Finnish D-man Leppanen taking the North American plunge with the Oilers organization

Finnish D-man Leppanen taking the North American plunge with the Oilers organization

Atro Leppanen comes from the Finnish factory town of Mantta that merged with neighbouring Vilppula, the municipality an hour north of Tampere, a little place of under 10,000 people where museums are one of the attractions.

Leppanen looks to continue Oilers' proud Finnish tradition

EDMONTON — The same way Vancouver has always welcomed Swedish players — from Gradin to Sedin, from Edler to Eldebrink — the Finns have always found a home in Edmonton. Perhaps it is because Vancouver bears a resemblance to Stockholm, two picturesque, major international cities situated on the seaside, while Northern Alberta reminds more of the Finnish Lapland — minus the saunas. It gets dark and cold in Helsinki in the wintertime, and the Finnis…