Player's Profile
Picture Courtesy of www.ontariohockeyleague.com
- Name: Oskar Osala
- Position: LW
- Shoots: Left
- Height: 6-4
- Weight: 217 lbs
- Birthdate: 1987-12-26
- Eligible for Draft: 2006
- Drafted:
- Hometown: Vassa, Finland
- Acquired: 4th round (#97 overall), 2006
- Playing In: Pro
Oskar Osala
Prospect Grade: 7.0 C (About Prospect Grades)
Profile Contributed By: HF Staff
History
Osala, who is a native of Finland, was selected by the Mississauga IceDogs in the first round of the 2005 CHL Import Draft. Previously a member of Sport Vaasa (Mestis) Men’s 2nd Division, Osala also played on the 2005 Under-18 Finland National Team, the Five Nations Cup, as well as in the 2005 Under-18 World Junior Championships.
Expected to be a speedy, two-way player for the Ice Dogs this year, Osala had a slow start. After a lackluster October through December, however, Osala picked up his game as the season went along. With 43 total points and a plus/minus of –19 over the entire season Osala’s defensive performance was somewhat disappointing. But it is worth noting that in the month of March, he tallied 12 points in 9 games with a plus/minus of +3. This performance was sufficient to attract the attention of the OHL, which in late April named him to the OHL Second All-Rookie Team. Additionally the IceDogs awarded Osala with a trophy for team Rookie of the Year.
2006-07: Osala improved his plus/minus rating to +11. He also had 22 goals and 22 assists in 54 games, and four points in five playoff games. Where Osala really shined was at the WJC, where he had five goals and three assists in six games, and was selected in the top three stars of the Finnish team. This success could be a sign of how Osala can escalate his game once comfortable with his teammates and style of play.
2007-08: After attending the Capitals’ prospect camp in 2007-2008, Osala had a strong first year in the SM-Liiga. He was named Rookie of the Year for Espoo – which was the surprise team of the league – advancing to the league finals against Karpat. While the heavier traffic and closer checking nature of North America may prove more difficult for Osala, he has developed into a prolific goal scorer. He scored five goals to lead Team Finland in 2006 and at the domestic level, after scoring 18 goals for Espoo during the regular season, he set a record for rookies with seven more in the playoffs.
Talent Analysis
Osala has a lot of skills (i.e., skating, shooting, size), but had a slow start because of the need to adjust to the North American game. He began to really show off his skills late in the 2005-06 season. Osala has a great shot and has the ability to play an excellent two-way game.
Future
The Capitals signed Osala to a three-year, entry level contract in June 2008. Begins in Hershey.
Stats
| SEASON | TEAM | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM |
| 2004-05 | Sport Vassa (Jr A/FIN) | 19 | 13 | 24 | 37 | -- | 28 |
| 2005 | Sport Vassa (Jr A/FIN) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2004-05 | Sport Vassa (Jr B SM-Sarja/FIN) | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | - | 8 |
| 2005-06 | Mississauga Ice Dogs (OHL) | 68 | 17 | 26 | 43 | -19 | 86 |
| 2006-07 | Mississauga Ice Dogs (OHL) | 54 | 22 | 22 | 44 | +11 | 81 |
| 2007 | Mississauga Ice Dogs (OHL) | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | +1 | 0 |
| 2007 | Team Finland (U20/Mestis) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | Team Finland (WJC) | 6 | 5 | 3 | 8 | +2 | 4 |
Profile Last Updated: November, 11th 2008
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