Erik Haula facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Erik Haula |
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Haula with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018
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| Born | 23 March 1991 Pori, Finland |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
| Weight | 193 lb (88 kg; 13 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
Nashville Predators Minnesota Wild Vegas Golden Knights Carolina Hurricanes Florida Panthers Boston Bruins New Jersey Devils |
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| National team |  Finland |
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| NHL Draft | 182nd overall, 2009 Minnesota Wild |
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| Playing career | 2013–present | ||
Erik Haula, born on March 23, 1991, is a professional ice hockey player from Finland. He plays as a forward for the Nashville Predators in the National Hockey League (NHL). Erik has also played for several other NHL teams, including the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, and New Jersey Devils. The Wild picked him in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Contents
Erik Haula's Hockey Journey
Starting in Finland: Junior Hockey Years
Erik Haula began his hockey journey with his local club, HC Ässät Pori, in Finland. During the 2006–07 season, he scored 43 points in 29 games for Ässät's Under-18 team. The next season, he played with the Ässät Under-20 team. They reached the finals of the U20 SM-sarja but lost to KalPa.
Playing in the United States: Amateur Career
In the 2008–09 season, Haula moved to the United States. He played for Shattuck-Saint Mary's in Minnesota. There, he scored 24 goals and made 55 assists, totaling 79 points in 49 games.
In March 2009, Haula decided to play college hockey for the University of Minnesota. He was one of the few players from outside North America to join the Gophers team. A few months later, in June 2009, the Minnesota Wild drafted him in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Before starting college, Haula played junior hockey in the United States Hockey League (USHL). He joined the Omaha Lancers for the 2009–10 season. He scored 28 goals and 44 assists, helping the Lancers reach the Western Division finals. He was named to the USHL All-Star and All-Rookie teams that season.
After his time in the USHL, Haula played three seasons of college ice hockey with the Gophers. He scored 42 goals and 82 assists, totaling 124 points in 114 games. He then decided to turn professional and signed with the Wild.
Professional Hockey: NHL Career
Playing for the Minnesota Wild
On April 7, 2013, the Minnesota Wild signed Erik Haula to his first professional contract. During the 2013–14 season, he was called up from the Iowa Wild (their minor league team) to make his NHL debut. In his first NHL game on November 29, 2013, he earned an assist.
On January 18, 2014, Haula scored his first NHL goal against the Dallas Stars. In the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs, he played well, scoring four goals and three assists in 13 games.
The 2015–16 season was a big year for Haula. He set new personal bests for goals, assists, and total points. He played a key role on Minnesota's third line, helping the team both offensively and defensively.
Joining the Vegas Golden Knights
After the 2016–17 season, Erik Haula was chosen by the new Vegas Golden Knights team in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. He signed a three-year deal with them. Haula was excited about the new opportunity, saying, "Everything is new. It's a great opportunity for everybody."
He had a fantastic season in 2017–18, scoring a career-high 29 goals and 55 points in 76 games. He helped the Golden Knights set a record for most wins by an NHL team in its first season.
In the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs, Haula scored the winning goal in overtime during Game 1 against the Los Angeles Kings. The Golden Knights swept the Kings and continued their amazing run, reaching the Western Conference Final and then the Stanley Cup Final.
During the 2018–19 season, Haula suffered a right leg injury. He needed surgery on his knee and missed several months of playing time.
Time with the Carolina Hurricanes
On June 26, 2019, Haula was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. He started the 2019–20 season strong, with eight points in his first nine games. His teammates praised him as a "perfect fit" for the team. He later missed games due to a lower body injury and then a knee injury.
Moving to the Florida Panthers
In February 2020, Haula was traded to the Florida Panthers along with other players. He played seven games for the Panthers before the season was paused.
First Stint with the Nashville Predators
On December 23, 2020, Haula signed a one-year contract with the Nashville Predators. He played 51 games in the shortened 2020–21 season, scoring 9 goals and 21 points.
Playing for the Boston Bruins
On July 28, 2021, Haula signed a two-year contract with the Boston Bruins. He scored his first Bruins goal on November 13, 2021. Despite a slow start, he finished the 2021–22 season with 18 goals and 44 points in 78 games, which was his best performance since 2017–18.
Joining the New Jersey Devils
On July 13, 2022, Haula was traded to the New Jersey Devils. He played 80 games in the 2022–23 season, scoring 14 goals and 27 assists for 41 points. On June 23, 2023, he signed a new three-year contract with the Devils. He continued to play for the Devils through the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons.
Returning to the Nashville Predators
On June 18, 2025, Erik Haula was traded back to the Nashville Predators.
Personal Life
When Erik Haula was young, he went to a Swedish-speaking school in Finland called Björneborgs svenska samskola. This school is known for having many talented ice hockey players as students. Erik's father, Tomi, works as an agent who helps ice hockey players.
Career Statistics
Regular Season and Playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2006–07 | Ässät | FIN U18 | 29 | 19 | 24 | 43 | 24 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2007–08 | Ässät | FIN U18 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 14 | ||
| 2007–08 | Ässät | FIN U20 | 40 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 26 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09 | Shattuck-Saint Mary's | Midget AAA | 49 | 24 | 55 | 79 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Omaha Lancers | USHL | 56 | 28 | 44 | 72 | 59 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 | University of Minnesota | WCHA | 34 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | University of Minnesota | WCHA | 43 | 20 | 29 | 49 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | University of Minnesota | WCHA | 37 | 16 | 35 | 51 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Houston Aeros | AHL | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2013–14 | Iowa Wild | AHL | 31 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 46 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 29 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 72 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 76 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 2016–17 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 72 | 15 | 11 | 26 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | Vegas Golden Knights | NHL | 76 | 29 | 26 | 55 | 37 | 20 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 27 | ||
| 2018–19 | Vegas Golden Knights | NHL | 15 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 41 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 51 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2021–22 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 78 | 18 | 26 | 44 | 47 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 2022–23 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 80 | 14 | 27 | 41 | 47 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 15 | ||
| 2023–24 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 76 | 16 | 19 | 35 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 69 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 39 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| NHL totals | 759 | 153 | 184 | 337 | 383 | 78 | 16 | 21 | 37 | 58 | ||||
International Play
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Finland |
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| Men's ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Silver | 2014 Belarus | |
| IIHF World U18 Championships | ||
| Bronze | 2009 United States | |
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Finland | U17 | 6th | 5 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 18 | |
| 2008 | Finland | U18 | 6th | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2009 | Finland | U18 |  |
6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2011 | Finland | WJC | 6th | 6 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 10 | |
| 2014 | Finland | WC |  |
6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2016 | Finland | WCH | 8th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 23 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 32 | ||||
| Senior totals | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||
Awards and Honors
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| College | ||
| All-WCHA Second Team | 2012–13 | |
