Nobody expected Juho Piiparinen to be a Vegas Golden Knights' first-round draft pick this year. They were expecting the same ol' Kelly McCrimmon shenanigans as he waited out the first round. Instead, the Finnish defenseman was drafted by the Golden Knights and eventually signed with the club.
For now, it appears that his NHL journey will take a minor detour. Piiparinen will head to his native country of Finland and play for Tappara of Liiga, Finland's premier hockey league. The deal will be a loan for the 17-year-old, who is familiar with his native country's hockey system.
Update: Juho Piiparinen has been loaned to Tappara of Liiga (Finland-1). #VegasBorn
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) August 3, 2026
Last season, he played 29 games with the Finnish club, scoring three assists. He also spent plenty of time on the international competition scene, going as far as playing in the World Junior Championship's 20-and-under competition. Here, he had an assist in four games.
There are plenty of big plans for the 17-year-old as he makes his way to the NHL. Piiparinen was invited to Vegas's developmental camp to work on his fundamentals and shined there. He'll get a chance to work on his craft further in his native land in 2026-27.
The good news is that he has plenty of skills that the Golden Knights seek. The first-round pick is a great puck-mover who plays a solid two-way game. That will translate well in the future, especially when defensemen like Shea Theodore ride off into the sunset.
Here's hoping that Piiparinen builds his skill set in Finland this season. The defenseman has plenty of potential to make it on the Golden Knights' roster soon. He has the skills and the ability to positively impact the NHL club. Here's hoping he also plays some Korpiklaani along the way.
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