User:Alaney2k/Leevi Merilainen

Leevi Meriläinen is a Finnish professional ice hockey player. Meriläinen plays for the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a goaltending prospect for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has played two games in the NHL, both for Ottawa.

Playing career
Meriläinen played his youth and junior hockey with the Oulun Kärpät team of Oulu, Finland, his hometown. He played 12 games for the team's Under-16 team in 2017-18, posting a .921 save percentage. In 2018-19, he moved up, splitting the season with the Under-18 and Under-17 teams. In 2019-20, Meriläinen split the season between the Under-18 and Under-20 teams, posting a .942 save percentage in U18 and .908 in the Under-20. His play attracted the attention of the Ottawa Senators scouting staff and he was selected in the third round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, 71st overall. Meriläinen stayed with Kärpät's Under-20 team for the 2020-21 season, playing only 22 games, posting a .934 save percentage.

In 2021, Meriläinen signed a three-year entry-level contract with Ottawa and attended the Senators' rookie training camp. He stayed in Canada and joined the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League to acclimatize himself to the North American game. Meriläinen was named to the Finnish Under-20 national team for the 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, posting a .893 save percentage over four games, the team earning a silver medal.

In 2022, Meriläinen returned to Kärpät, this time playing for the senior professional team. Meriläinen posted a 2.02 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage over 42 games. After the Kärpät season ended, Meriläinen played six games for the Senators organization, two with Ottawa and four with Belleville. Meriläinen made his NHL debut on 4 April 2023.