WSG Finland
Finnish NHL Builders

Finland

N/A

Key Facts

Also known as: WSG Finland Oy, Will Sports Group Finland, The Will Sports Group
Founded: 2003 as WSG Finland Oy; joined The Will Sports Group in 2014
Headquarters: Espoo, Finland
Other offices: The wider Will Sports Group network includes Ontario, Quebec, Midwest USA, Northeast USA, Finland, Sweden, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Russia
Agency type: Mid-size international hockey agency
Ownership: WSG Finland co-founded by Mika Backman and Juha Ylönen; broader group founded by Ian Pulver
Primary markets: NHL, AHL, Liiga, SHL, HockeyAllsvenskan, NCAA, CHL, European leagues
Players (About $466M public active NHL contract value across the broader Will Sports Group platform; about $90M active cap hit): 100+ total clients; 7 NHL clients; 22 NHL-drafted clients
Key agents: Juha Ylönen, Mika Backman, Mikko Lahtinen; broader WSG NHLPA side led by Ian Pulver and John Walters
Languages: Finnish, English, Swedish; broader network covers German, French and Russian markets
Contact email: mika@wsgfinland.fi; juha@wsgfinland.fi; mikko@wsgfinland.fi
Phone / WhatsApp: +358 40 571 5412; +358 400 944 449; +358 40 590 1802
Website: https://willsportsgroup.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wsgfinland/

About WSG Finland / The Will Sports Group

WSG Finland is the Finnish arm of The Will Sports Group, built originally by Mika Backman and former NHL forward Juha Ylönen. Backman and Ylönen founded WSG Finland Ltd in 2003 and later joined The Will Sports Group in 2014. Backman is a Finnish Bar Association member and sports-law specialist, which gives the agency a strong contract and legal-negotiation base in Europe. Ylönen brings a player-development background after a career that included 341 NHL games, a 1995 World Championship gold medal with Finland, Olympic bronze in 1998, and later junior coaching work in Espoo.

The Finnish operation has become known for high-end Finnish NHL and NHL-drafted talent, including Miro Heiskanen, Matias Maccelli, Aatu Räty, Ville Koivunen, Jesse Ylönen, Aku Räty, and Otto Leskinen. The wider Will Sports Group adds major North American contract firepower through Ian Pulver, a former NHLPA senior lawyer and certified agent. That combination gives WSG Finland a useful dual identity: Finnish player-development guidance at home and serious NHLPA/CBA representation abroad. The agency’s client profile runs from elite first-round picks to late-developing players and European returnees. Its service model emphasizes contract negotiation, draft preparation, player development, tax and financial planning, branding, and European placement. WSG Finland is especially strong for Finnish players moving from Liiga or junior hockey into the NHL/AHL system. The broader Will Sports Group platform also gives the agency credibility through major NHL deals for players such as Tyler Seguin, Miro Heiskanen, K’Andre Miller, Carter Verhaeghe, Thomas Chabot, and Matias Maccelli.

Client Roster

Top NHL players

• Miro Heiskanen [Dallas Stars] – D – Finland – 1999-07-18

• Matias Maccelli [Toronto Maple Leafs] – F – Finland – 2000-10-14

• Aatu Räty [Vancouver Canucks] – F – Finland – 2002-11-14

• Ville Koivunen [Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins] – F – Finland – 2003-06-13

• Aku Räty [Bakersfield Condors] – F – Finland – 2001-07-05

• Jesse Ylönen [Örebro HK] – F – Finland – 1999-10-03

Broader Will Sports Group NHL clients

• Tyler Seguin [Dallas Stars] – F – Canada – 1992-01-31

• K’Andre Miller [Carolina Hurricanes] – D – United States – 2000-01-21

• Carter Verhaeghe [Florida Panthers] – F – Canada – 1995-08-14

• Marco Rossi [Vancouver Canucks] – F – Austria – 2001-09-23

• Devon Levi [Buffalo Sabres] – G – Canada – 2001-12-27

Prospects & young talents

• Aatu Räty [Vancouver Canucks] – F – Finland – 2002-11-14

• Ville Koivunen [Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins] – F – Finland – 2003-06-13

• Veeti Miettinen [KooKoo] – F – Finland – 2001-09-20

• Rasmus Kumpulainen [Minnesota Wild system] – F – Finland – 2005-08-08

• Viljami Marjala [Edmonton Oilers system] – F – Finland – 2003-01-29

• Aku Koskenvuo [Vancouver Canucks system] – G – Finland – 2002-02-26

Goalies

• Devon Levi [Buffalo Sabres] – G – Canada – 2001-12-27

• Aku Koskenvuo [Vancouver Canucks system] – G – Finland – 2002-02-26

Coaches/Staff Represented

• No publicly verified coaches or team staff represented.

Notable former clients

• David Savard – WSG alumni; Stanley Cup-winning NHL defenseman

• Bryan McCabe – WSG alumni; long-time NHL defenseman

• Scott Gomez – WSG alumni; Stanley Cup-winning NHL forward

• Mike Cammalleri – WSG alumni; NHL scoring forward

• Olli Jokinen – WSG alumni; Finnish NHL veteran

• Patrick Lalime – WSG alumni; NHL goaltender

• Tomas Kaberle – WSG alumni; long-time NHL defenseman

Highlights

• Negotiation style: legal-first, development-focused, and strong on cross-border career planning.

• NHLPA/CBA expertise: Ian Pulver brings former NHLPA senior-lawyer experience and direct CBA background.

• Network strengths: Finland, NHL/AHL, CHL, NCAA, Ontario, Quebec, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Russia.

• Development pipeline: Finnish junior-to-Liiga-to-NHL pathway, especially elite defensemen and skilled forwards.

• Cross-border execution: NHL draft prep, ELC negotiation, AHL transitions, European placements, tax/financial planning.

• Brand/commercial capability: WSG lists branding, endorsements and market-specific player marketing as core services.

Agency Snapshot

Origin story

• WSG Finland was founded in 2003 by Mika Backman and Juha Ylönen.

• Backman brought legal and contract-negotiation expertise; Ylönen brought NHL playing experience and player-development credibility.

• The Finnish agency joined The Will Sports Group in 2014, giving its Finnish clients a larger North American platform.

Milestones

• 2003 – WSG Finland Oy founded in Espoo.

• 2006 – Ian Pulver founded Pulver Sports Inc., which evolved into The Will Sports Group.

• 2009 – Juha Ylönen nominated to the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame.

• 2011 – Ylönen recognized as Finnish hockey developer of the year for his junior-development work in Espoo.

• 2014 – WSG Finland joined The Will Sports Group.

• 2021 – Miro Heiskanen signed an 8-year, $67.60M Dallas Stars contract.

• 2023 – Matias Maccelli signed a 3-year, $10.275M contract.

• 2024 – WSG promoted four first-round picks in the NHL Entry Draft.

• 2025 – K’Andre Miller and Carter Verhaeghe signed major long-term NHL contracts through the broader WSG platform.

Network strengths

• Finland: Espoo, Liiga, Finnish junior hockey, Finnish national-team pathway.

• North America: NHL/AHL, CHL, NCAA, draft prep and NHLPA-certified contract work.

• Europe: Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Russia and broader European placement.

• Specialty lanes: Finnish NHL prospects, elite defensemen, skilled forwards, first-round draft picks and European return planning.

Support Team / Partners

• Mika Backman – co-founder WSG Finland, FHPA certified agent, lawyer and contract negotiator

• Juha Ylönen – co-founder WSG Finland, FHPA certified agent, former NHL/Finnish national-team player

• Mikko Lahtinen – WSG Finland registered agent

• Ian Pulver – founder, NHLPA certified agent, former NHLPA senior lawyer

• John Walters – consultant / NHL contract-side representative

• Brett Valliquette – consultant

• Adam Panacci – consultant

• Jonathan Lachance – Quebec / USA consultant

• Tomas Orr – Canada West consultant

• Danny Tolensky – counsel emeritus

• Financial / tax partners – listed generally across Canada, the U.S. and Finland

• European agent and club partnerships – used for European placements

Notable Deals Led by WSG Finland / The Will Sports Group

• 2019 – Tyler Seguin: Dallas Stars – long-term extension – 8 years – $78.80M – $9.85M AAV

• 2021 – Miro Heiskanen: Dallas Stars – long-term extension – 8 years – $67.60M – $8.45M AAV

• 2020 – Thomas Chabot: Ottawa Senators – long-term extension – 8 years – $64.00M – $8.00M AAV

• 2025 – K’Andre Miller: Carolina Hurricanes – long-term contract – 8 years – $60.00M – $7.50M AAV

• 2025 – Carter Verhaeghe: Florida Panthers – long-term extension – 8 years – $56.00M – $7.00M AAV

• 2025 – Marco Rossi: Vancouver Canucks – RFA contract – 3 years – $15.00M – $5.00M AAV

• 2023 – Matias Maccelli: Arizona Coyotes / Toronto Maple Leafs – RFA contract – 3 years – $10.275M – $3.425M AAV

• 2025 – Aatu Räty: Vancouver Canucks – RFA contract – 2 years – $1.55M – $775K AAV

• 2021 – Ville Koivunen: NHL ELC – 3 years – $2.417M – $805,833 AAV

• 2025 – Devon Levi: Buffalo Sabres – contract signing – 2 years – $1.625M – $812,500 AAV

• 2024 – Beckett Sennecke: Anaheim Ducks – ELC – 3 years – $2.8275M – $942,500 AAV

• 2024 – Jett Luchanko: Philadelphia Flyers – ELC – 3 years – $2.8275M – $942,500 AAV

Track Record (Last 3 Seasons)

• NHL contracts signed: 40+ public active or future NHL contracts with 2023-2026 signing years across Ian Pulver and John Walters’ WSG listings.

• Total value signed: $466.63M active NHL contract value across the broader WSG platform.

• Total AAV represented: $89.78M active NHL cap hit.

• Extensions/renewals: Major recent outcomes include K’Andre Miller, Carter Verhaeghe, Marco Rossi, Aatu Räty, Devon Levi and Ryan Winterton.

• ELCs signed: Beckett Sennecke, Jett Luchanko, Sacha Boisvert, Ben Danford, Colby Barlow, Kevin He, Ville Koivunen and other young players.

• RFA outcomes: K’Andre Miller, Marco Rossi, Aatu Räty, Matias Maccelli, Devon Levi and Ville Koivunen are key examples.

• Arbitration cases: No public arbitration hearing found.

• Europe transfers: Finnish-client movement includes Örebro HK, Luleå HF, Kiekko-Espoo, KooKoo and other European clubs; full count not public.

• Aggregate client market value: $466.63M active NHL value, plus at least one public future extension listed separately.

Compliance & Accreditation

• Mika Backman is listed as an FHPA certified agent and Finnish Bar Association member.

• Juha Ylönen is listed as an FHPA certified agent.

• Mikko Lahtinen is listed as a registered Finnish hockey agent with WSG Finland Oy.

• Ian Pulver is listed as an NHLPA certified agent.

• WSG Finland Oy is a registered Finnish company based in Espoo.

• No public professional liability insurance statement found.

• No public disciplinary or ethics issue found in reliable sources.

Testimonials

• The Will Sports Group – describes its approach as keeping players “informed, educated, and empowered” throughout their careers.

• The Will Sports Group – says its clients range from first-round draft picks to undrafted players who still reached the NHL.

• WSG profile material – describes Mika Backman as a lawyer and contract negotiator responsible for European player-contract negotiations.

• WSG profile material – credits Juha Ylönen’s junior-development work in Espoo as a foundation for his agency role with young Finnish players.

Press, Awards & Recognition

• 2009 – Juha Ylönen nominated to the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame

• 2011 – Ylönen recognized as Finnish hockey developer of the year

• 2021 – Miro Heiskanen’s $67.60M Dallas extension covered by NHL and Stars media

• 2024 – WSG promoted four first-round NHL Draft clients

• 2025 – K’Andre Miller’s $60.00M Carolina contract added another major long-term deal to WSG’s public contract ledger

• 2025 – Carter Verhaeghe’s $56.00M Florida extension reinforced WSG’s high-end NHL negotiation profile