VP Sports & Entertainment presents: 2025 WHL Champion Muhonen signs entry-level contract with Dallas Stars
Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Niilopekka Muhonen has inked a three-year, entry-level contract with the Dallas Stars, General Manager Jim Nill announced Tuesday.
The contract will take effect at the beginning of the 2025-26 season.
Muhonen is coming off his first season of hockey in North America after being selected by the Tigers in the first round (47th overall) of the 2024 CHL Import Draft.
Here. Comes. The. BOOM!
Niilopekka Muhonen is making his presence felt with the @tigershockey!@DallasStars | #WHLOpeningWeek pic.twitter.com/6MpFDMU30V
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) September 29, 2024
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound blueliner logged four goals and 13 assists for 17 points and a +20 rating in 60 regular-season games.
He added another goal and two assists in 18 playoff games, including the game-opening goal in Game 5 of the 2025 WHL Championship Series, which saw Medicine Hat lift the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the sixth time in franchise history.
NO BETTER TIME FOR YOUR FIRST OF THE PLAYOFFS ‼️‼️‼️
Niilopekka Muhonen opens the scoring in Game 5!@TigersHockey | @DallasStars | #WHLChampionship | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/MqKYU6HxX4
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 17, 2025
Muhonen also appeared in all four Memorial Cup matches for the Tigers, though the team bowed out in the final against the OHL’s London Knights.
The 19-year-old was drafted by Dallas with the 158th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas, Nev.
The Kupio, Finland product has also won a bronze medal for his home country at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Muhonen is currently attending the Stars’ annual Development Camp at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas.
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