Finns are passionate about this sport. According to a report, 55% of the entire country (three million) Finns watched the 2021 World Hockey Championship game between Finland and Canada.

This passion spills over to the NHL, as well.

As of February 1, 2022, 47 Finnish players have made it to the National Hockey League. This is quite surprising considering the country's population is only 5.5 million. You might be surprised to know that there were more Finnish players in the 2021 NHL than Russian, a country which has 144 million people.

Betting on ice hockey is huge. For example, one 2020 study indicates the Finnish betting and gambling market is USD $1.6 billion. Furthermore, ice hockey is one of the most popular sports to bet on and that's why so many Finnish quick casinos are also offering betting for their Finnish customers.

This article discusses the highest-paid Finnish players in the National Hockey League.

Alexander Barkov

This Florida Panthers athlete earned $7.7 million in the 2021-2022 season and is expected to take home $12 million next year as his salary. Barkov was born in 1995 in Tampere and made his debut in 2013 with his current team.

Measuring 191 cm and 6'3", Barkov was selected to the Panthers side in the 2013 NHL entry draft. Five years later, Alexander Barkov became part of the all-star team. In 2021, Barkov received the Frank J. Selke Trophy for outstanding sportsmanship.

Patrik Laine

Born in 1998, this Finnish player earned $7.5 million in the 2021-2022 season and is expected to make as much next year.
Laine plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets and has formerly played with the Finnish Liiga. He weighs 206 lb (93.44kilogram) and is 6'5" (1.96m).

Laine began playing hockey at 4 for Ilves, but later switched to local competitor Tappara. He made his debut with Liiga at 16 while being with Tappara. In that 2014-15 season, Laine played 6 games and scored 1 point.

Many publications touted Patrik Laine as the fourth-best player before the 2016 NHL draft. Because of his strong play in the previous seasons, Laine's ranking went up when the NHL draft opened.

Laine was the third leading goal scorer in the 2016 Junior Ice Hockey World Championships. He scored 7 goals with 6 assists and received a gold medal in that tournament. After this feat, Laine was on the radar of both scouts and fans alike.

By February 2016, many talent observers thought Laine was a potential challenger for the first overall 2016 NHL Draft. To date, Laine has won 11 awards as a professional NHL player.

Miro Heiskanen

This Dallas Stars defenseman will earn 40% more in the 2022-2023 season than he got in the previous season -- $5 million. The Stars took Heiskanen as the No. 3 pick in the 2017 NHL draft. He was the key to his team's 2020 Stanley Cup Final runner-up.

Hailing from Espoo, Finland, Miro Heiskanen entered the 2018-19 NHL season and quickly showed why he is a prized player. Playing all 82 games, he finished fifth with Dallas Stars. Heisekanen's stats for that season were 12 goals and 21 assists.

He scored his first goal against the Anaheim Ducks on October 25, 2018, at the age of 19 years.

Sebastian Aho

Representing Carolina Hurricanes, Sebastian Aho is set to receive $6 million in 2022-23 as against $7.7 a year ago. The Hurricanes selected Aho in the second round of the 2015 NHL draft, and this player arrived in Carolina in 2016-17. Aho finished his first season with 49 points (25 assists and 24 goals).

Aho's career high is 83 points in the 2018-19 season, and in the same season, he was named to the All-Star Game for the first time. In the same season, Sebastian Aho helped Carolina Hurricanes reach the Eastern Conference Final in 15 playoff games.

Aho became a restricted free agent after the 2018-19 season, but later signed a $42.27 million deal with the Montreal Canadians. Carolina matched this offer with another deal on July 7, 2019.

Mikko Rantanen

This right-winger from Colorado Avalanche will receive $6 million as salary in the 2022-23 season. Last year, this figure was significantly more -- $10 million.

Mikko Rantanen was born in 1996 in Nousiainen, Finland, and made his debut on October 8, 2015. Colorado Avalanche selected him in round one of the 2015 NHL draft.

Rantanen was part of the 2022 Stanley Cup-winning squad and was also selected for the 2019 All-Star Game.