Cultured Auvitu prepares for next challenge in Edmonton

France and Finland; the Alps and Albany.
Yohann Auvitu hails from a suburb of Paris but calls Helsinki home. His wife is from Russia, but he's been playing hockey in North America. He's a multilingual scholar - speaking English, Finnish, French, German and Russian - with a bachelor's degree in international business.

Completing his master's thesis in business administration isn't his ensuing test, though. Auvitu's next assessment is scheduled for Edmonton with the Oilers after the rearguard signed a one-year contract with the club on Monday.
"It's not a long-term contract," the 27-year-old said via phone from Helsinki. "I'm taking it more as a challenge - I have to show right away what I'm capable of doing."
With the injury to Andrej Sekera leaving a void on the back end, Auvitu and Oilers management conversed about the possibility of him stepping into the role for the time being.
"When you have the depth that we start to have now, guys are pushing other guys and it's healthy for the organization," Oilers Assistant General Manager Keith Gretzky said Wednesday on Oilers Now.
"The other thing is the depth is there; you're going to have guys that exceed expectations and guys that go the other way."
The Frenchman - thus far - has exceeded all expectations early in his North American playing career. Auvitu is aware how far talent alone can get a player and favours hard work and on-ice intellect over raw ability. As for the crash-course in the North American style of play, he began cultivating that with the New Jersey Devils organization.
"I don't believe in the fairy tale saying that one morning I woke up and the sun was shining and suddenly I was scoring 50 goals in the NHL," the defenceman, who has four career points in 25 NHL games, said.

"I don't believe in those stories. My talents didn't bring me where I am right now. It's been my work ethic and my hockey ability.
"I'm a late bloomer, so I know what it takes to succeed at the high level."
Auvitu's breadth is nearly worldwide and began in France - where his father played house league hockey and his uncle played pro, even representing the country internationally - then spans Finland and North America.
At the age of 15, Auvitu moved from Paris to the Alps, where hockey is more developed in Europe. After that, he relocated again.
"At the age of 17 (or) 18, I moved to Finland," Auvitu said. There, he arrived with an insatiable desire to continue his incline.
"I was like a young, hungry dog and I was ready to make everything a success in hockey," he said.
That continued in New Jersey, where the swift skating, puck-transporting defenceman developed the defensive aspect of his game. He credits Binghamton Devils Head Coach Rick Kowalsky and New Jersey Assistant Coach Alain Nasreddine for that.
"We focused a lot on my defensive side since it's my weakness," said Auvitu. "We focused on that the whole season: The position of my body and my stick."
It's all culminated in the current opportunity with the Oilers, who are a bonafide threat among the National Hockey League in the eyes of Auvitu.
"They are a contender to win the Cup," he said. "So, as a competitor, it's always very interesting to join this kind of team."
France to Finland, Albany and soon Alberta, the well-travelled Auvitu is prepared for the challenge.
"I'm ready to help contribute."