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Henri Jokiharju was born on June 17, 1999, in Oulu, Finland. Jokiharju’s father, Juha, played professional hockey in Finland, Norway, and France. Henri’s brother, Juho, played four seasons at Clarkson University as a forward. Henri is a right-shot defenseman who played for the Jokerit U16 team in Finland during the 2013-14 season and scored six goals with 17 assists in 32 games as an assistant captain. In nine playoff games, Jokiharju totaled six points.
The next season, Jokiharju joined the U18 team and registered eight goals and 22 assists in 32 games and had another solid postseason with four goals in ten games. With the U16 Finnish team, Jokiharju contributed one goal and seven assists in eight games.
During the 2015-16 season, Jokiharju became a member of the Tappara U20 team in the SM Liiga and scored nine goals with 20 assists in 47 games while being voted second-team All-Star. In the World Junior Championships with Finland’s U18 team, Jokiharju had three assists as they won the Gold Medal.
During the 2016 CHL Import Draft, the Portland Winterhawks selected Henri Jokiharju as the 25th overall pick in the first round. In his first season with Portland, the blueliner contributed nine goals and 39 assists in 71 games. During the 2017-18 season, Jokiharju registered 12 goals and 59 assists in 63 games, earning him a second-team All-Star selection.
Henri Jokiharju Stats & Salary Cap
The Chicago Blackhawks Drafted Henri Jokiharju in the First Round of the 2017 NHL Draft
With the 29th overall selection in the 2017 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks chose Jokiharju in the first round. The pre-draft scout on Jokiharju was that the defenseman was mobile and a puck mover. At 6-foot, 200 pounds, Jokiharju had NHL size, and on June 11, 2018, the Blackhawks signed Jokiharju to a three-year contract worth $3.8 million.
NHL Debut to Today
On October 4, 2018, Jokiharju made his NHL debut against the Ottawa Senators and played 19:16 of ice time while registering three hits and three shots on net. Jokiharju had 12 assists in his rookie season and was traded to the Buffalo Sabres on July 9, 2019, for Alexander Nylander. Jokiharju scored his first NHL goal on November 1, 2019, against the Washington Capitals. He totaled 351 games in five and a half seasons with Buffalo before getting traded to Boston for a fourth-round draft pick on March 7, 2025. Jokiharju will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2024-25 season.
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Breaking News
TODAY'S BEST
Penguins franchise icon undergoes heart surgery
Penguins defenseman Kris Letang underwent successful surgery to close a small hole in his heart called a patent foramen ovale, the team announced. He’ll miss the team’s final regular-season game but is expected back for training camp in the fall. The recovery time for the procedure is four to six weeks. It’s a scary headline for a player who’s had a few of them in his lengthy career, so such a brief recovery window immediately comes across as good news. The two-time All-Star had strokes that caused him to miss significant portions of the 2013-14 and 2022-23 seasons, as well as a herniated disk in his neck that kept him from suiting up in the Penguins’ run to the Stanley Cup in 2017. While PFOs are usually innocuous and occur in about 25% of people, it does lead to an increased risk of stroke, according to the Mayo Clinic. Letang, who turns 38 later this month, continued to be a workhorse in his 19th NHL season. His 17:53 of ice time in his final appearance of the campaign against the Bruins on Sunday was a season-low and the first time he’d logged under 20 minutes in a game since Jan. 8, 2024. As the 2023 Masterton Trophy winner crosses into the second half of the six-year, $36.6M extension he signed in 2022, his offensive production has begun to decline significantly. He posted 9-21-30 in 74 games this year for a 0.41 points per game rate, his worst since the 2009-10 campaign. The drop-off in point totals this season was accompanied by the worst possession metrics of his career, including a 48.6 CF% at even strength that was 3.1% worse relative to his teammates. His 47.4% expected goals share at even strength was also his worst since the stat was tracked in 2008. Yet with few impact options on this summer’s free agent market and the future of Erik Karlsson in Pittsburgh in question, Letang will likely again open training camp in the fall as the Pens’ unquestioned No. 1 defender, at least in terms of deployment. Letang has averaged over 21 minutes per game for the last 17 seasons.
Dodgers Manager Not Happy With Freddie Freeman After Tuesday's Game
The Los Angeles Dodger won their second game in a row Tuesday against the Colorado Rockies, but manager Dave Roberts wasn't happy with what Freddie Freeman did in the fourth inning of the contest. Freeman was caught trying to steal second in an effort that was not only unsuccessful, but was not approved by the skipper. “I didn’t like that,” Roberts said. The score was 5-0 heading into the fourth inning when the Rockies scored two in the top half of the frame. With two outs and Freeman on first, the World Series MVP attempted to steal second to get into scoring position but was thrown out. “He’s competitive and thought he had a chance to steal a base, give us a four-run lead. But I just think right now we’ve got to make sure we manage his workload and health," Roberts said. "I just want to make sure we try to keep him as healthy as possible, so I don’t think we’ll be seeing him steal many bases in the near future.” This isn't the first time that there has been discussion from Roberts about his willingness to let Freeman steal bases. Last Friday, during Freeman's return after a few missed games, as well as his stadium-wide bobblehead giveaway night, Roberts spoke on if the veteran had the green light to steal bases. “No,” Roberts said. “It’s just red as red can be. Fire engine red.” With the competitive fire that Freeman possess night in and night out, it is difficult to turn off a certain aspect of one's game in order to preserve health. However, given the kind of impact that he has on the team, Roberts is only speaking from a place of caution. Freeman only stole nine bases last season while dealing with his fair share of ailments, but the season prior saw a career-high 23 swipes. His legs are an extremely important part of his game, but is also the point of concern from his manager. Without Freeman in the lineup, there is no telling if the Dodgers still win the World Series in 2024, and especially in an early-season game — and after tweaking his surgically-repaired ankle this month — Roberts doesn't appear to be making his comments from a critical place. He just knows the Dodgers need Freeman on the field as much as possible — and that means being a little more conservative on the bases. For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.
Steelers Poised To Make Unpopular Move For Browns Running Back Nick Chubb
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision to decline running back Najee Harris' fifth-year option prior to the 2024 season was very telling. Sure enough, after the season ended, so did Harris' time in the Steel City. After four years as the team’s lead back, the former first-round pick is now with the Los Angeles Chargers, closing the chapter on what was once considered a key piece of Pittsburgh’s offense. With Harris gone, all signs point to undrafted standout Jaylen Warren finally getting a true opportunity to lead the backfield. Warren has impressed every time he’s touched the ball, and fans have been clamoring for him to take on a bigger role. The Steelers also added Kenneth Gainwell from the Philadelphia Eagles, and the duo is expected to provide a fresh, dynamic one-two punch heading into 2025. "Honestly, [Nick Chubb] is a guy I would keep an eye on about May 3rd," Kaboly said. Chubb’s name came up after Kaboly’s co-host, Chris Mack, mentioned the viral video of him back-squatting 550 pounds, a reminder of the strength that made him one of the league’s most feared runners. Despite that display, Chubb wasn’t the same player in 2024 as he worked his way back from a serious knee injury. Still, Kaboly told fans not to rule out the possibility of the Steelers making a move for the former Browns star in 2025. If Chubb proves he’s healthy, Pittsburgh could see him as a valuable addition to a backfield already featuring Warren and Gainwell. "You know why," Kaboly said. "It’s because of the compensatory garbage. The compensatory selection process ends the Monday after the draft, so it doesn’t count against them. That’s why these teams wait so long now for these veterans." Kaboly explained that the Steelers may be waiting to sign a running back to avoid forfeiting any potential compensatory picks, which is why he suggested May 3rd could be the key date for Steeler Nation to watch. He believes the possibility of adding a back, whether it’s Chubb or another veteran, is still on the table as the Steelers look to strengthen their roster before the 2025 season. Pittsburgh seems committed to adding both a draft pick and a veteran running back to round out their backfield options. Steelers Could Get Great Value By Signing Nick Chubb Chubb remains an intriguing option despite his injury-plagued 2023 season, particularly following the knee injury he suffered against the Steelers. While he wasn’t the same dominant force upon his return, Chubb would still provide tremendous value as a veteran presence, especially if he’s fully recovered. If Chubb has anything left in the tank, adding him would create an exciting, deep backfield featuring a mix of power and versatility to complement the Steelers’ offense. At just 29 years old, Chubb still has plenty of football left in him, and the Steelers are undoubtedly aware of what he’s capable of when fully healthy. Throughout his career, Chubb has consistently been a thorn in Pittsburgh’s side, regularly slicing through their defense when facing the Browns. The idea of having him on their side of the ball is an exciting thought, and according to Kaboly, it’s one that might actually become a reality. If Chubb can return to form, the Steelers could land a game-changing addition to their offense.
Notre Dame Finally Receives Good Transfer Portal News After Olivia Miles’ Exit
Kevin Harvick Reacts To Kyle Larson's 'Embarrassing' Comment
NASCAR superstar Kyle Larson is extremely passionate about the sport. But his desire to spark a bit of rivalry between the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series has led to some interesting discourse. Larson won both the Cup Series and Xfinity Series races at Bristol this past week. After his wins, he joked that he wants to "embarrass" the drivers on the Xfinity tracks in order to motivate them more since Cup Series racers can't usually compete with them. “In Xfinity, I do get motivated, and this is going to come across like very cocky, but I want to embarrass them, honestly,” Larson said on the Harvick Happy Hour podcast yesterday. “I want to embarrass NASCAR a little bit because they just don’t let Cup guys run anymore, and the kids probably think they’re in a good spot and they don’t know where the bar really is at. “So, I like to go run those Xfinity races and just get 10-second leads to let them realize that they’ve got a lot of room to improve. I think that’s only better for our sport. When those young guys can compete with Cup guys, they’re better suited for the Cup Series once they get there. … I want to smash the field when I run Xfinity. That’s motivating to me, for sure.” Harvick found those comments from Larson absolutely brilliant. On today's episode of his show, he asserted that Larson might be exactly what the Xfinity drivers need in order to get better. “When I started Xfinity, there was 20-25 (Cup Series) guys in every Xfinity race,” Harvick said. “The thing that happens there is they teach you where to run on the racetrack, they teach you that you can drive your car harder, they teach you that you can run down pit road faster. They teach you all the things you need to be taught. Right now, we’re on a three-year plan for the Xfinity guys to be ready to race a Cup car. “… Cup is hard, but the drivers are great. Having those drivers in the Truck and the Xfinity races, yeah, we get tired of seeing them win, but it also teaches them how to do things the right way. Apparently, that’s on Kyle Larson’s agenda. Since 2018, when he started making sporadic appearances in the Xfinity Series, Larson has made 16 starts and won eight races, finishing in the top five in another five of those races. Larson certainly seems to be doing a better job of embarrassing the Xfinity Series drivers than ensuring they can outrace him.
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