Great News For Fans Of Oiva Keskinen

Fans of Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Oiva Keskinen can rejoice. 

Keskinen's agent, Craig Oster, tells THN-Columbus that Keskinen will spend this upcoming season in North America. 

He says that Columbus used their return obligation under the IIHF transfer agreement last year, thus making way for his North American debut this season. 

Fans were disappointed last season when he went back to Finland on loan to play for Tappara of LIIGA, a team he had played for the previous two seasons. He finished the 2025–26 regular season with 20 goals and 17 assists for 37 points in 49 games

Keskinen is signed to a 3-year ELC, which he signed in 2025. He was drafted in 2023 as the 194th overall pick. 

Keskinen projects as a reliable middle-six NHL center who can fit seamlessly into any unit. Don't be surprised if he's the Cleveland Monsters' leading goal scorer this season. He's described as a highly intelligent playmaker with a sneaky, deceptive shot with surprising power. 

Playing alongside fellow Finn Mikael Pyyhtiä could prove fruitful for the Monsters, and with another Finn, Oscar Hemming coming soon, we could see a lot of goals from the young Finns very soon.