Markus Hännikäinen

September 2021- Hannikainen will play for Jokerit in the KHL once again after putting up five goals and eight points last year. Keith Duggan

April 2020- Acquired for what seemed like AHL depth, Hannikainen was very impressive for his short time playing for Tucson. In seven games he scored three goals and four points with the Coyotes AHL affiliate, helping a struggling lineup get going offensively again.  Unfortunately, after spending all of 2019-20 in the NHL with Columbus, Hannikainen played all of this past campaign in the AHL, raising questions about his future. At 27-years-old and on an expiring contract, he needs either a fresh start in a new organization or possibly be headed back to Europe. Keith Duggan

February 2020 – Hännikäinen has been traded from Columbus to Arizona.  Jokke Nevalainen

May 2019 – Hannikainen finished 2019 having played a career-high 44 games for the Blue Jackets. He has increased his games played at the NHL level in each of the past three seasons. The Finnish winger is an RFA so he will need to sign a new contract if he wants to stay in Columbus. Frank Pellegrini

January 2019 –  Hannikainen is seeing full-time duties with the Blue Jackets this season. Through 31 games, he has amassed a pedestrian four goals and three assists. With the limited ice time that he has been given to date, an increase in production is unlikely. He has no fantasy relevance at this point and his contract expires at the end of this year. Frank Pellegrini

February 2018 – Shuttled between AHL Cleveland and Columbus six times since January 18, Hännikäinen’s NHL role has diminished as he hasn’t gotten any CBJ playing time for nearly a month. Averaging just 7:58 TOI this year in the face of their plethora of injuries, perhaps he’ll gather more minutes in the future, but as he’s soon turning 25 years of age with just two goals and two assists on the year one has to wonder. Kevin Wickersham

December 2017 – Hännikäinen has served at both left and right wing in his stints with Columbus this year, showing flashes of often untapped scoring prowess. With two goals and two assists during an early November four-game span he seemed to catch his offensive stride, but he’s just not getting enough NHL ice time, averaging 8:23 minutes per game, to sustain it. Kevin Wickersham

October 2017 – No doubt helped by the fact he’s on a one-way contract, Hännikäinen was named to the Blue Jackets’ opening roster and appears slated for fourth-line duty next to Lukas Sedlak and Zac Dalpe. With only ten previoius games of NHL experience he will hope to make a good impression early, as newly-signed Josh Anderson’s AHL stay shouldn’t be long and Hännikäinen profiles as a top reassignment candidate. Kevin Wickersham 

July 2017 – Regularly trekking between AHL Cleveland and the Blue Jackets last year, Hännikäinen strengthened his cause for an NHL roster spot with two goals (including a game-winner against Norway) and one assist in the recent 2017 IIHF World Championships for Team Finland. Off-season relocations of Sam Gagner to Vancouver and William Karlsson to Vegas elevate the 24-year-old Hännikäinen’s chances to extend upon his 2016-17 ten-game Columbus stint. Fired a Cleveland-high 177 shots last season, averaging 3.11 per contest. Now is the time for him to take a leap forward. With 107 career AHL contests under his belt featuring 26 goals, 31 assists, a promising, heavy shot and clutch offensive and defensive performances, the Monsters’ alternate captain and top goal-scorer with 19 last year (also tops on the man-advantage with six) needs to prove himself soon or risk branding as an NHL fifth-liner. His knack for stealing the puck might play well in a bottom-six role should NHL points not come easy. Hännikäinen’s two-year deal runs through 2018-19. Kevin Wickersham