The top players from almost every nation in the world have made their way to the PWHL, but Finland remains a nation with exceptions. Many of Finland’s top players chose to stay in Europe to get top line minutes, but will the maneuver pay of considering the jump in calibre that now exists between the PWHL and SDHL? In men’s hockey equivalency, the move from the SDHL to the PWHL is not like a step from the AHL to the NHL, it’s closer to asking a player to make the jump from the ECHL to the NHL. Finnish players including Petra Nieminen, Viivi Vainikka, Elisa Holopainen, Jennina Nylund, Emila Vesa, Jenni Hiirikoski, and Sanni Rantala have all stayed in Europe. Noora Tulus chose to break her contract in the PWHL to return after one season. They remain an elite group of veterans but it’s hard to say whether added ice time in limited games is better than consistent practice and reduced game time ice with stronger players. It’s expected that Nieminen, Vainikka, and Nylund will join the PWHL next season.
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