finnish culture, including a planned sauna visit.
Captain Jordan Staal, recovering from a torn calf muscle suffered during warmups on 11 October, will travel with the club and might play for the first time since the injury.
Key Facts
- The Hurricanes beat the Chicago Blackhawks 8-2 at Lenovo Center before travelling to Finland.
- Carolina will play the Seattle Kraken twice at Veikkaus Arena in Helsinki during the NHL Global Series Finland.
- Sebastian Aho, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Juuso Valimaki will have the opportunity to play NHL games in their home country.
- Aho leads all Finnish NHL players this season with 26 points, including 10 goals and 16 assists, in 19 games.
- Kotkaniemi expects between 20 and 30 relatives and friends to attend the games in Helsinki.
- Jordan Staal will accompany Carolina to Helsinki while recovering from the torn calf muscle he sustained during warmups on 11 October.
IHM Discussion
This is an unusually personal regular-season assignment for Carolina’s Finnish contingent. Kotkaniemi expects a substantial group from his personal circle, while Aho will reunite with his wife Rosa and their 18-month-old daughter Vivian after they travelled to Finland ahead of the team. Valimaki also expects to see people close to him and may even have the chance to visit home.
For Aho, the week brings his club responsibilities and his place in Finnish hockey together. He has embraced the off-ice planning, arranging activities for the Hurricanes and joking that Jordan Martinook had contributed more than Kotkaniemi. Kotkaniemi accepted the teasing and said Aho was doing a good job running the plans.
The trip is not only for the Finnish players. Nikolaj Ehlers, from Aalborg in Denmark, will also have a sizeable group of family and friends travelling to Helsinki. Seth Jarvis, who has visited Finland twice and is known by team-mates as an honorary Finn, said he was looking forward to the atmosphere and to seeing the Finnish Hurricanes play in front of people who cannot normally watch them in person.
Rod Brind’Amour singled out Aho’s opportunity to receive that support. The Hurricanes coach described it as a chance for a player who has been so important to the organisation to give something back to his supporters at home.
Why It Matters
International regular-season games carry the same competitive value as any other fixtures, and Aho has left no doubt about Carolina’s aim: the Hurricanes want to return with four points. The club arrives after a decisive win over Chicago and with a strong 14-3-2 record, so the focus will remain on maintaining that level against Seattle.
At the same time, the setting gives Carolina’s Finnish players a stage that their normal NHL schedule cannot provide. Family members and friends can see Aho, Kotkaniemi and Valimaki play in person without crossing the Atlantic, while their team-mates gain a closer view of the country those players call home.
That combination makes the Global Series distinctive rather than a standard road trip. There is a demanding pair of games to play, but there is also shared time away from the usual routine and an opportunity for the club to experience Helsinki together.
Fan Pulse
For supporters in Finland, the attraction is immediate: Aho, Kotkaniemi and Valimaki will be playing NHL games in front of people who have known them well beyond their professional careers. Kotkaniemi’s expected group of 20 to 30 family members and friends gives the occasion a particularly local feel.
Aho’s individual form adds to the anticipation. His 26 points in 19 games lead all Finnish NHL players this season, and Brind’Amour has spoken warmly about the response he hopes Aho receives in Helsinki. The event also gives Carolina followers a chance to see the team’s close-knit identity in a different setting, with Finnish players helping shape the experience for the whole travelling party.
Mini Q&A
Which Hurricanes players will be playing in their home country?
Sebastian Aho, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Juuso Valimaki will play in Finland during the Global Series.
Who will Carolina play in Helsinki?
The Hurricanes will play the Seattle Kraken twice at Veikkaus Arena.
Will Jordan Staal travel with the Hurricanes?
Yes, Staal will travel to Helsinki while recovering from a torn calf muscle, and he might play for the first time since the injury.
Coach Mark Comment
Aho taking responsibility for the sauna outing is a small but telling part of this trip. He is not merely arriving in Helsinki as Carolina’s leading Finnish scorer; he is helping his team-mates feel welcome in a place that is personal to him.
That kind of gesture can make an overseas week less formal. Kotkaniemi can joke about leaving the planning to Aho, and Martinook can lend a hand, but the host players are giving their colleagues a glimpse of their lives away from the rink. That is a fine way for a group to share an unusual NHL week.
What Comes Next
Carolina will face Seattle in Helsinki on Thursday and again on Saturday at Veikkaus Arena. Staal’s availability remains uncertain, with the captain set to travel as he continues his recovery from the calf injury.
IHM Final View
The Hurricanes leave for Finland with both momentum and purpose after the 8-2 win over Chicago. Aho, Kotkaniemi and Valimaki will carry the special responsibility of playing at home, but Carolina’s stated objective is straightforward: enjoy a rare experience together while taking care of the two games that await.