Center forward Aleksi Heponiemi was left with little responsibility as Florida’s contracted player. Now he is looking for speed from the Swiss top club with a one-year contract, the goal is to return to the NHL.
Aleksi Heponiemi, 24, was the team’s star center and point king at the turn of 2018–2019, when Finland won gold at the under-20 World Championships. Other profile players were, among others Kaapo Kako, Anton Lundell, Eeli Tolvanen and Henri Jokiharju.
The NHL future of the Ilves breeder, who was booked with number 40 by the Florida Panthers in the summer of 2017, looked very bright when Heponiemi signed a three-year rookie contract with Florida in the spring of 2019.
Alla had two great seasons in Canada as a point guard in the WHL league and a very successful season in the top chains of the rock-hard Kärppie in a season that ended with league silver. Heponiemi was chosen as the first ever European Rookie of the Year in the WHL, and in Kärpi he was number one in the rookie point exchange.
However, the first attempt to conquer the NHL has now ended, because according to Urheilu, Heponiemi has signed a two-year contract with EHC Biel, who play in the Swiss premier league. Last season Harri Säterin, Toni Rajalan and Jere Sallinen the club he represented only lost to Geneve-Servette in the seventh game in the final series.
During his four seasons as a Florida contract player, Heponiemi appeared mainly at the AHL level. In the NHL, he got a chance in a total of 25 games. The Finn’s big problem was that he didn’t get a proper opportunity in his parade position as a very strong center forward. Heponiemi was played almost all the time as a winger.
In the 2020–2021 season, the Panthers rented Heponiemi for 16 games in Sweden’s second highest level, Allsvenskan’s MoDoo.
Previously Antti Törmänen coached by Biel, the new head coach is Petri Matikainen, who knows Heponiemi’s strengths inside out. He is expecting a profile player for his top division.
Heponiemi also received several contract offers from other Swiss clubs as well as from Finland and Sweden. The NHL also had the option to continue with a one-way contract, where the salary is the same regardless of whether you play in the top tier or on the farm.
Heponiemi’s goal is to return to North America after his Swiss contract expires and establish a place as a NHL-level center forward.
The matter was fixed at 8:30 a.m.: Heponiemi’s contract is for one and not two years.