November 16: After playing in 11 games with Vasterviks, the player Tuulola had replaced returned from injury, pushing him off the roster. The Flames have found him a new team, loaning the young forward to SaiPa in Finland’s top league until training camps begin in North America. Tuulola had four points in 11 games during his time in Sweden and will try to keep that production going with his new club.
September 22: The Calgary Flames have loaned another prospect overseas, this time sending Eetu Tuulola to Vasterviks IK in the Swedish second league. Tuulola just finished his first season in North American pro hockey, scoring 23 points in 50 games for the Stockton Heat. He’ll be eligible to return to the Flames when NHL training camp opens.
Tuulola, 22, is an interesting prospect after rising from a sixth-round draft selection in 2016. His offensive game has drastically improved since then while maintaining the same work ethic and drive that put him on Calgary’s radar in the first place. Interestingly he already has plenty of experience playing at a high level in Europe, though he won’t be returning to Finland’s Liiga where he spent parts of three seasons before coming to the Heat. Instead he’s headed to the Swedish Allsvenskan where he will try to continue to hone those offensive instincts and polish his overall game.
His older brother, Joni Tuulola a Chicago Blackhawks draft pick, also returned to Europe earlier this month when he signed a new deal in Finland. Luckily for the Flames, their Tuulola has two years remaining on his entry-level deal and will have to come back if they want him to compete for an NHL spot.