2015 Stanley Cup Champion Signs with the Blackhawks
Despite a disappointing ending to the Carolina Hurricanes postseason run against the New York Rangers, Teuvo Teräväinen remained a steady force for the Hurricanes’ offense, scoring 25 goals, 28 assists, and 53 points in 76 games played last season. Teräväinen’s 25 goals made it the fourth time in his career that he has scored 20 or more goals in a single season. According to NBC Chicago, Teräväinen has reached a contract agreement with the Blackhawks during the NHL's free agency period that will guarantee his long-term future. The terms of the deal, which are said to be valued at three years, and worth $16.2 million, demonstrate the Blackhawks’ commitment to bolstering their forward depth with a consistent and versatile scorer.
Before coming to the NHL, 29-year-old Teräväinen showed off his skills in his native Finland, where he played his way up through the levels of Finland hockey, finishing seven seasons with the Helsingin Jokerit with 64 goals, 99 assists, and 163 points. The Chicago Blackhawks selected Teräväinen with the 18th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. The Blackhawks were immediately impacted by Teräväinen's agility, vision, and hockey savvy. He scored four goals, six assists, and ten points in the postseason in his first season, which helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2015, demonstrating his ability to perform under duress. During his 11-year NHL career with the Hurricanes and Blackhawks, Teräväinen has scored 155 goals, 304 assists, 459 points, and 47 power-play goals.
After spending three seasons in Chicago, Teräväinen was traded to the Hurricanes, where he enhanced his skills and established himself as an important member of the squad. Acknowledged for his extraordinary ability to create opportunities for teammates to score, Teräväinen is a dependable scorer as well. Teräväinen has shown the ability to perform well in a variety of situations, including even strength, penalty kill, and on the power play. Teräväinen will provide the Blackhawks with another scoring threat as they prepare to contend for the Stanley Cup next season.
