Golden Knights sign Juho Piiparinen to entry-level contract
A promising young blueliner has inked his first NHL contract.
On Wednesday, Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon announced that the team has signed defenseman Juho Piiparinen to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Piiparinen is highly regarded by the Golden Knights, as he was selected by the team in the first round, 29th overall, of the 2026 NHL Draft last month. He’s the second member of Liiga power Tappara to sign ELCs in as many days, as the Washington Capitals signed Oliver Suvanto to a three-year deal on Tuesday. Both Piiparinen and Suvanto are expected to play for Tappara again during the 2026-27 campaign.
The contract comes after Piiparinen made a solid impression on scouts last season, which saw him spend the majority of it with Tappara. In 29 games, the 17-year-old registered three assists, with a plus/minus of +6. He also played 15 games with Tappara’s junior squad, scoring a goal and 13 points, including adding two assists in 14 playoff contests.
Like Suvanto, Piiparinen also represented his country on the international stage. He registered an assist in four games at the IIHF World Junior Championship, but didn’t put his name on the scoresheet while captaining Suomi at the IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship. The Lahti native posted three helpers in five games at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last August.
Daily Faceoff prospect expert Steven Ellis ranked Piiparinen 33rd in his final rankings ahead of the 2026 draft. He acknowledges the exceptional awareness and poise Piiparinen has, especially when in possession.
“Piiparinen is a smart defender who doesn’t make many puck-handling mistakes,” Ellis wrote. “He’s good when he keeps things simple, but he can also rush the puck up the ice and lower the boom when needed. Piiparinen has played decent hockey against men, and his international action has been solid, too. Piiparinen isn’t flashy, but he’s calm and collected in his own zone and is generally reliable defensively. I was hoping to see him put up more offense this season, but his game is more about shutting opponents down with his mobility. He’ll make a good fit alongside someone more offensively minded, and I feel very confident he’ll at least challenge for a bottom-pairing role in the NHL one day.”
