PORI, Finland – The hockey rink is tucked away in a forest, surrounded by tall, beautiful trees, secluded on the edge of the city centre. But make no mistake, Isomäki Arena is the heart and lungs of this small town on Finland’s west coast.



It is where Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s story is firmly rooted, where he grew up, where he was introduced to the game he loves, where he embraced that game and learned to excel at it, where his family life and sporting life intersect, and where he learned the lessons he hopes will help in his transition to playing for the Montreal Canadiens one day.



It is a small rink, but it is huge in the eyes of Kotkaniemi’s fellow Pori residents, the home of Ässät, the local hockey club that represents their hopes and dreams.



“Hockey is everything in Pori,” said Jari Korpisalo, the general manager of Ässät and one of the best players in club history. “Hockey is everything in...