06-27-2004, 01:11 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Assistant Captain
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Centre Ice
Posts: 3,946
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Looking for the "Finnishing" Touch
Quote:
RALEIGH/LOS ANGELES – Finnish right winger Lauri Tukonen was the first player selected by the Los Angeles Kings (first round, 11th overall) in today’s NHL Entry Draft in Raleigh. Tukonen was ranked third overall by The Hockey News and fifth by Red Line Report.
Tukonen, 17, played in 35 games this past season for Espoo Blues of the Finnish Elite League and had six points (3-3=6) and 16 penalty minutes. With Espoo, Tukonen was the youngest player in the league. In addition, the 6-2, 200-pound winger from Hyvinkaa, Finland, played in seven games and was one of the top forwards for host/bronze-medal winning Team Finland at the 2004 World Junior Championships (2-1=3). At the World under-18 tournament in Belarus, Tukonen tied for the tournament and team lead in points with 11. He also co-led his team in goals (five), plus/minus rating (plus-7) and power-play goals (two).
“We had Lauri ranked in our top-7,” said Kings Senior Vice President and General Manager Dave Taylor from the club’s draft table at the RBC Center. “We think he will be a solid player in the NHL. He has good size and strength to go along with a nice combination of skating ability and skill level.”
Said Tukonen, who was also named by McKeen’s Hockey Prospects as having the Best Power Forward Potential: “This is real fantastic to play for the Kings, where (Finnish great and Hockey Hall of Famer) Jari Kurri played a few years ago. This is a dream come true.”
Defenseman Paul Baier, 19, was the next and final selection by the Kings (third round, 95th overall) today. In 23 games last season with Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, the 6-3, 212-pounder from Summit, New Jersey, recorded 10 points (6-4=10) and 22 penalty minutes.
Said Taylor: “Paul is a right-handed defenseman who has excellent size. He plays a physical game. Last year he played at Deerfield Academy and is on his way to Brown University.”
The Kings had previously sent their second-round choice (41st overall) to the Philadelphia Flyers for goaltender Roman Cechmanek.
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Looking for the "Finnishing" Touch
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