Samu Salminen

Samu Salminen
Born (2003-04-09) April 9, 2003 (age 21)
Helsinki, Finland
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Center/Left wing
Shoots Left
NCAA team University of Denver
NHL draft 68th overall, 2021
New Jersey Devils

Samu Salminen (born April 9, 2003) is a Finnish ice hockey forward for the University of Denver of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). He was drafted in the third round, 68th overall, by the New Jersey Devils in the 2021 NHL entry draft.[1]

Playing career

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Salminen's youth hockey career was played in the Jokerit system. He made his U20 SM-sarja debut in the 2019–20 season at 16 years old, posting 20 points in 23 games. In December 2019, he broke his collarbone.[2]

In the 2020–21 season, postponed until January 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[3] Salminen was named alternate captain and improved his scoring to 26 points in 17 games.[1] He had surgery on his collarbone shortly before the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, where he was selected in the third round, 68th overall by the New Jersey Devils.[2]

As he was committed to the University of Denver, Salminen chose not to turn pro in the 2021–22 season.[1] Although he considered accelerating his final year of school in Finland to join Denver immediately, or attending class remotely while playing in the United States Hockey League (USHL), the pandemic ultimately forced him to remain in the U20 SM-sarja for one more year. Promoted to captain, he scored 48 points in 44 games, the most on his team by a 10-point margin.[2]

In August 2022, an admissions issue in Denver forced Salminen to change his commitment to the University of Connecticut. Following a related delay with his travel visa, Salminen finally made his NCAA debut on October 27, 2022, against Boston College.[4] After a slow start that saw him score only two points in the first 10 games, his production skyrocketed, seeing him finish the season with 17 points in 27 games and playing on the team's top line.[5] He and the Huskies were eliminated by UMass Lowell in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Hockey East tournament.[6]

On January 26, 2024, Salminen scored a Michigan goal against Sacred Heart University.[7] On February 2, in a game against Providence College, Salminen received a five-minute major and a game misconduct for an illegal check to the head.[8] He was later suspended for one game.[9] After finishing the season third on the Huskies with seven goals and adding ten assists for seventeen points, it was announced that Salminen would be transferring to Denver.[10]

International play

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Salminen has represented Finland at the under-16, under-17, under-18, and under-20 levels, although he never played in an under-20 tournament.[11]

In his international tournament debut at the 2019 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, Salminen scored three goals and five points in five games.[12]

Representing Finland at the 2021 IIHF World U18 Championships, Salminen scored seven goals and nine points in seven games.[13]

Personal life

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Salminen has two hockey-playing older brothers, both now retired. Saku Salminen is a seventh-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning who most notably played in the SM-liiga,[14] and Sami Salminen played for Northern Michigan University and professionally in the Mestis.[15] Their father Pekka played minor professional in Finland before becoming a coach.[2]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2019–20 Jokerit U20 SM-sarja 23 7 13 20 10 — — — — —
2021–22 Jokerit U20 SM-sarja 17 10 16 26 10 2 0 0 0 0
2022–23 Jokerit U20 SM-sarja 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2022–23 UConn HE 27 9 8 17 14 — — — — —
2023–24 UConn HE 35 7 10 17 35 — — — — —
NCAA totals 62 16 18 34 49 — — — — —

International

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Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2019 Finland U17 7th 5 3 2 5 6
2021 Finland U18 4th 7 7 2 9 2
Junior totals 12 10 4 14 8

Awards and honors

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Award Year Ref
U20 SM-sarja
First All-Star Team 2022 [16]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Fischer, John (July 24, 2021). "2021 NHL Draft: Devils Pick Samu Salminen at 68th Overall in the Third Round". All About The Jersey. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Wheeler, Scott. "Devils prospect Samu Salminen's NHL pursuit remains on track". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  3. ^ "State of Hockey around the World during Pandemic". McKeen's Hockey. January 18, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  4. ^ Connolly, Daniel (October 27, 2022). "Lines: Samu Salminen to make his UConn debut". UConn Hockey Hub. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  5. ^ JamesJTracy (July 25, 2023). "New Jersey Devils Prospect Update: Five Prospects Poised to "Breakout" in 2023-24". All About The Jersey. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  6. ^ "Box Score - College Hockey, Inc". collegehockeyinc.com. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  7. ^ @UConnMHOC (January 26, 2024). "WE HAVE A MICHIGAN GOAL IN CT‼️ Hello Samu Salminen🔥🔥 @hockey_east | @NCAAIceHockey" (Tweet). Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ "Huskies Fall to No.10 Providence". uconnhuskies.com. UConn. February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  9. ^ "Hockey East suspends UConn's Salminen, UMass Lowell's Meehan one game each for major penalties in Feb. 2 games". uscho.com. U.S. College Hockey Online. February 3, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  10. ^ "UConn F Samu Salminen plans to transfer to Denver". The Rink Live. May 1, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  11. ^ "Samu Salminen at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  12. ^ "Rosters". www.hockeycanada.ca. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  13. ^ "IIHF - Finland". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  14. ^ "Saku Salminen at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  15. ^ "Sami Salminen at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  16. ^ Mennander, Pasi. "Leijonat - U20 SM-sarjan kauden 2021–22 palkitut pelaajat ja tähtikentät". www.leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved November 9, 2023.
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