Oskar Osala

Oskar Osala (born 26 December 1987) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey left wing. He played in three National Hockey League (NHL) games with the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes.
==Playing career==
He started his career with Vaasa-based Sport. He made his North American debut with the OHL's Mississauga IceDogs in 2005, and was drafted 97th overall in the fourth round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals.
In the 2007–08 season, he returned to Finland where he played for the Espoo Blues of the SM-liiga; made his debut with the senior national team; and was named SM-liiga rookie of the year.
Osala signed a three-year contract with the Capitals in June 2008, and was assigned to Washington's AHL affiliate in Hershey. On 10 December 2008, Osala made his NHL debut replacing the injured Tomáš Fleischmann in the Caps' 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins, playing two games before being returned to the Bears. Osala finished the season with the Hershey Bears' Calder Cup winning team, scoring two goals in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals.
On 3 March 2010, Osala was traded with Brian Pothier to the Carolina Hurricanes for Joe Corvo. Osala made a brief NHL appearance with Carolina shortly after the trade, but spent most of the remainder of the season with the Albany River Rats.
Unable to find a role with the Hurricanes and subsequently assigned to AHL affiliate the Charlotte Checkers for the duration of the following season, Osala signed a one-year contract with Russian team Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) on 25 May 2011.
On 10 December 2013, during the 2013–14, his third with Neftekhimik, Osala was traded to division competitors Metallurg Magnitogorsk. He contributed 6 assists in the post-season to help Metallurg claim their first Gagarin Cup.
Osala played 5 seasons with Metallurg, which won a second Gagarin Cup in the 2015–16 campaign, before opting to leave the KHL following the 2017–18 season.
Citing a lack of drive, Osala sat out the beginning of the 2018–19 season as a free agent. On 12 November 2018, Osala opted to end his hiatus and agreed to a one-year contract for the remainder of the season in returning to his homeland with Oulun Kärpät of the top flight Liiga.
==International play==
Osala shared the goal scoring title in 2007 IIHF World Junior Championships. Osala scored five goals in six games for Finland, sharing the lead with four other players.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
2003–04 	Sport 	FIN U18 		16 	10 	11 	21 	10 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	Sport 	FIN.3 U20 		2 	0 	0 	0 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	Sport 	Mestis 		5 	0 	0 	0 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2004–05 	Sport 	FIN U18 		2 	0 	1 	1 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2004–05 	Sport 	FIN.2 U20 		19 	13 	24 	37 	28 		2 	0 	0 	0 	2
2004–05 	Sport 	Mestis 		21 	1 	4 	5 	6 		7 	0 	0 	0 	6
2005–06 	Mississauga IceDogs 	OHL 		68 	17 	26 	43 	86 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2006–07 	Mississauga IceDogs 	OHL 		54 	22 	22 	44 	81 		5 	2 	2 	4 	0
2007–08 	Blues 	SM-l 		53 	18 	17 	35 	62 		17 	7 	3 	10 	8
2008–09 	Hershey Bears 	AHL 		75 	23 	14 	37 	47 		22 	6 	4 	10 	17
2008–09 	Washington Capitals 	NHL 		2 	0 	0 	0 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2009–10 	Hershey Bears 	AHL 		53 	15 	14 	29 	57 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2009–10 	Albany River Rats 	AHL 		16 	10 	3 	13 	11 		8 	2 	1 	3 	2
2009–10 	Carolina Hurricanes 	NHL 		1 	0 	0 	0 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2010–11 	Charlotte Checkers 	AHL 		59 	13 	29 	42 	55 		15 	3 	2 	5 	29
2011–12 	Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk	KHL 		41 	12 	7 	19 	44 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2012–13 	Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk	KHL 		44 	14 	10 	24 	52 		4 	0 	1 	1 	17
2013–14 	Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk	KHL 		33 	5 	12 	17 	20 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2013–14 	Metallurg Magnitogorsk 	KHL 		19 	5 	5 	10 	31 		21 	0 	6 	6 	43
2014–15 	Metallurg Magnitogorsk 	KHL 		55 	11 	5 	16 	85 		10 	1 	2 	3 	4
2015–16 	Metallurg Magnitogorsk 	KHL 		60 	12 	15 	27 	76 		11 	3 	2 	5 	8
2016–17 	Metallurg Magnitogorsk 	KHL 		60 	14 	14 	28 	53 		18 	6 	1 	7 	29
2017–18 	Metallurg Magnitogorsk 	KHL 		55 	14 	9 	23 	90 		11 	3 	3 	6 	6
2018–19 	Kärpät 	Liiga 		29 	15 	7 	22 	24 		13 	2 	1 	3 	45
AHL totals	AHL totals 	AHL totals		202 	61 	60 	121 	170 		45 	11 	7 	18 	48
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		3 	0 	0 	0 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
KHL totals	KHL totals 	KHL totals		367 	88 	78 	166 	451 		75 	13 	15 	28 	107
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2004 	Finland 	WHC17 	6th 		5 	1	1	2 	6
2005 	Finland 	WJC18 	7th 		6 	0	0	0 	27
2007 	Finland 	WJC 	6th 		6 	5	3	8 	4
2010 	Finland 	WC 	6th 		4 	0	0	0 	2
2017 	Finland 	WC 	4th 		10	1	2	3 	14
2018 	Finland 	OG 	6th 		4 	0	1	1 	0
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals		17	6	4	10 	37
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals		18	1	3	4 	16
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honors==
Award 	Year 	
OHL 	OHL 	OHL
Second All-Rookie Team 	2006 	
Liiga 	Liiga 	Liiga
Rookie of the Year 	2008 	
AHL 	AHL 	AHL
Calder Cup (Hershey Bears) 	2009 	
KHL 	KHL 	KHL
Gagarin Cup (Metallurg Magnitogorsk)	2014, 2016	
==References==
==External links==
*
Category:1987 births
Category:Albany River Rats players
Category:Carolina Hurricanes players
Category:Charlotte Checkers (2010–) players
Category:Espoo Blues players
Category:HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk players
Category:Hershey Bears players
Category:Metallurg Magnitogorsk players
Category:Mississauga IceDogs players
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2018 Winter Olympics
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Finland
Category:Oulun Kärpät players
Category:Vaasan Sport players
Category:Washington Capitals draft picks
Category:Washington Capitals players