Santala is Coming to Town
Published on December 3, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release
The Atlanta Thrashers have assigned center Tommi Santala (SAHN-tah-luh) to the Chicago Wolves.
Santala has registered one goal, one assist and 18 penalty minutes in 24 games with the Thrashers this year. The 24-year-old rookie notched his first professional National Hockey League point with an assist against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 18.
Last year, the Helsinki, Finland, native finished third overall in the Finnish Elite League with a career-high 51 points (13G, 38A) for HPK Hameenlinna in 50 regular-season games. Santala, who led the league with a career-high 38 assists, ranked first on the team and sixth overall with a +28 plus/minus rating. Santala also finished second on the team and eighth in the league with a career-high 92 penalty minutes.
During the postseason, the 6-foot-2-inch, 210-pound forward led the team and ranked second in the league with 12 points and six goals in 13 games.
Santala  a teammate of Wolves goaltender Kari Lehtonen on Team Finland  notched one assist and six penalty minutes in seven games in the 2003 World Championships.
Overall, Santala recorded 43 goals; 98 assists; 141 points and 275 penalty minutes in 175 games spanning five seasons with Jokerit Helsinki (1998-2000) and HPK Hameenlinna (1999-2003).
Santala was selected by the Thrashers with their 10th pick, 245th overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.
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