Erik Haula facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Erik Haula
Haula with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018
Born	(1991-03-23) 23 March 1991 (age 34) Pori, Finland
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	193 lb (88 kg; 13 st 11 lb)
Position	Forward
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	New Jersey Devils Minnesota Wild Vegas Golden Knights Carolina Hurricanes Florida Panthers Nashville Predators Boston Bruins
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	182nd overall, 2009 Minnesota Wild
Playing career	2013–present

Erik Haula (born March 23, 1991) is a professional ice hockey player from Finland. He plays as a forward for the New Jersey Devils in the National Hockey League (NHL). The NHL is the top ice hockey league in North America. Erik has also played for several other NHL teams, including the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, and Boston Bruins. The Minnesota Wild chose him in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. This means he was the 182nd player picked overall in that year's draft.

Playing Career

Early Hockey Days

Erik Haula played hockey during the 2008–09 season at Shattuck-Saint Mary's school in Minnesota. He was a great scorer there, getting 24 goals and 55 assists. An assist is when a player helps another player score a goal. In total, he had 79 points in 49 games.

In March 2009, Haula decided to play for the University of Minnesota's hockey team, the Gophers. He was only the second player not from North America to join their team. A few months later, the Minnesota Wild picked him in the NHL draft.

Before going to the University of Minnesota, Haula played junior hockey for the Omaha Lancers in the United States Hockey League (USHL). This was during the 2009–10 season. He scored 28 goals and made 44 assists. His team made it to the Western Division finals. He was also named to the USHL All-Star and All-Rookie teams.

After his time in the USHL, Haula played three seasons of college ice hockey for the Gophers. He scored 42 goals and had 82 assists, totaling 124 points in 114 games. He then decided to turn professional and signed a contract with the Wild, even though he had one more year of college eligibility.

Professional Career

Minnesota Wild

Haula with the Iowa Wild in 2013

On April 7, 2013, the Minnesota Wild signed Erik Haula to his first professional contract. During the 2013–14 season, on November 29, 2013, the Wild called Haula up from their minor league team, the Iowa Wild (in the American Hockey League or AHL). This was his first NHL game! He got his first NHL point, which was an assist. He was even named the game's third best player.

On January 18, 2014, Haula scored his very first NHL goal against the Dallas Stars. Later, in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, he scored four goals and three assists in 13 playoff games. The playoffs are a series of games played after the regular season to determine the league champion.

The 2015–16 season was a big year for Haula. He scored more goals, assists, and points than ever before. He played as the center for Minnesota's third line, which became one of their best lines.

Vegas Golden Knights

After playing four seasons with the Wild, Haula was chosen by the new team, the Vegas Golden Knights, in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. This draft allowed the new team to pick players from other NHL teams. Haula signed a three-year contract with them. He was excited, saying, "Nothing has happened [in Vegas] before. Everything is new."

On October 14, Haula got a leg injury and missed some games. When he came back, he played on a line with David Perron and James Neal. This helped him score more points. In December, he and his teammate William Karlsson each scored seven goals. On February 1, Haula scored a goal that helped the Golden Knights set a record for the most wins by a new NHL team in its first season. He finished the season with a career-high 29 goals and 55 points in 76 games.

In the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs, Haula and the Golden Knights played against the Los Angeles Kings. In Game 1, Haula scored the winning goal in overtime. This was the longest game in the team's history! The Golden Knights ended up winning all four games against the Kings, which is called a "sweep." They then beat the San Jose Sharks and the Winnipeg Jets to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

Haula returned for the 2018–19 season. He got a right leg injury in November 2018 and needed surgery on his knee. This meant he missed several months of playing.

Carolina Hurricanes

On June 26, 2019, Haula was traded from the Golden Knights to the Carolina Hurricanes. A trade means a player is moved to a different team, often in exchange for other players or draft picks. He started the 2019–20 season well, with eight points in nine games. His teammate Jordan Martinook said he was a "perfect fit." However, he later missed games due to another knee injury.

Florida Panthers

On February 24, 2020, Haula was traded again, this time to the Florida Panthers. This happened near the NHL trade deadline, which is the last day teams can make trades during the season.

Nashville Predators

On December 23, 2020, Haula signed a one-year contract as a free agent with the Nashville Predators. A free agent is a player who is not under contract with any team and can sign with any team they choose. He played 51 games for them, scoring 9 goals and 21 points.

Boston Bruins

After his contract with the Predators ended, Haula signed a two-year contract with the Boston Bruins on July 28, 2021. On November 13, 2021, he scored his first goal as a Bruin. Even though he started slowly, he finished the season with 18 goals and 44 points in 78 games. This was his best performance since the 2017-18 season.

New Jersey Devils

On July 13, 2022, Haula was traded to the New Jersey Devils. Then, on June 23, 2023, he signed a new three-year contract extension with the Devils. This means he will continue to play for them for several more seasons.

Awards and Honors