Men’s Hockey: Defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo Commits to BU

By: Dan Shulman

Finnish defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo has committed to Boston University for thee 2017-18 season.

The blue-liner is the second to commit to BU for next year following U.S. Under-18 Team defenseman David Farrance.

Kotkansalo won gold with Finland at last year’s IIHF World U18 Championships. He spent four years playing for Espoo Blues in Finland before making the switch to the USHL club Sioux Falls Stampede. He’ll join former Terriers Peter Ahola and Ahti Oksanen as BU players who graduated from the Espoo Blues organization.

The Finnish starlet joins Farrance, Logan Cockerill, Brady Tkachuk, Ty Amonte, and Henry Crone as recruits for next season’s squad. His time in Sioux Falls will be spent playing with 2018-19 BU recruit Matthew Quercia.

In an interview with the USHL, the multi-faceted Kotkansalo described his elation and excitement about playing in the United States.

I think I’m an all-around defenseman, maybe a little bit of offensive upside. Obviously, I like to make big hits, but they don’t come so often. I can do that and make good passes.

Kotkansalo will be eligible for the upcoming 2017 NHL Draft in which he is projected as the eleventh-best Finnish prospect according to FinnProspects.com.