First Light - An Exclusive Q&A with Aron Kiviharju

ST. PAUL, Minn. –

‘On the Horizon: First Light’ is a summer Q&A series with select Minnesota Wild prospects.

Wild.com: Prior to the NHL Combine in Buffalo earlier this year, had you been to US before?

Kiviharju: “I had been once before and that was to Plymouth, MI. The NHL Combine in Buffalo was awesome. It was great talking to the teams and good to see the other prospects there. Buffalo as a city is maybe not the fanciest city, but it was okay. It was great to hang out and meet new friends and do some tests to see what you're good at and what you need to improve on.”

Wild.com: You were born in Denmark but grew up in Finland. Why was that?

Kiviharju: “My dad played his last professional hockey year (in Denmark). After that, he quit playing and we moved to Finland. I was like four months old, maybe, so I don't remember anything about that time. After that I lived in Turku for most of my life. I played for TPS from the age of three to age of 17 and then I transferred to HIFK. Last year was my first year in Helsikini and living alone away from my parents and friends. It was a great choice for me to go there to take the next step of my career. A great place for me to develop. There's obviously a lot of good players, there's good competition going on every day, and a great environment to become a better player.”

Wild.com: Did you look up to any Finnish NHL players while you were growing up?

Kiviharju: “Yeah, I did. When I was younger it was the Koivu brothers. They are from Turku and we know them as a family. I know both Mikko and Saku really well. Saku’s son is my best friend. I think my first jersey was a Mikko Koivu Wild jersey, so I watched those guys play. Then after that, the younger ones that came up later like Mikko Rantanen and Rasmus Ristolainen.”

Wild.com: What drives a European player like yourself to want to want to come play in the NHL?

Kiviharju: “For me, I don't know how the other guys see it, but for me it's the best hockey league in the world. I've been working really hard for it. At one point, when I was younger, it became a decision. It wasn't a dream or a fantasy, it became a decision. It's a lot of sacrifices, it's a lot of hard work, it's raw. Sometimes it's not fun, but you have to make a lot of sacrifices on that way to the NHL. For sure, I'm going to turn every rock just to make that decision come true.”

Wild.com: What were your nerves like heading into the NHL Draft in Vegas?

Kiviharju: “Yeah, I mean I wasn't that nervous at all. I was just waiting for my name to be called and that was pretty much it. Just enjoying the event and obviously being at Sphere--it was beautiful. I was just enjoying the event and waiting for some team to call my name. Obviously, it was the Minnesota Wild, so that was one of the best choices I could have had. I love this place and I've been a fan of the Minnesota Wild for a long, long time, so I really enjoyed it.”

Wild.com: After your name was called, we overheard you telling Bill Guerin that he got the “steal of the draft.” What did that mean and what gave you the confidence to tell him that?

Kiviharju: “I didn't want it to be cocky or arrogant, but I just felt comfortable saying that. I've done a lot of work to get to this point and now this is another step climbing the mountain up to the top where the Stanley Cup is. I know it's going to be a lot of work. I know what I'm doing and where I'm going. I know that I really have a good chance to be that “steal of the draft,” for sure.”

Wild.com: What’s your impression of Minnesota so far?

Kiviharju: “It’s awesome. The weather and nature are similar to Finland, I think. Obviously, everything’s a bit bigger here, but I like it. It really feels like home already. So far, I see only good things about the organization and the people working here. Facilities are great, city is great. This is the State of Hockey obviously, so hockey is a big thing here. This is the best organization, I think, and I really love being here and can't wait to get to work and start climbing that mountain up on the way to the top raising the cup with the Minnesota Wild jersey on.”

After spending some time at Development Camp in St. Paul this past July, Kiviharju spent the remainder of his offseason in Finland. He says a majority of hit was “hockey and practicing” but added that there was some time for good food and “even a few ice creams.” After all, he says, “good food makes you happier.”

Kiviharju’s second season with HIFK is already underway in Helsinki. HIFK is part of the Finnish Elite League.