Veteran Anaheim forward Saku Koivu could soon be playing in the Finnish league.
Koivu has reportedly agreed to join SM-liiga club TPS Turku should the NHL lockout extend beyond the Christmas holidays, according to both TSN and the OC Register.
(As for when he’ll join? One of the Register’s sources says right after the holiday, another says when/if the season is canceled.)
The 38-year-old partly owns TPS with his brother, Mikko, and Calgary Flames netminder Miikka Kiprusoff. The team has already secured the services of a number of locked-out NHLers including Kevin Shattenkirk, Kris Russell, Alec Martinez (currently injured) and Antero Niittymaki.
Koivu signed a one-year, $3 million deal with Anaheim to return for the 2012-13 season after last year’s moderately successful campaign. He posted 11G-27A-38PTS in 74 games and finished second on the team with a plus-7 rating.