BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – Making the adjustment in coming to North America is not easy for most European hockey players; both on and off the ice. For New York Rangers prospect, Finnish rookie, Ville Meskanen, it appears that he is adjusting just fine in both areas and is becoming an integral part of the Hartford Wolf Pack offense.
“Sometimes, I feel like I’m going European style, but now I’m much more (the) North American style,” Meskanen said.
The goals he scored on Sunday against the Springfield Thunderbirds playing catch and go with his linemate, and the Wolf Pack’s leading scorer, Peter Holland is an excellent example of his picking up playing here.
“At first I was going to shoot, then I (realized) I would need to shoot left-handed,” the right-handed shooting Meskanen stated. “I kinda found Peter in the right place. He gave (the) puck back to me where I could shoot.”
Meskanen is reminiscent of Rangers forward and one-time Hartford Wolf Pack, Jesper Fast. While Meskanen does not possess Fast’s speed, his ability to be in the right place for a shot or a deflection in the offensive zone and his attention to his own end of the ice certainly does.
For all new players, gaining confidence with the puck is not as simple as it may seem.
“It’s a big thing to have (confidence), to score goals and we’re getting more comfortable scoring goals. It’s not going to be just one person. It has to be (the) team. Everybody wants to score and I’m a hungry player who wants to score,” He said.
Transitioning from life in Finland to that of the United States requires that person to manage their life off the ice differently just as it would for an American going to Finland.
“That’s a tough one. I think learning to live here was big for me. It’s so different than back home. The language, shopping, and the food it’s so much different here. The hockey; the style of practice is different. We spend more time on the ice in Finland. Here there is more off-ice training than in Finland. That’s a good thing for me. I need more strength on this body,” Meskanen said with a laugh.
He was the second Scandinavian in training camp. The other was Michael Lindqvist, who after 16 games, headed back to Sweden. The adjustment is tough. Some of them can handle it, while others cannot. Over the past several years some that could not include, Petr Zamorsky, Calle Andersson, and Andreas Jamtin. It’s not always smooth.
“His (Lundqvist) style of play was different than mine. I liked him a lot. It’s different (for) everybody when they come here. Everybody struggles. I did too.”
On the hockey side of things, involves the adjustment to the ten foot narrower playing surface of North American rinks. Meskanen felt that immediately.
“The first few games I was eating these boards quite a bit,” Meskanen said with a smile. “I was laughing at myself too, but I knew it would take time. I haven’t hit the boards lately, so I’m doing OK.”
Meskanen was highly complimentary of his linemates of Holland, and Matt Beleskey. He appreciates their help both on and off the ice.
“Peter and Matty are such hardworking guys and very talented. I love to play with those guys. They both have helped me so much off the ice in making my English better.“ Meskanen said while meticulously choosing his words. “They handle the little things on the ice so well and I want to learn to do that better.“
The Finnish forward does a good job finding the small spaces on the ice where he can use his shot. Holland admitted he had no idea how good that shot was.
“I would like to use my shot more,” Meskanen stated. “I have to use it more to help the team.”
Meskanen is fourth on the team in scoring with 8 goals and 23 points and he has played in all 34 games.
With even more adjustment number 81 will be on the goal scoring side of the ledger even more often.
