Salin transitioned to North America this season after signing his entry-level deal with Los Angeles, joining the Ontario Reign in the AHL. His final Liiga campaign with TPS was a breakout: 28 points (eight goals, 20 assists) in 56 games, placing seventh on the club and second among TPS defensemen. The right shot, 5-11, 205-pound frame is undersized for an NHL blue liner, but the skating, vision, and puck skills allow him to be an effective two-way option. He showed power play specialist potential in Liiga, using his vision to create chances off the point. The Kings drafted him in the fifth round (148th overall) in 2022, and the ELC signals they see a real prospect. Los Angeles has a competitive defensive pipeline (Brandt Clarke, Henry Brzustewicz, Kirill Kirsanov), so Salin will need to distinguish himself in Ontario. He represented Finland at three IIHF tournaments (U18 Worlds bronze, two WJCs). Fantasy relevance is limited but not zero. If the offensive game translates to the AHL at a similar clip, he could emerge as a second or third-pair puck mover with 25-to-30 point NHL upside.

After completing the 2024-2025 Liiga season with eight goals and 20 assists, and contributing two goals and two assists in five playoff games, Salin flew across the pond and joined the Ontario Reign of the AHL. Fresh off the heels of signing his ELC, joining the Reign is a good sign for King’s fans and fantasy managers alike. He managed an assist in three regular season AHL games and played a single playoff tilt, but the fact he is North American is the key piece. Salin has never been a hefty point producer, but his numbers increased, as did his ice-time in his final Liiga season. He won’t usurp Brandt Clarke as the heir apparent for prime blue-line deployment on offense, but Salin could be a cheap, bottom four defenseman who can compliment the offense. He’s not worth investing too heavily in at this point, but could be a smart stash as we see how he acclimates to North American hockey.

Salin signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings.

The Los Angeles Kings have selected Salin in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft.

Salin has quietly had a great campaign in Finland, where he figured among only three draft-eligible defensemen to play pro this season. He played six games for HIFK, earning an assist and two penalty minutes. He averaged just over 10 minutes of play at the pro level, whereas he’s had games for HIFK’s U20 squad in which he’s played up to 27 minutes. At the junior level, Salin earned 12 points in 11 games, outpacing all but three forwards on the squad for points per game.