HAMILTON, N.Y. - Colgate University men’s ice hockey head coach Don Vaughan announced that sophomore forward Erkki Rajamaki has decided not to return to the University in order to pursue a professional hockey career with the Helsinki IFK in the Elite Finnish Hockey League.

Rajamaki, a 1999 eighth-round selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning, appeared in 31 of Colgate’s 35 games last year registering one goal and six assists for seven points.

“I think he’s making a huge mistake giving up the opportunity to receive a great education, but the lure of playing professionally in the Elite Finnish League in his hometown was more important to him,” Vaughan said. “It’s definitely a complicated situation because of the cultural aspects he had to overcome here, but he proved he could adjust last year and achieved a lot both academically and athletically.”

Rajamaki became first Red Raider taken in National Hockey League Draft since Rob Mara’98 when he was selected by the Lightning. Before Colgate he captained Helsinki IFK’s Junior National League team. He had previously played for K-Vantaa of the Junior First Division.

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