Topias Vilén Bio
Topias Vilén (born 1 April 2003) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player who plays as a defenceman. He currently skates for the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) while developing as a prospect for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). Vilén first gained widespread attention when the New Jersey Devils selected him 129th overall in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He has since worked his way through the North American minor-league system, steadily building a reputation as a steady, two-way defender.
Early Life and Background
Topias Vilén was born on 1 April 2003 in Lahti, Finland. Lahti is a city with a long tradition of producing Finnish ice hockey talent, and Vilén first laced up the skates at around the age of four. He grew up playing in and around his hometown, joining the youth programs of the Lahti Pelicans organization and progressing through its development ranks as a teenager.
Hockey runs in the Vilén family. Topias is the younger brother of Elias Vilén, with whom he shared the Lahti Pelicans system, including time together at the top level of Finnish hockey. According to interviews, Topias plays the defenceman position because his older brother Elias once insisted on it during floor hockey matches, a small childhood decision that helped shape his future on the ice.
Path to Hockey
Vilén climbed the Finnish hockey ladder through the Pelicans’ junior and development programs. He made his professional debut with the Pelicans’ SM-liiga club on 18 February 2020, at just 16 years old. In that debut against JYP Jyväskylä, he logged 15 minutes of ice time in a 3–0 loss, having learned he would play only one day earlier. Shortly after, in April 2020, he signed a two-year contract extension with the Pelicans.
His first full professional season came in 2020–21, when the 17-year-old appeared in 35 SM-Liiga games and six contests in the second-tier Mestis. He scored his first SM-Liiga goal on 30 October 2020. Following that season, Vilén was drafted 129th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, marking the transition from Finnish prospect to NHL property.
Topias Vilén Career
Early Career (2020–2022)
After being drafted, Vilén remained in Finland for the 2021–22 SM-Liiga season, his second full year of top-level men’s professional hockey. He appeared in 50 games for the Pelicans, averaging nearly 15 minutes of ice time per night, and finished with six points, though he did not record a goal that season. The campaign was a steady developmental step, giving him valuable top-tier experience.
On 12 May 2022, the New Jersey Devils signed Vilén to a three-year entry-level contract, but the team loaned him back to the Pelicans for the 2022–23 season to continue his growth. Vilén later said he was surprised and excited to receive an NHL contract so early in his career.
Liiga Finals and AHL Debut (2022–2023)
The 2022–23 season with the Pelicans ended on a high note, as Vilén helped Lahti make a run to the Liiga finals. After the Finnish season concluded, he joined the Utica Comets, New Jersey’s AHL affiliate, making his North American debut on 3 May 2023 in a playoff game against the Toronto Marlies. The stint marked his official transition to the professional North American system.
Utica Comets Era (2023–Present)
Vilén began the 2023–24 season in Utica after Devils training camp, and quickly made an impact. He recorded his first AHL point with two assists against the Syracuse Crunch on 27 October 2023. A few months later, after missing three weeks with an injury, he was briefly assigned to the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder, where he picked up an assist in each of his first two games against the Worcester Railers. He later scored his first ECHL goal on 3 January 2024 and his first AHL goal on 15 January 2024, in a 5–4 overtime loss to the Syracuse Crunch.
Comets head coach Kevin Dineen praised Vilén’s passing and skating during his first full year in North America, while noting that puck retrievals and applying pressure on opposing puck carriers were early adjustment areas. By the end of the season, Dineen described Vilén as a minutes-cruncher and an integral part of the Comets’ defence group.
The 2024–25 preseason brought a setback, as Vilén suffered an upper-body injury in the second period of a 30 September 2024 preseason game against the New York Rangers. He was activated from injured reserve and assigned to Utica on 29 October 2024, and went on to play the entire season with the Comets, recording one goal and 24 points in 58 games.
Driving Style and Strengths
Vilén is recognized for his smooth skating, composure with the puck, and willingness to join the offensive play from the back end. Coaching staff have highlighted his passing ability and his growing comfort in using his mobility to retrieve pucks and disrupt opposing carriers, traits that have gradually turned him into a trusted minute-muncher on the Utica blue line.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Vilén’s signature moments are his professional debut at age 16 with the Pelicans, his first SM-Liiga goal on 30 October 2020, his NHL draft selection by New Jersey in 2021, his Liiga finals run with Lahti in 2023, and his first AHL goal on 15 January 2024 against the Syracuse Crunch.
Topias Vilén Career Wins
Topias Vilén’s competitive résumé is built on steady progression through team and league milestones rather than a large collection of individual trophies. His most prominent achievements include his selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, a run to the Liiga finals with the Lahti Pelicans in 2022–23, and consistent production as a top-four defenceman for the Utica Comets in the AHL.
Liiga and AHL Highlights
In Finnish top-flight hockey, Vilén appeared in 35 SM-Liiga games during the 2020–21 season and added six games in the Mestis. His first SM-Liiga goal came on 30 October 2020, and he later appeared in 50 league games the following season. Since moving to North America, he has steadily added to his totals with the Utica Comets, including his first AHL goal on 15 January 2024 and a 24-point campaign during the 2024–25 AHL season.
Other Performances
On the international junior stage, Vilén represented Finland at multiple age-group events starting at the under-16 level. He served as an alternate captain for the Finns at both the 2021 World U18 Championship and the 2023 World Junior Championship.
Topias Vilén Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
The Vilén family has a clear hockey connection. Topias is the younger brother of Elias Vilén, and the two played together in the Lahti Pelicans system, including time at the top level of Finnish professional hockey. Their shared journey through the Pelicans organization remains one of the defining influences on Topias’s career path.
Personal Life
Born and raised in Lahti, Vilén continues to build his professional life around his hockey career. He remains focused on developing his game within the New Jersey Devils organization while representing one of Finland’s most established hockey cities.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 campaign represents an important step in Topias Vilén’s development. After beginning the preseason with the New Jersey Devils, he suffered an upper-body injury in late September 2024 but returned to full health and was reassigned to the Utica Comets on 29 October 2024. From that point on, he established himself as a regular on the Comets’ blue line, finishing the season with one goal and 24 points across 58 AHL games.
That production marked a clear step forward from his rookie North American season, validating the trust Comets head coach Kevin Dineen placed in him as a minutes-cruncher on the back end. His combination of skating, passing, and improved defensive detail positioned him as a steady AHL defenceman ready for larger responsibilities.
Looking ahead, Vilén’s three-year entry-level contract with New Jersey keeps him within the Devils’ developmental pipeline, and continued progress in Utica could put him in line for an NHL opportunity. His 2025 trajectory suggests he remains firmly on the organization’s radar as a depth defenceman for the future.