Oskari Salminen

August 2023 – In his first season in North America with the Manitoba Moose, Salminen played in 39 regular season games, compiling an 18-13-6 record with a .896 SV% and a 3.06 GAA. Salminen enters the final year of his two-year entry-level contract in 2023-24, looking to build off a strong 2023 playoff performance with the Moose that saw him play in four playoff games; he went 2-2 with a .923 SV% and a 2.25 GAA. Mark Henry

Salminen signed his entry-level contract on May 6th after compiling quite a successful season in Liiga. His development took a monstrous leap forward in the professional ranks of Finland. The Jukurit workhorse appeared in a whopping 55 games, sporting a .920 save percentage, while leading the league in wins, saves, and shutouts. Next season will be the real test for the young netminder, as he competes for a spot within the Jets organization.  The Jets have some decent depth in the crease, and should he not impress at camp, he can still compete in Liiga on loan where he was arguably the best goalie in the league. With Comrie’s status a question mark based on his contract status, neither Berdin nor Holm are elite options and Salminen has the opportunity to step in and be a major contributor at the AHL level.  It remains to be seen if his stellar year in Liiga can translate to success in North America or if this was a flash-in-the-pan for Salminen. One thing is for certain, he demonstrated a valuable toolset and his development has taken a steep trajectory with his performance, worthy of a contract. He will likely take some more seasoning in the minors or overseas before pursuing his fringe starter potential in the NHL.  Justin Kaye