When the Tampa Bay Lightning announced their opening-night roster on Oct. 9, there were plenty of familiar names. Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, and Nikita Kucherov are staples on the roster. There is always some offseason turnover, which creates an opportunity for new players to shine. Among the new additions, one name stuck out: Waltteri Merela. The 25-year-old rookie had never played in any North American league before this season, let alone the NHL, so how did he get here?
Finnish Elite League
Merela got his start at home in Finland. From 2013 to 2018, he climbed his way through Finland’s developmental leagues while playing for Uplakers and then Tampereen Tappara. During those five seasons, he amassed 40 goals and 110 points. He made his professional debut in the 2018-19 season with the Lahti Pelicans, although he did not see consistent action in the Finnish Elite League until a year later.
His breakout season came in 2021-22 with Tappara, where he scored 21 goals and 44 points in 57 games. He also led the league with a plus-31 rating and was in the top 10 in both goals and points. Last season, he put up 33 points in 41 games, including 15 goals. Also impressive, Merela arrived in Tampa Bay as a back-to-back champion, with Tappara taking home the Finnish Elite League title in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
2023-24 NHL Preseason
On June 5, it was announced that Merela had signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Lightning. Reaction was mixed. He was a player that most Lightning fans had never heard of and sparse information was available about him. Additionally, he was 24 years old and had never been drafted by an NHL franchise. Despite that, fans were curious. The Lightning have become known for finding hidden gems, and many hoped the Finnish forward would be just that.
Merela was quick to make a good impression. At training camp, there were rumblings that he looked the part of an NHLer. Statements from pundits started to trickle out that he could make the roster. It also boded well that Merela had the right mindset. He reportedly felt the need to push himself and was willing to do whatever was needed to be a part of the team. He wanted to win and felt the Lightning were a good fit, so if that meant playing on the fourth line and helping out on the penalty kill, then he was ready to do it.
It wasn’t long before Merela got the chance to prove himself, and he got his got his first game in a Lightning uniform on Sept. 27 in a preseason game against the Nashville Predators. The game was relatively uneventful — he logged one shot and two penalty minutes. However, in his second game on Sept. 30, in a rematch against the Predators, Merela shot the puck twice, and it landed in the net both times. He also registered an assist and a hit in 13:03 of ice time.
His stats from games on Oct. 3 and 5 were tame in comparison, but on Oct. 7 against the Florida Panthers, he earned another assist along with two shots and a hit. All in all, it was a solid performance for a newcomer to the NHL, especially one who had never played in a North American rink before.
Merela’s Regular Season
Merela overcame the odds and began the 2023-24 season with the Lightning. Even after his two-goal performance, most expected him to start the season in the American Hockey League and work his way onto the NHL roster after he had some time to adjust to the North American style of play and rink size. But he managed to do enough to stick with the club (although he was technically sent down very briefly) and was in the lineup on opening night.
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So far, he has played on the third and fourth line with Tanner Jeannot, Luke Glendening, Austin Watson, and Nick Paul. He has yet to get on the scoresheet and is a minus-1, averaging 10:44 of ice time. However, there are some promising signs; he finally recorded his first shot on Oct. 19 against the Vancouver Canucks and finished the game with three. Over the next two games, he added another five shots on net. He is playing with energy and has a chip on his shoulder.
It is clear that he is still finding his footing and figuring out his role on the team, but there are signs that, in time, he could become a productive player for the club. Merela’s story is already pretty special and quite unique, but if he’s given the right amount of time to get used to the NHL, he could really surprise some people.