Could Saarela be the next Aho for Canes?

CHARLOTTE — Sebastian Aho got everyone excited in his rookie year with the Carolina Hurricanes, scoring 24 goals, playing with a certain panache this season.

Now comes another Finn making some noise, Aleksi Saarela.

Unlike Aho, Saarela wasn’t drafted by the Canes, coming to Carolina last year in the trade that sent former Canes captain Eric Staal to the New York Rangers. Like Aho, the forward spent an extra season in SM-liiga, playing in the Finnish elite league rather than coming to North America.

But when Saarela did arrive last month, joining the Charlotte Checkers’ lineup in the American Hockey League …

“Sometimes it takes a player some adjustment time but it took him no time at all,”…