Let the showcase begin

MONTREAL - After returning to his native Finland following Canadiens development camp in early July, Joni Ikonen is back on North American soil.

The 18-year-old forward - who was selected in the second round, 58th overall by Montreal in June - touched down in Michigan on Thursday afternoon to participate in the 2017 World Junior Summer Showcase from July 28 to August 5 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth.
The five-team event, which also includes two U.S. squads and contingents from Canada and Sweden, gives youngsters like Ikonen a prime opportunity to put their skills on display in their quest to secure a roster spot for the 2018 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Buffalo come December.

Ikonen is one of four Canadiens prospects on site participating in daily practices and international games, along with forwards Ryan Poehling (USA) and William Bitten (CAN), and defenseman Victor Mete (CAN).
One of 24 players on the Finnish roster, Ikonen is chomping at the bit to get down to work.
"These are the first games of the season, so it's very exciting. It's a chance to show everyone that you can play. It's especially big now, if you want to make the Under-20 team for the tournament in Buffalo," said Ikonen, who spent the week leading up to the trip training with the national side and playing a pair of exhibition games against the Czech Republic. "It's a goal for me to make the team. The goal is to play at the highest level possible. I'm just going to play my game and hopefully do enough to convince the coaches."
Ikonen has shown an ability to rise to the occasion on the international stage. He most recently served as assistant captain and played a key role in helping Finland claim a silver medal at the 2017 IIHF U18 World Championship in Slovakia in April, finishing tied for fourth in tournament scoring with eight points (4G, 4A) in seven games.
If Ikonen does manage to crack the U20 roster later this year, he believes the lessons he learned during the U18 run will come into play in Western New York.
"We played really well as a team there. We all connected. We had good spirit in the locker room. It's a special tournament. You can't have a bad start, though. If you start the tournament badly, it's hard to play for a medal," said Ikonen, on his recipe for international success. "You have to have a strong beginning and just focus."

Beyond scouting out the field and cheering on his country, Ikonen has paid particularly close attention to the World Juniors in recent years for more personal reasons. His brother, Juuso, claimed gold at the annual tournament in 2014, and represented Finland again the following year. Then, in 2016, Finland once again finished atop the podium, securing the title in Helsinki.
"I've learned a lot from him, just speaking to him about all the experiences he's had. He just tries to help me," said Ikonen, whose father, Juha, also sported Finland's colors internationally, winning silver at the 1998 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland. "My dad had a pretty long professional career in Finland. He played some national team games also. He coached me during almost all of my Junior career."
When the Summer Showcase wraps up, the Espoo native will head back across the pond to the Finnish town of Kuopio to join KalPa of the Finnish Elite League where he'll compete in the senior ranks on a full-time basis for the first time in his career. Having spent the last two seasons in Frölunda's system in Sweden, Ikonen is eagerly anticipating the chance to suit up on home soil again and play for former NHLer and KalPa bench boss Sami Kapanen.
"I'm really looking forward to next season. I talked to Sami a couple of times. I met him. I've heard good things about him and the whole KalPa organization. It's going to be really fun," said Ikonen, who was officially loaned to KalPa from Frölunda on July 19. "I have an opportunity to get some ice time and prove to Sami and the coaches that I can play. It's the first season with the men for me, so it's a big jump, a big step. I really think I'm ready for it. KalPa is an organization that plays really fast hockey. I enjoy playing that way. I think it's good for me to play a fast game. After last season, it just felt like a good choice."
Ikonen won't have much time to settle in upon his return, which suits him just fine.
"The season with KalPa starts next week, but I'll miss the first week because of this tournament. We'll have training games directly when I get back. Hockey season is here," he said. "It's really good to be back in Finland. I enjoyed my time in Sweden, but it's good to be back home."

For the next week, however, Ikonen's focus is squarely on putting on a good show in the Great Lakes State and auditioning for a starring role he hopes to land five months from now.
"We have a talented group of guys here. They're all really competitive. We think we have a good team," said Ikonen, who will open the event against Poehling and Team USA - White on Saturday afternoon, before taking on Bitten and Mete on Wednesday, August 2. "I met them at development camp. They're all good guys. I'm really looking forward to playing against them."
To view the complete 2017 Summer Showcase schedule,
click here
.