Nurmi Reflects on Memorial Cup Victory After First OHL Season

When the final buzzer sounded on the London Knights Memorial Cup win, Jesse Nurmi couldn’t wait to call his parents back home in Finland. Despite the time difference, the Nurmis stayed up until 5 a.m. overseas to watch Jesse play in the championship game.

“I FaceTimed my parents from the ice,” Nurmi said. “They were so happy. They watched the game and so did my grandparents. They were all pumped up.”

The Memorial Cup win put a bow on Nurmi’s first OHL season, his first in North America after spending his whole career Finland, where he shuffled between Liiga, Finland’s highest level of hockey, and U20 SM-sarja, their top junior league. Nurmi had an impressive year, recording 31 points (9G, 22A) in 58 regular season games for London, plus eight points (3G, 5A) in 17 playoff games, all while handling the adjustment to hockey in North America.

“Came here at the end of August and nine months flew by,” Nurmi said. “It’s been great. Celebrating after we won the Memorial Cup, it feels like time is going so fast.”

Nurmi helped the Knights with some unfinished business, as London came close in the 2024 Memorial Cup, but dropped a 4-3 decision in the title game. The Knights went on to have a 55-11-2 regular season followed up with a dominant postseason run, going 16-1 in the OHL playoffs to punch their ticket to the Memorial Cup.

“I can’t even wrap my head around how big it is to win it here,” Nurmi said. “Celebrating with the guys, it was so amazing, and our team is full of pride. Just great group of guys, everyone is ready to give anything to win it.”

In the round-robin style tournament, Nurmi contributed the Knights’ fourth goal in a 5-2 win over the Moncton Wildcats, the QMJHL champs. Not only did his tally help the team win, but Nurmi relished the milestone of scoring his first goal in the Memorial Cup tourney.

“It was huge,” Nurmi said. “I just tried to work hard every game and that game I scored. It was a big goal for our team too. Felt nice to score in the Memorial Cup.”

Nurmi showcased his worth ethic from day one of arriving in London. The pedigree, reputation and winning culture of the Knights organization played a role in his decision to enter the OHL as an import after he spent the past three seasons in Finland.

“I think you can see it every day at the rink,” Nurmi said. “From day one when I came here, I saw all the boys working hard. The whole organization wanted to win it. You can play anyone on the ice, I think it says something about our group that we have such a deep team.”

Getting used to the speed and style of North American game was a challenge, especially when coupled with living in a new country far from home. Nurmi settled in as the months went on, but said that earning silver with Team Finland in the 2025 World Junior Championship was a turning point for him. The competition gave him a boost of confidence upon returning to London, revitalizing his game in the second half of the season.

“When I came here, the first two months were hard with the adjustment, outside of hockey too, just getting used to everything,” Nurmi said. “And after World Juniors, I played well there and when I came back, I took another step in my game. Just getting used to the speed and the fast game, I knew the other half of the season would be better.”

The Islanders’ 2023 fourth-round pick (113th overall) contributed five points (2G, 3A) en route to Finland earning silver and he was also tried out on special teams on an international stage. Nurmi hadn’t played on the penalty kill before World Juniors, but after being utilized shorthanded on Finland’s squad, the winger returned to London and started to get minutes on the kill. Not only did he sharpen his defensive game, but he showed that he can produce offense as well with two shorthanded goals on the season.

“I only started to play on the penalty kill in World Juniors,” Nurmi said. “Then after I came back, I started to play here too and it went well. It’s a good skill to have. It was a huge thing for me to learn here too.”

Nurmi found a home away from home when he represented his country over the winter. Not only did he closely bond with his teammates on Team Finland where could speak his native language, but he also had a familiar face in the stands as his uncle made the trip to Ottawa, Ontario to watch him compete in the World Juniors tournament.

Nurmi still keeps in touch with his teammates on the Finnish team that took home silver. His teammates kept tabs on the Memorial Cup and they flooded his phone with congratulatory texts following his win with the Knights.

“They’re sending me congrats for winning and everything,” Numri said. “They were cheering for me back in Finland.”

After a long postseason run and a successful result, Nurmi is planning to take a well-deserved vacation this offseason in addition to training hard to gear up for next season, where he’ll have an opportunity to turn pro.

“I’m going to practice hard and maybe take a one-week holiday with my friends in Europe. Just chill a bit.”