Dan Harkimo, the son of Hjallis Harkimo, has officially transferred from Ilves' U20 team to join the Vaasan Sport team in the SM-liiga. This decision comes as Ilves announced that they could not guarantee him sufficient playtime in their U20 squad due to potential roster restrictions during playoffs. Instead of hindering his development, the club's junior sports director, Pekka Hemmilä, emphasized the importance of allowing Harkimo the opportunity to gain experience at the senior level.

Harkimo, age 21, has shown promising talent, having played 32 games for Ilves' U20 team this season, scoring 20 goals and assisting 12 for a total of 32 points. He has also had a taste of the professional level, featuring in one game for the senior Ilves team in the Champions Hockey League (CHL) last season. The move to Vaasan Sport is seen as a significant development in his career as he aims to establish himself in the professional league.

Sport expressed their excitement about Harkimo's debut, which is set to take place in their upcoming match. The announcement includes gratitude towards Harkimo from Ilves for his contributions and well-wishes for his future endeavors, reflecting a spirit of sportsmanship in Finnish hockey.