Story Summary
TPS have bolstered their defence by signing 32-year-old Petteri Lindbohm to a contract that runs for the remainder of the season and includes an option allowing him to depart for a club abroad during the campaign. Lindbohm, who began the Liiga season unsigned, joins a Turku roster that has opened the season with two wins and one defeat.
Lindbohm said he had trained well over the summer and was pleased to join TPS, calling the club ” a fine and traditional team” and saying it was an honour to wear the shirt. TPS sporting director Mika Suoraniemi explained the move was prompted by captain Niklas Friman’s long sick leave. Suoraniemi added that Lindbohm was a priority in their market search, and that while Lindbohm’s primary objective remains to secure a playing place abroad, talks quickly produced mutual interest in a TPS switch.
The signing adds a player with extensive international and club experience to TPS’s dressing room. Lindbohm has played 161 Liiga games for Jokerit, Ässät and HIFK, collecting 36 points; his playoff record in Liiga stands at 12 games with one goal and one assist. Last season he played 27 regular-season and five playoff games for HIFK, scoring 3+5 in the league and 1+0 in the post-season. His wider career includes 49 NHL appearances with the St. Louis Blues and Florida Panthers, 45 KHL matches for Jokerit, 135 National League games with Lausanne HC and EHC Biel-Bienne, and 52 SHL outings for Frölunda HC.
On the international stage Lindbohm was part of Finland’s gold-medal winning Olympic team in 2022 and the world championship-winning squad in 2019, and he also won world championship silver in 2021.
Key Facts
- Petteri Lindbohm (32) has signed with TPS on a contract covering the remainder of the season.
- The contract contains an option that allows Lindbohm to leave for a club abroad during the season.
- Lindbohm was without a contract at the start of the Liiga season before joining TPS.
- TPS began the season with two wins and one loss prior to Lindbohm’s arrival.
- Mika Suoraniemi, TPS’s sporting director, said the signing was made necessary by captain Niklas Friman’s long sick leave.
- Lindbohm has played 161 Liiga games for Jokerit, Ässät and HIFK, scoring 36 points.
- His Liiga playoff record is 12 games with 1+1.
- Last season for HIFK Lindbohm appeared in 27 regular-season games (3+5) and five playoff games (1+0).
- Lindbohm’s club career also includes 49 NHL games (St. Louis Blues, Florida Panthers), 45 KHL games (Jokerit), 135 NL games (Lausanne HC, EHC Biel-Bienne) and 52 SHL games (Frölunda HC).
- Internationally, Lindbohm won Olympic gold in 2022, the world championship in 2019 and world championship silver in 2021.
IHM Discussion
TPS moved quickly to plug a gap created by Niklas Friman’s prolonged absence, prioritising a player with both domestic and international experience. The contract’s foreign-exit clause preserves Lindbohm’s stated objective of returning to a club abroad if an opportunity arises, while giving TPS immediate depth and veteran presence on the blue line.
From a squad-management perspective the deal is a short-term solution: it addresses an urgent need without closing down Lindbohm’s options. For Lindbohm, joining a traditional Liiga club that had already taken positive steps in the early season offers a route back into competitive regular-season hockey after starting the campaign unsigned.
Why It Matters
The signing matters for TPS because it adds experience during Friman’s lengthy absence through illness and does so quickly. Lindbohm’s career across top leagues and his international medals add a player accustomed to high-stakes games, while the foreign option means the arrangement may be temporary rather than a long-term transfer.
Mini Q&A
Has Petteri Lindbohm officially signed with TPS?
Yes. Petteri Lindbohm has signed a contract with TPS covering the remainder of the season.
Does Lindbohm’s contract allow him to leave during the season?
Yes. The deal includes an option that permits Lindbohm to depart for a club abroad during the season.
Why did TPS sign Lindbohm?
TPS sporting director Mika Suoraniemi said the signing was prompted by captain Niklas Friman’s long sick leave and that Lindbohm was a priority in their market search.
What experience does Lindbohm bring?
Lindbohm has played 161 Liiga games (36 points), 49 NHL games, 45 KHL games, 135 NL games and 52 SHL games, and he has Olympic gold (2022), world championship gold (2019) and world silver (2021).
Coach Mark Comment
Lindbohm’s experience gives TPS another established option on defence at a time when Friman is unavailable. The immediate task will be to integrate him into the existing structure, with the foreign option underlining that this may be a short-term arrangement.
IHM Final View
This is a sensible, short-term signing by TPS: Lindbohm fills an urgent defensive need caused by Friman’s long sick leave while keeping his own overseas ambitions intact. Expect him to be used as experienced depth for the remainder of the campaign unless an overseas offer arrives and his contractual exit option is exercised.