Saku Mäenalanen Explained

Saku Mäenalanen
Birth Date:29 May 1994
Birth Place:Tornio, Finland
Height Ft:6
Height In:4
Weight Lb:192
Position:Right wing
Shoots:Left
League:NL
Team:SCL Tigers
Former Teams:Oulun Kärpät
Lahti Pelicans
Carolina Hurricanes
Jokerit
Winnipeg Jets
Ntl Team:FIN
Draft:125th overall
Draft Year:2013
Draft Team:Nashville Predators
Career Start:2013

Saku Mäenalanen (born 29 May 1994) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward who is currently under contract with the SCL Tigers of the National League (NL). Mäenalanen was selected by the Nashville Predators in the fifth round (125th overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Mäenalanen played junior hockey within the Oulun Kärpät organization. Following his selection in the NHL draft by the Predators, he made his professional debut in the Liiga with Oulun Kärpät during the 2013–14 season.

Unsigned by the Nashville Predators, Mäenalanen continued in the Liiga with Oulun Kärpät, also enduring a shortened loan stint with fellow Liiga club, Lahti Pelicans in the 2014–15 season.[1]

In the 2017–18 season, Mäenalanen enjoyed a breakout season totaling 17 goals and 46 points in 59 games, ranking 11th among scorers in Liiga. He added 10 points postseason, helping Oulun capture the league championship. On 18 May 2018, Mäenalanen gained NHL interest and signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. In signing with the Hurricanes, he was reunited with former Finnish junior teammate, Sebastian Aho.[2]

Mäenalanen began the 2018–19 season with the Hurricanes American Hockey League affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. He was recalled to the NHL on 6 December after playing in 23 games and recording 11 points for the Checkers.[3] He made his NHL debut the following day in a 4–1 win over the Anaheim Ducks.[4] He recorded his first NHL goal on 8 January in a 4–3 win over the New York Islanders.[5]

As a restricted free agent after his first North American season, Mäenalanen could not agree to terms with the Hurricanes on a new contract. With his rights still held by the Hurricanes, Mäenalanen opted to return to his native Finland to resume his career in the KHL. He agreed to an optional two-year contract with Jokerit on 25 September 2019.[6]

After two seasons with Jokerit, Mäenalanen returned to his original Finnish club, Oulun Kärpät of the Liiga, agreeing to a three-year contract on 11 June 2021.[7] In his first season back with Kärpät in 2021–22, Mäenalanen led the team in scoring with 13 goals and 28 assists for 41 points in 47 games.

On 19 July 2022, Mäenalanen enacted an NHL opt-out clause in the off-season by signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Winnipeg Jets. Mäenalanen successfully made the Jets opening night roster out of training camp to open the season. Used predominately in a fourth-line defensive forward role, Mäenalanen appeared in an NHL career best 64 regular season games and added 4 goals and 10 points. He contributed with 1 assist through 5 playoff games in a first-round defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights.

As a free agent from the Jets in the following off-season, Mäenalanen was unable to secure an NHL contract over the summer. He was later signed to a professional tryout contract by the Colorado Avalanche, however failed the physical at training camp and was subsequently released on 20 September 2023.[8] [9]

The following day from his release, Mäenalanen returned to continue his career in Europe, agreeing to a three-year contract with Swiss club, SCL Tigers of the NL, on 21 September 2023.[10]

International play

Maenalanen made his senior debut for Finland at the 2018 IIHF World Championship. In a fifth-place finish, he posted two goals and three assists in 8 contests.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
2010–11Kiekko–LaserFIN.3 U18 Q814122610
2010–11Kiekko–LaserFIN.3 U18 1813263910
2010–11KärpätFIN U1810002
2011–12KärpätFIN U18 Q1227936
2011–12KärpätFIN U18 3213294240973102
2012–13KärpätJr. A4523355843552718
2013–14KärpätJr. A533621244810
2013–14KärpätLiiga254370
2013–14JokipojatMestis1596154
2014–15KärpätJr. A62682
2014–15KärpätLiiga20415270110
2014–15PelicansLiiga81010
2014–15HokkiMestis17581361024622
2015–16KärpätLiiga466101614133146
2016–17KärpätLiiga34111021620000
2017–18KärpätLiiga591729462618551016
2018–19Charlotte CheckersAHL3177148
2018–19Carolina HurricanesNHL344482090116
2019–20JokeritKHL26549862356
2020–21JokeritKHL3848124840000
2021–22KärpätLiiga471328416771014
2022–23Winnipeg JetsNHL64461016501112
2023–24SCL TigersNL441192040
Liiga totals239568113711547971626
NHL totals9881018361402218
KHL totals649122156102356

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2014FinlandWJC774110
2018FinlandWC5th82138
2021FinlandWC101340
2022FinlandOG60112
2022FinlandWC920229
2024FinlandWC8th7 1 1 2 2
Junior totals 774110
Senior totals 40661241

Awards and honours

AwardYear
Jr. A SM-liiga
All-Star Team2012–13[11]
Liiga
Kanada-malja (Oulun Kärpät)2018

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Maenalanen loaned to Pelicans . . 2014-09-24 . 2017-09-24 . Finnish.
  2. Web site: Canes sign Maenalanen to one-year contract . . 2018-05-18 . 2018-05-18.
  3. Web site: Canes Recall Maenalanen from Charlotte . NHL.com . 8 December 2018 . 6 December 2018.
  4. Web site: Hurricanes snap Ducks' five-game win streak . tsn.ca . 8 December 2018 . 8 December 2018. made his NHL debut for Carolina after Staal was sidelined for the first time this season due to a concussion..
  5. Web site: Brian Compton . Hurricanes edge Islanders for fifth straight victory . NHL.com . 16 January 2019 . 8 January 2019.
  6. Web site: Saku Maenalanen in Jokerit . . 25 September 2019 . 25 September 2019 . Finnish.
  7. Web site: Saku Maenalanen returns to Karpat . . Finnish . 11 June 2021 . 11 June 2021.
  8. Web site: Former Jets' forward Saku Maenalanen signs PTO with the Colorado Avalanche . . 8 September 2023 . 8 September 2023 .
  9. Web site: Saku Maenalanen fails physical . . 20 September 2023 . 20 September 2023 .
  10. Web site: Finnish Olympian Saku Mäenalanen signs with SCL . . 21 September 2023 . 21 September 2023 . German.
  11. Web site: All-Star Team announced . eliteprospects.com . 2015-04-05 . 2015-04-05.