Five facts you should know about Mikael Granlund

Mikael Granlund is a Finnish professional ice hockey center and alternate captain for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League. He was born on February 26, 1992. Prior to joining the Minnesota Wild in the NHL, he played professionally in Finland for Oulun Kärpät and HIFK in the SM-Liiga. In the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the Wild selected him as the ninth overall choice.

Since today is his birthday, here I've listed 5 facts about him that you should know.

1. He's married to Emmi Granlund

Emmi Granlund is a model, interior designer, and architect from Helsinki. She was raised in rural areas of Finland along with her five younger siblings. She has always been interested in design innovation and holds a bachelor's degree in interior design from Dunwoody College of Technology.

2. The Legendary "lacrosse goal" at the 2011 World Championships

At the 2011 World Championships in Slovakia, 19-year-old Mikael Granlund had the chance to compete for Finland at the senior level for the first time in his career. One of the most iconic goals you will ever see came in the semifinal match against Russia.

He skated the puck behind Russia's goal after a faceoff in the attacking zone, earning him the nickname "Lacrosse Goal." He lifted the ball on the backhand side of his stick and whacked it into the net instead of attempting a standard wrap-around, surprising the Russian goaltender.

3. Markus, Mikael's brother, plays in the NHL

Although Markus, Mikael's younger brother, competes in the NHL, Mikael may be the more well-known of the two. The brothers were selected a year apart, Mikael in the first round of the 2010 Draft and Markus in the second round of 2011.

They are separated by a little under 14 months. Mikael was selected by the Minnesota Wild and Markus by the Calgary Flames. Before being dealt to the Vancouver Canucks on February 22, 2016, Markus spent portions of three seasons with the Flames.

Mikael Granlund was a member of the Canucks through the 2018–19 season before becoming a restricted free agent. In 301 regular-season games over the course of his NHL career, he has recorded 55 goals and 97 points, including 12 goals and 22 points in 2018–19.

4. He lost his baby girl in 2020

Mikael Granlund and his wife Emmi confirmed the loss of their stillborn child in March 2020. Their newborn girl was born without a heartbeat, Emmi said on Instagram. The couple currently has two beautiful kids and shares an amazing bond with one another.

5. Sued the team in Finland over a contract dispute

Mikael Granlund appeared in two games with Kärpät in 2008–09, primarily because of a contract disagreement between Granlund and the team. It all began when he claimed that the contract he had signed was invalid since it did not specify equipment as compensation.

It was also claimed that the team altered his insurance application without his consent. Due to this, Granlund and his agency filed a lawsuit against the team. In the meantime, Mikael Granlund signed a deal with HIFK, another Liiga team, for the 2009–10 campaign. The incident led to the team's admission that mistakes had been made, though they had been made in good faith.