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The London Knights’ offence just got a lot more dangerous.
Finnish sniper Kasper Halttunen was returned to the OHL club Friday by the San Jose Sharks and is expected to make his season debut Saturday afternoon (4 p.m.) in Guelph.
After a strong NHL training camp, the 19-year-old winger was assigned to the San Jose Barracuda, the Sharks’ American league affiliate. The second-round pick scored two goals and four points in his first six games but hadn’t played since Oct. 25 due to an injury.
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“Having Kasper back is a massive boost to our team,” London GM Mark Hunter said. “He knows how to play here and score goals. We look forward to having him back in our lineup.”
After losing three of their first four games, the Knights have amassed a 13-4 record and are ranked second in the CHL’s Top 10. They enter Friday’s game against the Sarnia Sting on a nine-game winning streak.
Halttunen adapted quickly in his first season with London last year. The six-foot-three, 205-pounder scored 32 goals and 61 points with 61 penalty minutes in 57 games.
Then, he established a European record with 17 goals in the OHL playoffs and tied with Memorial Cup MVP Owen Beck of Saginaw for the tournament lead with four goals in four games last spring in Saginaw, Mich.
Halttunen is eligible to play for Finland at the 2025 world junior tournament at Ottawa next month. He posted three goals and six points in seven games for the Finns in a fourth-place finish.
Halttunen joins countryman and friend Jesse Nurmi as the Knights two current import players.
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