General Manager Doug Gilmour is please to announce that the Frontenacs have selected Mikko Vainonen from the HIFK Helsinki U20 in Finland where he wore the “A” as an Assistant Captain for the club. Vainonen was the captain of Finland’s U18 team that competed in the World Junior U18 Championship this past April in the Czech Republic.

Vainonen is a 6’3”, 222 pound left defenceman that will join the club in August for training camp. He was the second leading scorer among defencemen on HIFK team, scoring seven goals and adding 11 assists for 18 points in 38 games along with 44 minutes in penalties and a +7 rating. In 10 playoff games, Vainonen had one assist and had an even +/- rating with 12 penalty minutes.

Vainonen had 4 assists and was an even plus/minus with 8 penalty minutes in seven games at the U18 WJC for fourth-place Finland. He was selected by Donbass Donetsk in the second round (68th overall) of the 2012 KHL Draft.

His season was capped with a fourth round selection, 118th overall in the National Hockey League Draft by the Nashville Predators.

“Mikko will be a welcome addition to our blue line and comes with a list of achievements playing in Finland. He had played for the Finnish National Teams at U16, U17 and U18’s as well,” said Gilmour.