2025 Top 25 Under 25: Sanni Ahola (18), Viivi Vainikka (17)

18: Sanni Ahola

by Elisha Côté

Consistency, calm, and a knack for stepping up in big moments, that’s what defines Finnish goaltender Sanni Ahola. At 24, she’s taken the long road from Helsinki’s youth ranks through the NCAA to a full-time role with the Finnish national team. Now, she’s poised to make her PWHL debut with the Ottawa Charge, where she’ll bring her trademark poise between the pipes.

2024-25 Season

Ahola closed out her NCAA career at St. Cloud State, where she was the program’s backbone for five seasons. She posted a .917 save percentage and 2.22 goals-against average across 19 games in her final year, adding two shutouts and keeping the Huskies competitive in the always-tough WCHA.

On the international stage, Ahola represented Finland at the 2025 Women’s World Championship, appearing in four games. While her numbers dipped from the year prior (.854 SV%, 3.44 GAA), she still helped Finland to a 3–1 record in her appearances and showed she could handle the pressure of major tournament play. Just a year earlier, she had dazzled at Worlds, posting a sparkling .914 save percentage across six games, proof of her high ceiling when she’s dialed in.

5th round pick! 👉 @PWHL_Ottawa welcomes Sanni Ahola to the capital! 🥅⚡️ #PWHL #IIHF pic.twitter.com/j8giCFqd5U

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) June 25, 2025

Past and Future

Ahola’s story is one of steady progression. From her early days with IHK and the Red Wings U18 program in Finland to her rise through Naisten Liiga with HIFK, she consistently earned bigger roles and tougher assignments. By the time she arrived in St. Cloud, she was already seasoned, and yet, she continued to elevate her game, finishing her NCAA career with a .919 save percentage across five seasons.

Her international résumé is just as strong. A standout at the U18 level, she grew into a trusted option for the senior national team, recording a .940 save percentage at international events in 2022–23. Now, she stands as part of Finland’s next generation of goaltenders, one expected to carry the torch toward the 2026 Olympics.

Looking ahead, Ahola joins the Ottawa Charge with the chance to learn alongside playoff MVP Gwyneth Philips. While she has yet to make her PWHL debut, her track record suggests she’ll adapt quickly. For a Charge team looking to solidify its future in goal, she may be one of the smartest under-the-radar additions in the league.

Ranking

This is Ahola’s second straight year on the Top 25 Under 25 list, climbing from No. 21 last year to No. 18 in 2025. The bump reflects her international pedigree and her reputation as a steady, reliable goaltender with upside. The ranking feels just right: she hasn’t had her PWHL breakthrough yet, but with her mix of experience and consistency, it feels like only a matter of time.

17: Viivi Vainikka

by Meredith Foster

Coming in at number 17 is forward Viivi Vainikka. Together with Elisa Holopainen and Top 25 Under 25 alumni Petra Nieminen, she represents the next great wave of Finnish scoring talent. At 5'5 and 139 pounds, Vainikka isn't the largest player on the ice, but she's fast and she's crafty, and she utilizes both of those to great success. Her consistency makes her a force to be reckoned with, while her clean play keeps her out of the penalty box and on the ice where she belongs.

2024-25 Season

Vainikka played her fifth season in the SDHL with Luleå/MSSK, where she finished second on the team in goals (18) and total points (44: 18 goals, a team-leading 26 assists). She led the team in the playoffs, putting up 10 points (4G, 6A) across nine games.

Internationally with Finland, Vainikka scored nine points (5G, 4A) in seven Euro Hockey Tour games. She went scoreless at the 2025 Women's World Championships, playing only two games due to injury.

Past and Future

A native of Espoo in southern Finland, Vainikka came up through Helsinki's youth hockey systems. In 2016 she moved to Team Kuortane in the Naisten Liiga, where she spent four years before aging out of Kuortane's program. Her point total steadily rose across those four years as she developed: in her first season Vainikka scored 12 points, then 24, then 41, then 52. Her time at Kuortane coincided with her international debut as a U18 in 2016, and then with the senior Naisleijonat two years later.

The 2018-2019 international season saw Finland make history as they won a highly-contested silver medal at the Women's World Championships. Just 18 years old at the time, Vainikka scored one goal and three assists in front of her hometown crowd in Espoo. In 2022 she was named to Finland's Olympic squad as part of the roster's youth movement that included players like Elisa Holopainen, Nelli Laitinen, and Sanni Vanhanen.

After the conclusion of her Naisten Liiga career Vainikka opted not to pursue the NCAA and went over to SDHL juggernauts Luleå/MSSK. Although Luleå was already well on their way to history, adding Vainikka only cemented their status. She won four SDHL titles during her time in Norrbotten. In the 2025 offseason she completed the moved to Brynäs, joining former Luleå teammate Noora Tulus in Gävle.

Ranking

Vainikka went from an honorable mention last year to cracking this year's list in the top 20. She's shown her quality as a scorer, a playmaker, and an all-around threat, and she might be just what Brynäs needs to finally take their first SDHL title. Barring an injury or something unforeseen between now and February, she should be a lock for Finland's Olympic squad. Look for her to be a powerhouse for years to come.