Sami Lepisto
Sami Lepisto was drafted 66th overall in the third round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals. Originally from Espoo, he spent four seasons (2003-2007) with Jokerit in Finland’s top ranked hockey league. He produced a total of 71 points, 164 penalty minutes and a +37 rating in 190 games. He then signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Washington Capitals and spent most of the 2007-08 season with their AHL team, the Hershey Bears. He also played seven games with the Capitals that season, including his NHL debut on February 16, 2008 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He again only played seven games with the Capitals in 2008-09 and spent the remainder of the season with Hershey. He was then traded in June 2009 to the Phoenix Coyotes for a fifth round draft pick. Shortly after, he re-signed with the Coyotes as a restricted free agent to a one-year contract. In international hockey, he helped Finland win bronze at the 2004 World Junior Championships, where he was named to the All-Tournament Team and was also named the tournament’s Best Defenseman. He then helped Finland win bronze again at the 2008 World Championships. He has also been named as part of Finland’s 2010 Olympic roster. At 6 feet tall and around 190 pounds, Lepisto is a puck-moving defenseman who can log a lot of ice time.
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