According to a team announcement, the Carolina Hurricanes have activated forward Juha Jaaska from the non-roster injured reserve. As expected, the team quickly reassigned Jaaska to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.
Jaaska, 27, is in his second professional season in North America. Before signing with the Hurricanes, Jaaska spent several years with the Finnish Liiga’s HIFK, scoring 51 goals and 142 points in 310 games with a +44 rating.
His first season with Carolina went well, particularly in the AHL. It can take some time for players, especially those who have played multiple years overseas, to adjust to professional hockey across the ocean. Jaaska immediately contributed to AHL Chicago, finishing fifth on the team in scoring with 12 goals and 33 points in 53 games.
Unfortunately, that didn’t translate to the NHL level right away. The Hurricanes gave him multiple opportunities, and he finished with only four assists in 18 NHL contests, averaging 8:56 of ice time per game. Still, his possession metrics were particularly solid (61.7% CorsiFor%), though that’s true of nearly every player in Carolina.
His career took a hit in October when Jaaska underwent groin surgery, keeping him out of action until now. He’ll return to a familiar environment where he’ll likely remain until the end of the season. If the Hurricanes clinch either the Metropolitan Division or the Eastern Conference, the team could give Jaaska another opportunity toward the end of the year.