Last season was all about the Finns. They won nearly every tournament they played, had the hottest draft prospects and it was obvious Finland had become the newest, greatest hockey power.
It all started in January at the World Junior Championships where Kasperi Kapanen scored the golden goal. The U18 team won their championship a few months later, and the men's team took the silver to Canada's gold at the World Championships in May.
Then there was the draft where Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujärvi went second and fourth. Both might make the rarely achieved leap from the Liiga straight to the NHL with no stops in between.