Oskar Osala

Last updated

Oskar Osala
Oskar-osala.jpg
Born (1987-12-26) 26 December 1987 (age 36)
Vaasa, Finland
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 243 lb (110 kg; 17 st 5 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Espoo Blues
Washington Capitals
Carolina Hurricanes
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Oulun Kärpät
National teamFlag of Finland.svg  Finland
NHL draft 97th overall, 2006
Washington Capitals
Playing career 20042019

Oskar Osala (born 26 December 1987) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player. He played in three National Hockey League (NHL) games with the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes and represented Finland in Olympic Winter Games 2018.

Contents

Playing career

He started his career with Vaasa-based Sport. He made his North American debut with the OHL's Mississauga IceDogs in 2005, and was drafted 97th overall in the fourth round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals.

In the 2007–08 season, he returned to Finland where he played for the Espoo Blues of the SM-liiga; made his debut with the senior national team; and was named SM-liiga rookie of the year.

Osala signed a three-year contract with the Capitals in June 2008, and was assigned to Washington's AHL affiliate in Hershey. [1] On 10 December 2008, Osala made his NHL debut replacing the injured Tomáš Fleischmann in the Caps' 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins, playing two games before being returned to the Bears. Osala finished the season with the Hershey Bears' Calder Cup winning team, scoring two goals in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals.

On 3 March 2010, Osala was traded with Brian Pothier to the Carolina Hurricanes for Joe Corvo. [2] Osala made a brief NHL appearance with Carolina shortly after the trade, but spent most of the remainder of the season with the Albany River Rats.

Unable to find a role with the Hurricanes and subsequently assigned to AHL affiliate the Charlotte Checkers for the duration of the following season, Osala signed a one-year contract with Russian team Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) on 25 May 2011. [3]

On 10 December 2013, during the 2013–14, his third with Neftekhimik, Osala was traded to division competitors Metallurg Magnitogorsk. He contributed 6 assists in the post-season to help Metallurg claim their first Gagarin Cup.

Osala played 5 seasons with Metallurg, which won a second Gagarin Cup in the 2015–16 campaign, before opting to leave the KHL following the 2017–18 season.

Citing a lack of drive, Osala sat out the beginning of the 2018–19 season as a free agent. [4] On 12 November 2018, Osala opted to end his hiatus and agreed to a one-year contract for the remainder of the season in returning to his homeland with Oulun Kärpät of the top flight Liiga. [5]

International play

Osala shared the goal scoring title in 2007 IIHF World Junior Championships. Osala scored five goals in six games for Finland, sharing the lead with four other players.[ citation needed ]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2003–04 Sport FIN U181610112110
2003–04SportFIN.3 U2020004
2003–04 Sport Mestis 50000
2004–05SportFIN U1820114
2004–05SportFIN.2 U20191324372820002
2004–05 SportMestis21145670006
2005–06 Mississauga IceDogs OHL 6817264386
2006–07 Mississauga IceDogsOHL542222448152240
2007–08 Blues SM-liiga 53181735621773108
2008–09 Hershey Bears AHL 752314374722641017
2008–09 Washington Capitals NHL 20000
2009–10 Hershey BearsAHL5315142957
2009–10 Albany River Rats AHL16103131182132
2009–10 Carolina Hurricanes NHL10000
2010–11 Charlotte Checkers AHL59132942551532529
2011–12 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk KHL 411271944
2012–13 Neftekhimik NizhnekamskKHL4414102452401117
2013–14 Neftekhimik NizhnekamskKHL335121720
2013–14 Metallurg Magnitogorsk KHL195510312106643
2014–15 Metallurg MagnitogorskKHL551151685101234
2015–16 Metallurg MagnitogorskKHL6012152776113258
2016–17 Metallurg MagnitogorskKHL60141428531861729
2017–18 Metallurg MagnitogorskKHL551492390113366
2018–19 Kärpät Liiga2915722241321345
AHL totals2026160121170451171848
NHL totals30000
KHL totals367887816645175131528107

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2004 Finland WHC17 6th51126
2005 Finland WJC18 7th600027
2007 Finland WJC 6th65384
2010 Finland WC 6th40002
2017 FinlandWC4th1012314
2018 Finland OG 6th40110
Junior totals17641037
Senior totals1813416

Awards and honors

AwardYear
OHL
Second All-Rookie Team 2006
Liiga
Rookie of the Year 2008
AHL
Calder Cup (Hershey Bears) 2009
KHL
Gagarin Cup (Metallurg Magnitogorsk) 2014, 2016 [6]

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References

  1. "Capitals sign Oskar Osala to three-year entry level contract". Washington Capitals. 19 June 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  2. "Caps add Carolina's Joe Corvo, deal Brian Pothier and Oskar Osala". The Washington Post . 3 March 2010. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  3. "Russian KHL next for Oskar Osala" (in Swedish). vasabladet.fi. 25 May 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  4. "Oskar Osala makes decision to pause career" (in Finnish). iltalehti.fi. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  5. "Oskar Osala agrees to one-year contract with Oulun" (in Finnish). Oulun Kärpät. 12 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  6. Clinton, Jared (20 April 2016). "Metallurg defeats CSKA in Game 7, wins second Gagarin Cup in three seasons". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved 7 May 2021.