Växjö Lakers sign Ilves two-way centre Matias Mäntykivi through 2028

Ilves will lose a leading centre after 24-year-old Matias Mäntykivi signed with Swedish SHL club Växjö Lakers on a deal running through spring 2028. The move ends his time in Tampere and was reported by Tamperelainen.

He leaves Tampere for the first time in his career and has been a fixture among Liiga’s top centres. A SaiPa product from Lappeenranta, Mäntykivi tallied 201 points in 283 regular-season games for Ilves over the past five seasons. In the club’s announcement, he called Växjö “a very professional organisation with high ambitions” and said the move felt like the right step for his career.

Växjö described Mäntykivi as a skilled, versatile two-way centre with strong vision and international experience at both junior and senior levels. Selected by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL draft, Mäntykivi is viewed by Växjö sporting director Henrik Evertsson as ready to take the next developmental step and handle responsibility in high-pressure, playoff situations.

According to Ilves, the Mäntykivi move also came alongside other changes to the club’s setup announced by the team. As part of its preparations and leadership arrangements for the 2026–2027 season—along with related junior-team appointments for the Spengler Cup return—Ilves also confirmed that goalkeeper Roope Taponen’s contract had been terminated by mutual consent. Ilves added that it would thank the departing players for their contributions.

In connection with the announcement, Mäntykivi said: “It’s full of top guys — I’ve enjoyed every second.”