Born: 2001-03-14
Team: Jokipojat (FIN2)
Position: Goalie
Catches: Left
Height / Weight: 6-0 / 165
Roope Taponen has rather quietly put together a solid season with Jokipojat in Finland’s second-highest league. The 2001 born goalie was loaned to the team from HIFK for the remainder of the season in November and thus far he has done nothing but impressed as the team’s No. 1 goalie. He has won five games in a row while facing 30+ shots in each of his last three starts. Taponen is calm netminder who relies more on his positioning than reactions to make saves. You won’t see him make many dazzling, athletic saves, even though he is capable. That being said, he does show a quick glove from time to time. He is adept at tracking pucks through traffic. He is flexible, he moves well laterally and his overall skating ability is strong. Taponen’s record of 11 wins in 14 games is no small feat, especially when considering the fact that this is his first season in a men’s league. January 24, 2020
Photo: Jokipojat.fi