Versatile Keranen finds way to NHL after under-the-radar Wild signing

The news comes as little more than a blip during the summer in the NHL.

Signing a little-known forward from Finland doesn't carry the panache of bringing in a first-round draft pick like Mikael Granlund, nor does it come with the exhilaration of July 4 free-agent signings.

When the Minnesota Wild inked Michael Keranen from the Finnish Elite League, they knew better. The signing was another step in building a talent base. Keranen was the winner of the award given to the best player during the league's regular season.

Less than a year later, Keranen is in the NHL and just waiting to make his debut.

"What I've heard is, first off and some of the things we're looking for, smart player without the puck and plays responsible at both ends," head coach Mike Yeo said of Keranen's development after he was recalled. "But very crafty when he does get the puck. Some of those things we saw in training camp, some of the things we saw and felt in training camp as a need to get used to the smaller ice surface and get used to the North American game, by all accounts he's been doing a good job of that and his game's been coming along really well."

Keranen, 25, didn't make his debut Wednesday after being recalled. But he doesn't feel fitting in with his new teammates will be difficult. Keranen is another addition to the Finnish contingent in the Wild's locker room, consisting of Granlund -- who Keranen played against in Finland -- Mikko Koivu, Niklas Backstrom and Erik Haula.

"There's lots of Finnish guys, obviously," Keranen told the Wild website. "It's easy to come here."

Born in Stockholm, Sweden, Keranen's parents were Finnish. Keranen grew up in Finland and played for Ilves Tampere's junior team there before graduating to the play for Ilves Tampere in the Finnish Elite League.

Four seasons in Finland's best league helped shape Keranen's skills.  He had 17 goals and 35 assists in 52 games for Ilves Tampere last season, finishing tied for first in the league in scoring with 52 points and tied for second in assists. He had 47 penalty minutes and a plus-12 rating.

Keranen was named the Lasse Oksanen award given to the best player during the regular season. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound forward was never drafted into the NHL so he was a free agent and signed with Minnesota in June.

"They have a good team, a good young team," Keranen said. "They liked me as a player so it was pretty easy to sign here."

Playing for Iowa in the American Hockey League, Keranen started to adapt to the North American game.

"It's been tough; we lost so many games," Keranen said. "But I try to do my best there and probably it's enough someday to get wins more."

Part of the adjustment was the language. Keranen said he learned English in school in Finland. Playing in Iowa, where there are no other Finnish players, accelerated the adjustment.

"I had to talk English every day and that's how I learned it," Keranen said.

Keranen had nine goals and 23 assists in 52 games with Iowa. The left-handed-shooting forward led Iowa in assists and was second in points and shots.

Yeo feels Keranen can fill different roles, as well.

"He's a type of guy that we feel that if there is a hole obviously in the top of the lineup, we know that he is capable of playing more of a skill role," Yeo said. "But we also know that we can add some skill to another line, and also have him go out and be the type of guy that can play responsibly without the puck. And make sure that even if you're not creating offense every shift that you're not hurting your team, too."

Keranen now waits for his chance to make real news in Minnesota and the NHL.

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