HabsWorld.net -- 

Name: Oskari Korpikari
Position: Defense
Shoots:
Left
Height: 6’1
Weight: 198
Birthdate:
4-5-84
Hometown: Oulu, Finland
Acquired: 2003 NHL Draft,
7^th round (217th)

 

Strengths

Gaining great experience playing in the SM-Liiga on the 3^rd
pairing. Has a former defensmen as his coach, who speaks highly of his play.
Good puck protection skills and makes quick outlet passes.

 

Weaknesses

May need to add some size and strength.

 

Stats

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2002-03	Kärpät Jr A	SM-sarja	5	0	0	0	0
	Kärpät Jr B	SM-sarja	22	7	3	10	16
	Kärpät Oula	SM-Liiga	23	0	1	1	4
2003-04	Kärpät Oula	SM-Liiga	35	0	1	1	14
2004-05	Kärpät Oula	SM-Liiga	21	0	0	0	10

 

Playoffs	Team	League	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2003	Kärpät Oula	SM-Liiga	15	0	0	0	2
2004	Kärpät Oula	SM-Liiga	7	0	0	0	2

 

 

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HW Updates, by Dan Linn

Canadiens Mid-season Top 20 – 11.Oskari Korpikari- D.
(12^th) Korpikari moves up one spot, as he has been a regular in the
mens league, sm-liiga since being called up late last season, and even earned a
spot on the roster of Team Finland’s World Junior team. An effective stay at
home defensemen, who plays a safe and steady game in his own end, is gaining a
ton of great experience playing under one of Finland’s all time great
defensemen.

2004 World Junior Championship at Helsinki – Taken in the
2003 draft, 7^th round, 217^th overall, Korpikari made his
first trip to the WJC tournament, as he has been a regular in the sm-liiga for
close to a full season now starting from last years mid season call up.
Korpikari was playing on the third pairing for the host country, where he hoped
to help his team take home the gold, but sadly he was injured half way through
the tournament but his team did take home the Bronze medal for a third straight
year. The stay at home defensemen injured his shoulder in the third game, a
tough break for the young blueliner who will not be able to play in the
tournament again due to his age.

---

March 2004 – Playoffs Report – Karpat– Oskari Korpikari is
headed to the playoffs for a second season in a row, as he played well in last
years playoffs as his team went all the way to the championship but lost.
Korpikari was able to play in every game, an impressive feat for the young
player playing in the top mens league in the country. Currently Karpat is
playing the lower seeded Jokerit, in a seven game series. This should be a good
learning experience for Korpikari after coming back from a shoulder injury that
he suffered playing for Team Finland’s U-20 team. Karpat needs only 1 more win
to advance as they have a 3-1 series lead.

February 2004 – Hasn’t been able to produce much of anything
offensively, as he plays on the third pairing in the sm-liiga the top mens
league in Finland. He also has missed much time with a shoulder injury he got
playing for Team Finland in the U-20 tournament where his team won the Bronze.

January 2004 – Korpikari suffered a shoulder injury during
the recent U-20 tournament, and has yet to return to the lineup for Karpat,
where he was playing a regular shift on the third pairing. Was injured in the
third game of the WJC’s, as he sadly had to watch his team take home the bronze
for a third straight year.

December 2003 – Playing on the 3^rd pairing,
Korpikari has been steady in his own end, while playing for one of the top teams
in the sm-liiga. Look for Korpikari to play for Team Finland later this month in
the WJC tournament.

November 2003 – Playing on the 3^rd pairing,
Korpikari has been steady in his own end, while playing for one of the top teams
in the sm-liiga. Korpikari should play for Team Finland’s Junior National U-20
Team next month. Hab ‘97 draft pick Iikkola Mikkola is 2^nd on the
team in +/- with a +11.

October 2003 – Is doing a good job staying in the lineup.
Playing on the 3^rd pairing in the SM-Liiga is a great experience for
the young defensemen, which should hopefully pay dividends in a few years.

September 2003 – The young defensemen seems to have worked
his way into the lineup of Karpat, playing on the 3^rd pairing. In six
games so far, he has picked up one assist, 2 penalty minutes, while being a +1.
6-0-1-1 2 +1 Getting to play as a regular in a mens league should be a great
experience for him, along with playing for Team Finland in the U-20
tournament.