Former Canadian captain Saku Koivu can sleep easy: his offspring are on the right track to follow him with dignity on the ice.
As this year, young Aatos Koivu impressed in a friendly match for the Finnish U18 team. The forward settled the Czechs’ case by scoring the only goal in the shootout, and he relied on feints that Habs fans saw several times when his father played in Montreal. The right-hander beat goalkeeper Adam Ebenstreit on the left side after pretending to try his luck on the opposite side.
The resemblance to his father’s famous feint is striking.
At the start of the game, the 17-year-old hockey player hit the goal in the second period. This is a great way to prepare for the duel against the USA scheduled for Friday.
Aatos Koivu is eligible for the next National League Draft. Last season, he collected three goals and four assists in 28 games with the TPS U18 team. This year, the pivot collected 15 points in his first 15 appearances and also played with the under-20s, collecting eight points, including five goals, in five games.