In a new interview with Ilta Sanomat, former Sanok forward Marcus Kallionkieli says some kind words about his time in Poland. Under an NHL contract with the Vegas Golden Knights during his time in Sanok, the former NHL draft pick called the level of the THL “surprisingly good.” He also told the Finnish news site that the best of the THL is close to the level of Liiga teams but plays a style that is more like the Finnish second league, the Mestis. The interview details his path back to Finland, especially his troubles after signing an entry-league deal with Vegas. The 22-year-old forward missed most of the 2023 and 2024 seasons with concussion issues.

His move to Sanok made a lot of noise in Poland. It was an unheard-of transaction that saw the Golden Knights place the young forward on loan to Sanok. While he did not reveal all the reasons for joining Sanok, he stressed a significant part was his need to play as much as possible. He played in 16 THL games, scoring four goals and assisting on six. Like many other imports, he would leave Sanok after the team was eliminated from playoff contention in February. He moved to Kiekko-Espoo on February sixth who play in the second level of Finnish hockey. His contract with Vegas was terminated shortly afterward.

He has had a successful run so far with Kiekko-Espoo. In just eight games, he has racked up nine points (3G-6A-9PTS). The team is looking to win a championship in the Mestis this year before their upcoming promotion to the Liiga. The club should be familiar to Polish fans. It is the same club where Julia Zielinska has played for the women’s squad since 2020, winning two championships in the Naisten Liiga. Forward prospect Krystian Lisowski has been a part of their junior program since the 2021 season.

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