Rasmus Rissanen scored his first Liiga goal on October 7 against Kiekko-Espoo, aged 35 years and 86 days. The Oulun Kärpät defenceman became the oldest Finnish player to score his first goal in the competition. He added a second goal that night, saying he had found himself in good shooting positions.
Rissanen’s Liiga debut came after a career spent abroad. He moved from Kuopio to North America at 18, played in the WHL and AHL, and appeared in six NHL games for the Carolina Hurricanes. He later spent two seasons with Jokerit and eight in Sweden, with Örebro and Linköping, before joining Kärpät. The move to Oulu also suited his family, whose ties to the city helped them settle in.
Rissanen has taken on a familiar role in Kärpät’s defence, averaging 18 minutes and 58 seconds of ice time. He has recently partnered rookie defenceman Lenni Kokkonen, whom he praised for his attitude and maturity. Rissanen said he wants to challenge himself to join attacks more often, while remaining attentive to his defensive duties.