When Johan Rylander and Eyes on the Prize broke the news that Joni Ikonen was leaving Frölunda for his native Finland and Liiga team KalPa, it was assumed that he would be able to play pro hockey and make a bigger impact than if he had stayed in the SHL.
With almost half the season done, it is obvious that the plan backfired for Ikonen. In 25 games, he has earned just two points, both assists.
One can make a comparison between Ikonen and Alexandre Texier. They play for the same team, were drafted 13 places apart (Texier 45th by the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ikonen 58th by the Montreal Canadiens), are of similar size (though Texier has a slight advantage), and are both capable of playing the centre position.