In an interview with TSN yesterday, Montreal Canadiens prospect Aatos Koivu talked about what it means to play professional hockey in Canada. The Finnish prospect said he was surprised to receive direct messages from fans on Instagram welcoming him to the Canadiens organization.
Although Koivu is the son of former Canadiens captain Saku Koivu, his father left La Belle province when his son was just three years old. This could lead to your unfamiliarity with the Canadian competition. In the interview, he referred to what he was told and what he experienced.
“I’ve only heard good things,” Koivu told the TSN reporter. “He (my father) has been talking a little about Canada… The fans, the rink, the place, he loved it there.”
Koivu was also asked about the pressure of playing in the hockey market in Montreal.
“I think I’ve always been really good under pressure. It motivates me to be better and to be a better version of myself… It’s a good thing for me and I see it as a positive thing.”
Koivu was selected in the third round of the 2024 draft, 70th overall. He spent most of last season with the TPS U20 team in the U20 SM-sarja league in Finland, scoring 16 goals and tallying 31 points in 28 regular season games.
His father played in 1,124 NHL games with the Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks organizations, scoring 255 goals and notching 577 assists for a total of 832 points.
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