The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed center Oiva Keskinen to a three-year, entry level contract beginning with the 2025-26 season, club President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell announced today. He was selected by Columbus in the seventh round, 194th overall, at the 2023 NHL Draft.
Keskinen, 21, registered 22 goals and 40 assists for 62 points with 32 penalty minutes, five power play goals, 207 shots on goal and a cumulative +16 plus/minus rating in 113 contests over two seasons with Tappara in Finland’s top professional league (Liiga) from 2023-25. He has added 2-8-10 and four penalty minutes in 25 career playoff appearances and helped the club win the league championship in 2023-24.
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The 6-0, 181-pound native of Ylojarvi, Finland set single-season career highs and ranked second on Tappara in goals in 2024-25 with 15-20-35 and 26 penalty minutes in 59 games. He ranked second in Liiga among players 22-years-old or younger in goals and fifth-T in points this past season. He made his Liiga debut in 2023-24 and recorded 7-20-27 and was +20 in 54 contests with Tappara. He was a finalist for the league’s Wasama Award (Rookie of the Year) in 2024 after ranking second among Liiga rookies in assists and fourth in points.
Keskinen collected 2-3-5 in seven contests for Finland at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championships. He spent parts of two campaigns with Tappara’s junior team from 2021-23 and registered 21-21-42 in 45 appearances.
