Steven Jandric has found a new home half a world away in Finland.
With 13 goals and 15 assists through 33 games, the 27-year-old left winger from Prince George is the leading scorer for Rauman Lukko in his second season playing in the Finnish Hockey League (Liiga) the top professional league in Finland.
This is not Jandric’s first hockey posting north of the Arctic Circle. The former Vernon Viper (BCHL) went to Alaska to play three seasons for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks from 2017-20 before the college's hockey program folded.
Jandric finished his college career during the pandemic, playing at the University of Denver and Merrimack College before he broke into pro hockey in the ECHL in 2022.
He played 33 games over two seasons in the AHL with Providence and Springfield before heading to the ECHL, most recently with the Orlando Solar Bears. He left the Bears after 19 games last season to go to Finland, where he scored 12 goals and 22 points in 31 games for Lukko.
Jandric was part of a star-studded Cariboo Cougars U18 team that won the Mac’s Invitational tournament 10 years ago in Calgary.
His teammates that season included his year-younger brother Chris, now a defenceman with the AHL Laval Rocket defenceman Jeremy Gervais (Huntsville Havoc, SPHL) and goalie Griffen Outhouse (won the U SPORTS title in 2024 with New Brunswick Reds and now plays for Briancon of the French pro league); and centre Justin Almeida (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL, retired in 2022).
