The Flyers announced today that they have yet again grabbed a European goalie to start off their off season. The Finnish goaltender ducks in at 6'7" and weighs 200 pounds. Originally drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2006, the 23 year old, had not joined the team and if/when he come to Philly for rookie camp he will be experiencing his first taste of professinal North American hockey.
For big guys who play the butterfly style, like Hovinen, speed is always a concern. North American hockey is a lot more compact than that of the Swedish Elite League he has been playing in for four years now. The rebounds and second chance opportunities come a lot faster.
Jeff Reese and his staff will undoubtedly go to work quickly on Hovinen. He has a monstrous frame, with good speed and agility he could develop into a force at the NHL level.
Don't expect another Bobrovsky, who was signed last spring, Hovinen will most likely be up and down through the AHL and the ECHL getting in some game action. I would call him a project until further progress is made.
This past season in the Swedish Elite League Hovinen post a 5-7-3 record with a 2.99 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.
do you know that hovinen doesn't play in the swedish elite league ? he plays in smliiga which is in finland.
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