Rewind back to the 2015-16 season, goaltender Ville Husso was playing for HIFK Helsinki in the SM-Liiga, the top league in Finland. Husso won the goalie of the year award that season but in the Liiga playoff finals, his club fell to Tampereen Tappara. Now bringing things back to the 2016-17 season, Blues’ defensive prospect had the same fate. His club KalPa was beaten by Tappara in six games. But for Mikkola this season should still be considered a success.
The 20 year old was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2015, a fifth round draft pick 127th overall.