Calgary Flames prospect Topi Ronni re-signs in Finland for 2023-24
By Ryan Pike
1 year agoThe Calgary Flames’ top draft selection from the 2022 NHL Draft class will be staying in Finland for (at least) one more season. Forward Topi Ronni has re-signed with Tappara Tampere of Finland’s Liiga, the Finnish club announced on Wednesday.
Ronni was the Flames’ second-round selection, 59th overall, in the 2022 NHL Draft. (They didn’t have a first-round pick, as it was sent to Montreal in the Tyler Toffoli trade.) Playing the entire 2022-23 season as an 18-year-old, Ronni missed a bit of time due to some minor injuries, but otherwise he played a lot and played in different levels and situations:
- He attended Flames development camp last July.
- He represented Finland at the World Juniors.
- He played five games in the Champions League, serving in a depth role as Tappara won that competition.
- He played seven regular season games and 12 playoff games in the junior SM-sarja U20, serving as one of their top players as Tappara won that league.
- He played 22 regular season games in the Liiga, serving in a depth role as Tappara won that competition.
Tappara will be playing in the Champions League again, and Ronni remains eligible to play junior hockey (and the World Juniors) next season as a 19-year-old, so in a lot of ways Tappara remains the ideal place for him to continue to develop. They’re an excellent organization with a lot of on-ice success, and they have the ability to put him in different leagues, roles and situations that a lot of other places don’t.
The Flames hold Ronni’s rights until June 1, 2026 as a European draft selection. He hasn’t been a big needle-mover offensively at the pro level quite yet, but he’s been an effective role player and, given his age, seems to be just scratching the surface of his potential.
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