New Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso spoke with Iltaleti’s Juuso Taipale while taking part in a street hockey tournament in Helsinki, Finland. Here’s a very rough translation of the article, which comes from a very difficult-to-translate language:
Ville Husso, who received an award as a hero of the Finnish Lions, didn’t rush home: “The weather was good there, too”
Ville Husso is looking forward to the upcoming season. Fellow Finnish Lion Jussi Olkinuora will also arrive to compete with the goaltender who’s been traded to Detroit.
Ville Husso speaks enthusiastically about the upcoming NHL season. New winds await the 27-year-old goaltender. His time in St. Louis came to an end when the team traded its Finnish player, who had displayed great performances, to the Detroit Red Wings.
“I didn’t come back to Finland until the middle of July. The plan is to fly back at the end of August. Before then, the plan is to train a bit and see family and friends,” Husso tells Iltalheti.
Finland is at its most beautiful in the summer. Why didn’t you come home sooner?
“I just wanted to stay longer in the U.S. The weather was good there, too, so I liked being there. I know that one-and-a-half months in Finland is enough,” Husso says, laughing.
The Golden Lion purrs
You still have to settle in your new home town, Detroit. It’s waiting for you.
“I haven’t been there once since beginning my training. That’s why I have to leave Finland with some time left, so that I can settle in well in the town,” says Husso.
Husso will battle for the position of Detroit’s number one goaltender with Alex Nedeljkovic and compatriot Jussi Olkinuora. Husso, a Finnish Lions hero, is awaiting a good competition.
“It’s definitely going to be fun. I don’t know Jussi that well, but of course I know a lot about him. We can definitely push each other forward. I haven’t been in contact with him yet, but will definitely run into him sometime in August,” says Husso.
In Finland, Husso has trained with another NHL player this summer, Kevin Lankinen.
Professional ‘playing out’ as well
On Saturday, Husso played a starring role in a game organized in connection with the Street Hockey Championship finals in Helsinki.
In the exhibition game, Husso tried something new.
“Today I played out as a field player. It was a nice change. It will work out well,” the good-natured Husso promised before the start of the game.
Husso played on the court displaying the puck-handling skills of a puck professional, who was also in good shape using the playing equipment of a field player.
“It’s always nice to participate in these kinds of events. You get to see your friends and talk a little about hockey,” said Husso.
