Aleksi Saarela

#87 Lukko / Liiga - 26/27

Date of Birth: Jan 07, 1997
Age: 29
Place of Birth: Helsinki, FIN
Nation: Finland
Youth Team: LaJy
Position: C
Height: 179 cm / 5'10"
Weight: 91 kg / 201 lbs
Shoots: L
Contract: 27/28

Aleksi Saarela Facts

Drafted: 2015 round 3 #89 overall by New York Rangers
Agency: Premium

A dangerous offensive forward that creates energy through scoring chances. Possesses good hockey sense as well as good hands and stickhandling ability. A smooth and speedy skater who has a lot of jump in his step. Not very large in stature; however, his diminutive size doesn't deter his scoring prowess, and that is what he will have to rely upon to be successful. (Curtis Joe, EP 2014)

Family relations
Father: Pasi Saarela
Brother: Antti Saarela
Uncle: Ilkka Saarela

Aleksi Saarela Statistics

S	Team	League	GP	G	A	TP	PIM	+/-	Post	GP	G	A	TP	PIM	+/-
2010-2011	Lukko U16	U16 SM-sarja Q	1	1	0	1	0	-
2010-2011	Lukko U16	U16 SM-sarja	1	1	1	2	0	-
2011-2012	Lukko U16 "A"	U16 SM-sarja Q	8	11	17	28	4	-
2011-2012	Lukko U16 "A"	U16 SM-sarja	28	33	39	72	26	-	Playoffs	9	14	15	29	4	-
2011-2012	Finland U16 (all)	International-Jr	3	1	1	2	2	-
2012-2013	Lukko U18 "A"	U18 SM-sarja	16	17	19	36	14	-
2012-2013	Lukko U20	U20 SM-liiga	22	8	10	18	6	-1	Playoffs	10	2	6	8	2	6
2012-2013	Lukko	SM-liiga	3	1	1	2	0	-2
2012-2013	Finland U17	WHC-17	5	2	2	4	2	-
2012-2013	Finland U17 (all)	International-Jr	4	1	1	2	2	7
2013-2014	Lukko U20	U20 SM-liiga	17	6	16	22	8	0
2013-2014	Lukko	Liiga	12	0	2	2	2	-4
2013-2014	Finland U18	WJC-18	2	1	0	1	0	-2
2013-2014	Finland U18 (all)	International-Jr	2	1	0	1	0	-2
2014-2015	Ässät	Liiga	51	6	6	12	18	-7	Playoffs	2	0	0	0	0	0
2014-2015	Finland U18	WJC-18	7	3	5	8	6	6
2014-2015	Finland U18 (all)	International-Jr	8	3	6	9	6	6
2014-2015	Finland U20 (all)	International-Jr	7	0	0	0	2	-
2015-2016	Ässät U20	U20 SM-liiga	2	0	2	2	0	0	Playoffs	3	1	2	3	0	1
2015-2016	Ässät	Liiga	51	20	13	33	14	4
2015-2016	Finland U20	WJC-20	7	4	3	7	4	2
2015-2016	Finland U20 (all)	International-Jr	15	5	7	12	2	8
2015-2016	Finland (all)	International	5	1	1	2	0	1
2016-2017	Lukko Loan	Liiga	49	15	13	28	10	-7
2016-2017	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	9	6	4	10	2	7	Playoffs	5	0	0	0	2	-2
2017-2018	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	69	25	18	43	8	4	Playoffs	8	2	1	3	2	1
2018-2019	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL	0	0	0	0	0	0	Playoffs	1	0	0	0	0	0
2018-2019	Charlotte Checkers	AHL	69	30	24	54	12	18	Playoffs	17	7	8	15	4	10
2019-2020	Rockford IceHogs	AHL	5	0	1	1	0	2
2019-2020	Florida Panthers	NHL	9	2	2	4	0	2	Playoffs	1	0	0	0	0	0
2019-2020	Springfield Thunderbirds	AHL	43	12	19	31	12	-2
2020-2021	Lukko "A"	Liiga	43	23	14	37	22	10	Playoffs	11	4	4	8	4	4
2020-2021	Finland (all)	International	3	1	0	1	2	-2
2021-2022	SCL Tigers	NL	31	10	12	22	6	-10
2022-2023	SCL Tigers	NL	48	24	15	39	10	-5	Relegation	6	2	4	6	0	2
2023-2024	SCL Tigers	NL	50	18	23	41	8	-13
2023-2024	Finland (all)	International	3	1	0	1	0	1
2024-2025	SCL Tigers	NL	49	18	11	29	2	-5	Playoffs	8	1	3	4	0	-2
2025-2026	TPS	Liiga	53	20	15	35	8	-17
2026-2027	Lukko "A"	Liiga	18	3	3	6	0	9
2026-2027	Projected	Liiga	63	11	11	22	0	32

Aleksi Saarela Tournament Statistics

S	Team	League	GP	G	A	TP	PIM	+/-
2015-2016	Finland	EHT	2	0	0	0	0	0
2016-2017	Lukko	Champions HL	1	1	0	1	0	-1
2020-2021	Finland	EHT	3	1	0	1	2	-2
2022-2023	HC Davos Loan	Spengler Cup	4	0	1	1	0	-3
2023-2024	Finland	EHT	3	1	0	1	0	1

Aleksi Saarela Career Totals by League

League	Seasons	GP	G	A	TP	PPG	PIM	+/-	Seasons	GP	G	A	TP	PPG	PIM	+/-
AHL	4	195	73	66	139	0.71	34	29	3	30	9	9	18	0.60	8	9
Champions HL	1	1	1	0	1	1.00	0	-1	0
EHT	3	8	2	0	2	0.25	2	-1	0
International	3	11	3	1	4	0.36	2	0	0
International-Jr	5	39	11	15	26	0.67	14	19*	0
Liiga (SM-liiga)	8	280	88	67	155	0.55	74	-14	2	13	4	4	8	0.62	4	4
NHL	2	9	2	2	4	0.44	0	2	2	2	0	0	0	0.00	0	0
NL	4	178	70	61	131	0.74	26	-33	2	14	3	7	10	0.71	0	0
Spengler Cup	1	4	0	1	1	0.25	0	-3	0
U16 SM-sarja	2	29	34	40	74	2.55	26	-	1	9	14	15	29	3.22	4	-
U16 SM-sarja Q	2	9	12	17	29	3.22	4	-	0
U18 SM-sarja	1	16	17	19	36	2.25	14	-	0
U20 SM-liiga (U20 SM-sarja)	3	41	14	28	42	1.02	14	-1	2	13	3	8	11	0.85	2	7
WHC-17	1	5	2	2	4	0.80	2	-	0
WJC-18	2	9	4	5	9	1.00	6	4	0
WJC-20	1	7	4	3	7	1.00	4	2	0

* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Aleksi Saarela Career Totals by Team

Team	Seasons	GP	G	A	TP	PPG	PIM	+/-	Seasons	GP	G	A	TP	PPG	PIM	+/-
Ässät	2	102	26	19	45	0.44	32	-3	1	2	0	0	0	0.00	0	0
Ässät U20	1	2	0	2	2	1.00	0	0	1	3	1	2	3	1.00	0	1
Carolina Hurricanes	1	0	0	0	0	-	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0.00	0	0
Charlotte Checkers	3	147	61	46	107	0.73	22	29	3	30	9	9	18	0.60	8	9
Finland (EHT)	3	8	2	0	2	0.25	2	-1	0
Finland (all)	3	11	3	1	4	0.36	2	0	0
Finland U16 (all)	1	3	1	1	2	0.67	2	-	0
Finland U17	1	5	2	2	4	0.80	2	-	0
Finland U17 (all)	1	4	1	1	2	0.50	2	7	0
Finland U18	2	9	4	5	9	1.00	6	4	0
Finland U18 (all)	2	10	4	6	10	1.00	6	4	0
Finland U20	1	7	4	3	7	1.00	4	2	0
Finland U20 (all)	2	22	5	7	12	0.55	4	8*	0
Florida Panthers	1	9	2	2	4	0.44	0	2	1	1	0	0	0	0.00	0	0
HC Davos	1	4	0	1	1	0.25	0	-3	0
Lukko	5	126	43	33	76	0.60	34	5	1	11	4	4	8	0.73	4	4
Lukko U16	2	38	46	57	103	2.71	30	-	1	9	14	15	29	3.22	4	-
Lukko U18	1	16	17	19	36	2.25	14	-	0
Lukko U20	2	39	14	26	40	1.03	14	-1	1	10	2	6	8	0.80	2	6
Rockford IceHogs	1	5	0	1	1	0.20	0	2	0
SCL Tigers	4	178	70	61	131	0.74	26	-33	2	14	3	7	10	0.71	0	0
Springfield Thunderbirds	1	43	12	19	31	0.72	12	-2	0
TPS	1	53	20	15	35	0.66	8	-17	0

* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Aleksi Saarela Career Highlights

Season	Awards
2010-2011	U16 Pohjola Camp Roster (Lukko)
2011-2012	U16 Huippu-Pohjola Camp Roster (Lukko) U16 Pohjola Camp All-Star Team (Huippu-Pohjola Camp) U16 Pohjola Camp MVP (Huippu-Pohjola Camp) U16 SM-sarja All-Star Team U16 SM-sarja Best Forward (Sami Kapanen Award) U16 SM-sarja Best Player (Teppo Numminen Award) U16 SM-sarja Bronze Medal U16 SM-sarja Most Goals (Keijo Kuusela Award) (33) U16 SM-sarja Most Points (Reijo Leppänen Award) (72) U16 SM-sarja Playoffs Most Assists (15) U16 SM-sarja Playoffs Most Goals (14) U16 SM-sarja Playoffs Most Points (29)
2012-2013	U20 SM-liiga Bronze Medal
2014-2015	U18 WJC Silver Medal
2015-2016	U20 WJC Gold Medal
2016-2017	AHL Player of the Week (Apr. 2)
2018-2019	AHL Calder Cup Champion
2020-2021	Liiga Champion

Transactions

Date	Status	From	To
04/11/2026	Confirmed	TPS	Lukko
06/30/2025	Confirmed	SCL Tigers	TPS
10/12/2024	Extension	SCL Tigers	SCL Tigers
10/06/2023	Extension	SCL Tigers	SCL Tigers
12/05/2022	Loan	SCL Tigers	HC Davos
10/27/2021	Extension	SCL Tigers	SCL Tigers
08/06/2021	Confirmed	Lukko	SCL Tigers
08/22/2020	Confirmed	Springfield Thunderbirds	Lukko
10/23/2019	Confirmed	Chicago Blackhawks	Florida Panthers
06/24/2019	Confirmed	Carolina Hurricanes	Chicago Blackhawks
06/13/2016	Confirmed	Lukko	Carolina Hurricanes
04/20/2016	Confirmed	Ässät	Lukko
02/28/2016	Confirmed	New York Rangers	Carolina Hurricanes
10/16/2014	Extension	Ässät	Ässät
04/29/2014	Confirmed	Lukko	Ässät
05/04/2013	Extension	Lukko	Lukko

Aleksi Saarela Biography and Trivia

Drafted 2014, 1 #41 by Jokerit in the KHL Draft
2015 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #137 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
2015 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #31 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING
Cult/Star player for Lukko

Career transactions
- 2014-10-16 • Signed to a one-year contract extension with Ässät
- 2014-04-29 • Signed to a one-year contract with Ässät
- 2013-05-04 • Signed to a one-year contract extension with Lukko
- 2012-2013 • Contracted to Lukko

Career assingments
- 2013-2014 • Assigned to Lukko U20

Other memorable dates
- 2016-01-05 • Won World Junior Championship gold medal
- 2015-12-23 • Selected to U20 World Junior Championship roster
- 2015-04-16 • Selected to U18 World Junior Championship roster
- 2014-04-16 • Selected to U18 World Junior Championship roster
- 2013-02-19 • Made Liiga debut against Tappara and scored first Liiga goal and assist at the same game. (At the age 16y 01m 12d, he became second youngest goal scorer ever in Liiga)
- 2012-12-10 • Selected to U17 World Hockey Challenge roster