Kasper Kotkansalo returns to Kiekko-Espoo – before moving to Austria

Finnish defender Kasper Kotkansalo moves to the Graz 99ers, who play in the multinational ICEHL league. The Austrian club informs about the transfer on their website.

Along with the press release, information about Kotkansalo’s future was also revealed: the 27-year-old defender has signed a contract with Kiekko-Espoo for next season.

Kotkansalo just moved from Kiekko-Espoo to Luleå for this season, but did not succeed in the Swedish champion team. He played in the SHL in 21 games with power points.

“It was difficult for me in Sweden, so now I have even more enthusiasm. I can’t wait to start over,” Kotkansalo enthuses in Graz’s press release.

“It’s actually unbelievable that a player of Kasper’s caliber is coming to our league”, says the Graz player who represented Kiekko-Espoo last season Different Koch.

Espoo Ball Club grew up playing as a junior first in the Blues and later in junior and college hockey in the USA.

In 2016, Kotkansalo won the under-18 world championship. Two years later, he also played in the under-20 World Cup.

After his university years, Kotkansalo played in the SM league in Ässi in 2020–21, in HIFK in 2021–24 and in Kiekko-Espoo in 2024–25.

In the 2021–22 season, he will also debut in the Lions’ shirt in practice matches. The most effective season of Kotkansalo’s career was last season, when he scored 18 points.

Graz 99ers are second in the ICEHL league, six points behind the other Austrian club EC KAC.

Kotkansalo is already in Graz and will debut in his new club’s shirt in Tuesday night’s away game in Villach.