Evansville, In.: The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the signing of forward Vili Vesalainen for the 2024-25 season. The Thunderbolts begin the 2024-25 season at Ford Center on Friday, October 18th as they host the Knoxville Ice Bears.
Vesalainen is the first-ever Thunderbolts signee from Finland, hailing from the city of Jyväskylä. Vesalainen played most of the first 4 seasons of his junior hockey career for his hometown team JYP Jyväskylä’s junior programs at the U16 through U20 levels between 2012-2016, followed by one final full season of junior hockey with Jukurit’s U20 team in 2016-17. In 2017-18, Vesalainen turned pro with D-Kiekko of the Suomi-sarja league, before joining Hermes in 2018-19, beginning with their U20 team and moving up to their professional club in the Mestis league later in the year. After returning to D-Kiekko in 2019-20 and playing in the II-divisioona circuit with Urho in 2020-21, Vesalainen left Finland to play in Sweden’s Division 2 league in 2021-22 with Nittorps IK and Åmåls SK, scoring 8 goals and 26 points in 22 games with both clubs. In 2022-23, Vesalainen joined EHC Klostersee of the Germany3 league, scoring 8 goals and 28 points in 39 games, followed by Courchevel-Méribel-Pralognan of the France3 league in 2023-24, scoring 5 goals and 29 points in only 8 games, adding 5 goals and 9 points in 12 playoff games.
In joining the Thunderbolts, Vesalainen commented: “I’m excited to join the Thunderbolts and take the next step in my career overseas. I can’t wait to get started and play in Ford Center in front of the great fans!”
Vesalainen joins previously announced forwards Matthew Hobbs, Derek Contessa, Logan vande Meerakker, Kevin Hu and Adam Keyes, along with defensemen Dillon Hill, Joey Berkopec, Benjamin Lindberg, and Gehrig Lindberg on the roster heading into training camp.
