Erik Haula received one extra present this Christmas - and he couldn’t have asked for much more.
Just as he was about to start opening presents with his family Dec. 25, the Predators centerman and native of Finland noticed the coach of the Finnish national team’s number on the other end. Admittedly, there was trepidation at first.
“Honestly, I looked at my phone and I was a little anxious to answer it,” Haula said prior to Nashville’s game against Calgary on Saturday. “Now, looking back, I guess he wouldn't have called me on Christmas morning to tell me that I didn't make it.”
That “it” Haula made? Finland’s squad that will compete for a Gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in February. He’ll join Preds goaltender Juuse Saros with Team Finland, as well as fellow teammates Filip Forsberg (Sweden) and Roman Josi (Switzerland) in Milan.
For the first time since 2014, NHL players are set to participate in the Games. As a result, this is Haula’s first Olympic opportunity as well - one that’s certainly been a long time coming.
“What a relief it was,” Haula said of the news. "And it obviously got me a little emotional as well.”
Now in his second stint with the Predators after spending the COVID-shortened 2021 season with Nashville, Haula is enjoying a successful campaign thus far that has seen him record seven goals and 23 points, including a pair of tallies in his team’s 4-3 win over the Flames on Saturday.
The 13-season NHL veteran knew a solid showing with the Preds would certainly help his chances of being named to the Finnish Olympic team, and while he was hopeful the call would come after skating for his county during last season’s Four Nations Face-Off, nothing is ever guaranteed.
“A little bit of both,” Haula said of his confidence on making the team or not. “I think being on the Four Nations roster last year definitely helped a little bit to show what I am all about as a person, teammate and on the ice. That was such a great tournament, just getting to know the staff better, and also my teammates. I think that was really big, but as we’ve seen, for every country, it’s important to play yourself on the team, no matter who you represent. Obviously, there’s a little bit more competition in certain places, but Finland has a lot of great players, and I'm honored to represent the team.”
Predators Head Coach Andrew Brunette - who has worked with and coached Haula previously before this season as well - wasn’t surprised to see the forward get the call. Instead, Brunette knows exactly what kind of role the Finn can play for his team, similar to what he sees in Nashville on a nightly basis.
“Being around Erik for as long as I have, I know how hard [he works] and how great of a competitor he is,” Brunette said. “He can fill all kinds of voids in the middle of the ice for us. We feel comfortable matching him up against the big guys. He can give you a little bit of offense. He's a really good penalty killer, and he can play on the power play, so he does a little bit of everything. I’m really happy for him… For him to get the Olympics, I think he's been decorated and played pretty much every other [international] event, so this is big for him. We’re extremely happy.”
For an NHL player, the chance to compete for - and win - a Stanley Cup is often paramount in their career. But the international element carries a massive amount of pride as well, and that desire to compete at the Olympics has been evident for over a decade with the League’s hiatus from attending the Games.
But now, players like Haula will get that chance - something he views as like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“What I also mentioned to the coaches was that you can call me at any time, that I've been waiting for this for 12 years,” Haula said. “I'm just so honored. I'm so happy that I get a chance to represent my country at the biggest stage. It’s been really frustrating not being able to go, and it definitely would have been something that I would have looked back on as it would have bothered me, for sure.”
Haula will now never have to wonder, “what if?”
Instead, he’ll bring his family along and don the blue and white of his homeland come February. Plus, with Saros in net, Haula believes his country certainly has a chance against the best in the world.
“We have a good four lines that are probably going to try to play a similar way, be tough to play against, and kind of in your face hockey,” Haula said. “Obviously, we have some really high-end players. A big loss, obviously, is [Florida Panthers Captain Aleksander] Barkov [out due to injury], but we do have some depth guys who have won recently, so it’s exciting. I think we have a chance to do something special.”
