Teuvo Teräväinen

Lore & Background

Teräväinen began his professional career with Jokerit in Finland's SM-liiga, making his debut at age 17 on 18 October 2011. He won the Jarmo Wasama memorial trophy as rookie of the year in his first season. After being drafted by the Blackhawks, he signed a three-year entry-level contract in August 2013 but returned to Jokerit for the 2013–14 season, where he was promoted to top-line centerman and later named team captain when the regular captain was injured. He made his NHL debut on 25 March 2014 and scored his first NHL goal on 16 January 2015. In the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, he scored the tying goal and set up the game-winner in Game 1, becoming the fourth-youngest player to score in a Cup Final and the second-youngest to have a multi-point game in the Final since 1990. He won the Stanley Cup that year with Chicago.

Traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on 15 June 2016 (along with Bryan Bickell) for draft picks, Teräväinen established career highs in his first season and signed a contract extension worth $2.86 million per season on 15 June 2017. In the 2017–18 season, he scored his first natural hat-trick as a Hurricane on 13 November 2017 in a 5–1 win over the Dallas Stars, becoming the first Hurricane to do so since Eric Staal in 2010. He was named NHL First Star of the Week for November 12–19. He ended that season with 23 goals and 41 assists for 64 points. In 2018–19, he signed a five-year, $27 million extension and helped the Hurricanes reach the Eastern Conference Final, leading the team with seven goals in the playoffs. He recorded career highs in points and assists that season. In 2019–20, he led the Hurricanes with 48 assists before the season was shut down early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He missed the start of the 2020–21 season due to COVID-19 protocol and later suffered a concussion from a hit by Nikita Zadorov. In the 2022–23 season, he broke his hand in Game 2 of the first playoff round against the Islanders, underwent surgery, and returned for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Panthers.

Internationally, Teräväinen represented Finland at the World Junior Championships, captaining the team in 2014 and leading them to a gold medal over Sweden, assisting all three goals in the final and finishing as the tournament's scoring leader. He also played for Finland at the 2018 IIHF World Championship and won a bronze medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Reader's Guide

Teuvo Teräväinen's career is defined by his transition from a promising rookie with the Chicago Blackhawks to a key offensive contributor for the Carolina Hurricanes. After winning the Stanley Cup in his rookie season with Chicago, he was traded to Carolina in 2016, where his playmaking and scoring flourished. Over eight seasons with the Hurricanes, he set multiple career highs, helped end a ten-year playoff drought in 2019, and led the team to the Eastern Conference Final that year. His natural hat-trick in 2017 and his consistent production made him a central figure in Carolina's resurgence. Despite injuries and a concussion during the 2020–21 season, he remained a reliable forward. His return to Chicago as a free agent in 2024 marked a full-circle moment in his career. Internationally, he captained Finland to a World Junior gold medal in 2014 and earned a bronze at the 2026 Winter Olympics, underscoring his impact on the international stage.

Did You Know?

• Teräväinen won the Jarmo Wasama memorial trophy as rookie of the year in the SM-liiga in his debut season with Jokerit.
• He became the fourth-youngest player to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Final, at 20 years, 265 days.
• He scored a natural hat-trick for the Hurricanes on 13 November 2017, the first for the team since Eric Staal in 2010.
• He captained Finland to a gold medal at the 2014 World Junior Championships, assisting all three goals in the final.