The SM-Liiga typical time is about to enter the stretch generate. With each and every club obtaining both 16 or 17 video games remaining inside 58-game campaign, the Finnish playoff picture has previously began to arrive into relatively obvious emphasis.
The playoffs commence on March twelve.

JYP Jyvyskyla has a stranglehold on first put inside the 14-team league, at the moment making the most of a 10-point cushion above second spot Assat Pori. With 6 first-round playoff byes at stake, sixth-place Lukko Rauma holds a five-point advantage on the Espoo Blues and KalPa Kuopio.

The 10th and ultimate postseason spot can be a two-horse race. That seed is at present occupied by Ilves Tampere, but previous league powerhouse Karpat Oulu is simply one particular position off the pace. It can be unlikely that any of your bottom 3 teams from the standings will be in a position to mount an effective drive with the postseason. Lahti Pelicans, in 12th location, are 11 points behind Ilves.

Following is actually a look and feel at some crucial modern developments within the league, as teams gear up to drive for any increased playoff seeding or regroup while using future in brain:

Flyers mortgage Lehtivuori to KalPa ?C 1 12 months back, Philadelphia Flyers defense prospect Joonas Lehtivuori enjoyed an effective rookie year or so within the American Hockey League with the Adirondack Phantoms. This time, having said that, minimal has gone perfect for Lehtivuori amidst a disastrous marketing campaign for Philadelphia's top rated farm staff.

At Lehtivuori's behest, the Flyers have authorized the 22-year-old defenseman to return house to Finland. He has been loaned to KalPa Kuopio with the rest with the year or so. KalPa's vast majority proprietor is previous Flyers ahead Sami Kapanen. Its minority entrepreneurs include latest Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen and left winger Scott Hartnell.

"We're happy to possess Joonas about the team. He is an excellent younger puck-moving defenseman and he has had achievement in the league just before. We believe he may also help us out in numerous locations," said Kapanen.

A item of the Ilves Tampere program, Lehtivuori was drafted by Philadelphia from the fourth spherical (No. 101) of your 2006 Entry Draft. At age 19, he had a breakthrough time for Ilves in 2007-08, tallying eight goals and 21 factors in 48 video games regardless of getting third-pairing ice time throughout the initial half with the time. He also represented Finland at a pair of Globe Junior Championships.

Right after signing a three-year entry level contract with Philadelphia in 2009, Lehtivuori posted five objectives and 23 points in 68 games for Adirondack very last season. His minus-7 plus-minus rating was essentially a single from the improved totals on the weak Phantoms clubs. Regardless of his lack of dimensions (a generously outlined 5-foot-11, 180 kilos), Lehtivuori was widely viewed as quite possibly the most polished of a few rookie defensemen within the club, surpassing additional extremely hyped teammates Kevin Marshall and Marc-Andre Bourdon.