Then and Now Finland
- Thread starter Canadiens1958
- Start date
I'll bite, but listing the achievements/arguments for each player will take quite a bit of time. Patience!
The 70s list took me even longer than I expected, but I got carried away with all the interesting stories I read!
I decided to merely break my list into tiers for now and did that based on career achievements and domestic fame. Note that I didn't quite follow the instructions - I figured that a game in a major international tournament would better reflect the level of WHA and NHL hockey, so I excluded the players who only met the national/national junior team requirement and never played in a major international tournament (Canada Cup, Olympics, World Championships) in the 1970s. That's why Reijo Ruotsalainen (who played in the 1978 & 1979 World Championships) is eligible and Jari Kurri (who played his first major tournament in the 1980 Olympics) is not.
I also listed the players’ main achievements and added a brief description (or a link to one) of each player. The order within each tier is simply based on player birth date, so keep that in mind as you go down the list.
And for those unfamiliar with the difference between "FEL history" and "SM-liiga history": SM-liiga has been the official name of the Finnish Elite League since the '75-76 season. Before that the FEL was known as SM-sarja, which in turn was founded in 1928. So "FEL history" includes years 1928-2010 and "SM-liiga history" includes years 1975-2010. The playoffs were also introduced in '75-76, before that the regular season determined the champion.
The full list of players is included in this post, player details will follow later.
P.S. I owe massive thanks to TKH @ jatkoaika.com, whose player profiles were a huge help for me.
Finnish players 1970-1979
Tier 1 (2 players)
Pekka Rautakallio, defenseman (b. 1953)
Reijo Ruotsalainen, defenseman/left wing (b. 1960)
Tier 2 (6 players)
Lasse Oksanen, right wing (b. 1942)
Urpo Ylönen, goaltender (b. 1943)
Jorma Valtonen, goaltender (b. 1946)
Veli-Pekka Ketola, center (b. 1948)
Matti Hagman, center (b. 1955)
Risto Siltanen, defenseman (b. 1958)
Tier 3 (17 players)
Seppo Lindström, defenseman (b. 1941)
Lalli Partinen, defenseman (b. 1941)
Matti Keinonen, left wing (b. 1941)
Jorma Peltonen, center (b. 1944, d. 2010)
Ilpo Koskela, defenseman (b. 1945, d. 1997)
Juha Rantasila, defenseman (b. 1945)
Esa Peltonen, left wing (b. 1947)
Antti Leppänen, goaltender (b. 1947)
Pekka Marjamäki, defenseman (b. 1947)
Timo Nummelin, defenseman (b. 1948)
Heikki Riihiranta, defenseman (b. 1948)
Lauri Mononen, center/wing (b. 1950)
Juhani Tamminen, right wing (b. 1950)
Martti Jarkko, center (b. 1953)
Mikko Leinonen, center/wing (b. 1955)
Tapio Levo, defenseman (b. 1955)
Kari Eloranta, defenseman (b. 1956)
I decided to merely break my list into tiers for now and did that based on career achievements and domestic fame. Note that I didn't quite follow the instructions - I figured that a game in a major international tournament would better reflect the level of WHA and NHL hockey, so I excluded the players who only met the national/national junior team requirement and never played in a major international tournament (Canada Cup, Olympics, World Championships) in the 1970s. That's why Reijo Ruotsalainen (who played in the 1978 & 1979 World Championships) is eligible and Jari Kurri (who played his first major tournament in the 1980 Olympics) is not.
I also listed the players’ main achievements and added a brief description (or a link to one) of each player. The order within each tier is simply based on player birth date, so keep that in mind as you go down the list.
And for those unfamiliar with the difference between "FEL history" and "SM-liiga history": SM-liiga has been the official name of the Finnish Elite League since the '75-76 season. Before that the FEL was known as SM-sarja, which in turn was founded in 1928. So "FEL history" includes years 1928-2010 and "SM-liiga history" includes years 1975-2010. The playoffs were also introduced in '75-76, before that the regular season determined the champion.
The full list of players is included in this post, player details will follow later.
P.S. I owe massive thanks to TKH @ jatkoaika.com, whose player profiles were a huge help for me.
Finnish players 1970-1979
Tier 1 (2 players)
Pekka Rautakallio, defenseman (b. 1953)
Reijo Ruotsalainen, defenseman/left wing (b. 1960)
Tier 2 (6 players)
Lasse Oksanen, right wing (b. 1942)
Urpo Ylönen, goaltender (b. 1943)
Jorma Valtonen, goaltender (b. 1946)
Veli-Pekka Ketola, center (b. 1948)
Matti Hagman, center (b. 1955)
Risto Siltanen, defenseman (b. 1958)
Tier 3 (17 players)
Seppo Lindström, defenseman (b. 1941)
Lalli Partinen, defenseman (b. 1941)
Matti Keinonen, left wing (b. 1941)
Jorma Peltonen, center (b. 1944, d. 2010)
Ilpo Koskela, defenseman (b. 1945, d. 1997)
Juha Rantasila, defenseman (b. 1945)
Esa Peltonen, left wing (b. 1947)
Antti Leppänen, goaltender (b. 1947)
Pekka Marjamäki, defenseman (b. 1947)
Timo Nummelin, defenseman (b. 1948)
Heikki Riihiranta, defenseman (b. 1948)
Lauri Mononen, center/wing (b. 1950)
Juhani Tamminen, right wing (b. 1950)
Martti Jarkko, center (b. 1953)
Mikko Leinonen, center/wing (b. 1955)
Tapio Levo, defenseman (b. 1955)
Kari Eloranta, defenseman (b. 1956)
Details on tier 1 players:
Pekka Rautakallio, defenseman (b. 1953)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/r/rautape01.html
Profile: http://internationalhockeylegends.blogspot.com/2006/05/pekka-rautakallio.html
- First Finn ever to play in the NHL All Star Game (1982)
- 2 Canada Cups and 7 World Championships; 33 points in 68 games
- 3-time FEL champion (1971, 1978 & 1983), 2-time silver medallist and 1-time bronze medallist
- Has the SM-liiga Defenseman of the Year award named after him
- 5-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1975, 1978-79, 1983 & 1986), most selections among defensemen
- 3-time SM-liiga Defenseman of the Year (1978-79 & 1986, Hannu Virta is the only 4-time winner)
- 2-time Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year (1983 & 1986)
- Most points by a FEL defenseman in a single season; 53 (Brian Rafalski has since tied the record)
- 1 top 5 finish in SM-liiga scoring (5th in 1979, 4 points shy of 2nd place)
- 3 top 5 finishes in SM-liiga playoff scoring (3-3-4), led his team in points in 1979
- SM-liiga Plus/Minus award winner in 1978
- Captain of HIFK 1985-1987
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1979
Reijo Ruotsalainen, defenseman/left wing (b. 1960)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/r/ruotsre01.html
Profile: http://nyrangerslegends.blogspot.com/2008/02/reijo-ruotsalainen.html
- 2-time Stanley Cup winner (1987 & 1990)
- Played in the 1986 NHL All Star Game
- Led the NY Rangers in points (73) in 1984-85, albeit playing partially as a forward
- Olympic silver medallist in 1988 (Finland’s first ever medal)
- 2 Canada Cups, 1 Olympic tournament and 5 World Championships; 26 points in 61 games
- SM-liiga champion in 1981, bronze medallist in 1980
- 2-time SM-liiga Defenseman of the Year (1980 & 1981)
- 6th best goal scorer and 1 point short of making the top 5 in points in the SM-liiga in 1981
- 1 top 5 finish in SM-liiga playoff scoring (3rd in 1981)
- 3-time NLA champion (1989, 1991 & 1992)
- 4th in NLA playoff scoring in 1989 and 3rd in 1991, led his team in points both times
- NLA Defenseman of the Year in 1987
- Only Finn ever to have played in 4 WJC tournaments (1977-1980)
- Best Defenseman of the 1980 WJC
Details on tier 2 players:
Lasse Oksanen, right wing (b. 1942)
Profile: versatile gentleman forward and a team player through and through. He based his game on intelligence and puck skills, was absolute elite in Finland both mentally and skillwise, rarely made any mistakes and even then did his best to listen to his coaches and follow their instructions. He would also carefully go through all the game events and tactics in his mind unlike the vast majority of his contemporaries and was basically a dream player for any coach, save for one tendency: he was sometimes even too unselfish. Oksanen firmly refused to score the easy and simple goals and preferred to pass the puck to a linemate in such a situation instead. Had he not chosen the hard way, he would have scored tons and tons of goals more.
- Became the first ever Finn to participate in an NHL training camp (Canucks, 1968) but wanted to resume his career in his home country
- 1 Canada Cup, 3 Olympic tournaments and 11 World Championships; 65 points in 128 games (not counting all the 2nd assists)
- Finland’s leading scorer in the 1968 Olympics
- Played his last World Championships in 1977, scoring 9 points in 10 games
- Member of the IIHF Hall of Fame (inducted in 1999)
- 3-time Finnish champion (1962, 1966 & 1972), 4-time silver medallist and 5-time bronze medallist
- Has the SM-liiga Regular Season Player of the Year award named after him
- 9-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1965-72 & 1975, most selections ever)
- FEL Top Goalscorer in 1970
- Most hat tricks in a single FEL season: 7 in 22 games in 1969-70
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Forward of the Year in 1971
- 4 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (2-2-3-4)
- 498 points (268+230) in 476 FEL games (23rd on the all time list)
- Captain of Ilves 1966-71, spring 1979 & 1980-82
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1966
Urpo Ylönen, goaltender (b. 1943)
Profile: smallish (5’7 to 5’10 depending on the source) but otherwise prototypical goaltender - quiet and calm player with excellent positioning and reflexes. He also had explosive legs and, according to some, the fastest glove hand in the world. Ylönen actually started his career as a center and kept occasionally playing the position until his Junior A days, developing into a good skater (for a goalie) as a result. Unlike many of his contemporaries he also trained extensively and has always been known for his ability to build good relationships with his teammates or virtually any human being for that matter. “Gentleman” and “thorough” tend to be main words his past and current co-workers use to describe him. His calm and humble demeanor might fool some, but the results speak for themselves: I doubt this man has ever done anything without giving his all.
- 3 Olympic tournaments and 8 World Championships; 50 games played
- Member of the 2nd All Star Team in the 1968 Olympics
- Best Goaltender of the 1970 World Championships as selected by the IIHF Directorate
- Stopped 52 shots as Finland took its first ever World Championship victory (3-1) over Czechoslovakia in 1967
- Stopped 177 shots out of 188 in 5 games in the ’67 World Championships
- Was in goal as Finland beat Canada (5-2) for the first time in Olympic history in 1968
- Stopped 225 out of 248 shots in 8 games in the ’68 Olympics
- Stopped 107 out of 118 shots in 3 games in the ’76 Olympics
- Was selected to the 1963 World Championship squad despite playing at tier 2 level in Finland (similar cases include Esa Peltonen in 1967 and Jere Lehtinen in 1992)
- Debuted at World Championship level against Soviet Union in 1963, aged 19, and performed brilliantly (only let in one goal in a 6-1 loss)
- Member of the IIHF Hall of Fame (inducted among the first 30 players in 1997)
- SM-liiga champion in 1976, silver medallist in 1977 and bronze medallist in 1978 & 1979
- Has the SM-liiga Goaltender of the Year award named after him
- 6-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1967-70 & 1976-77, most selections among goaltenders)
- 399 FEL games
- 3-time Finnish Player of the Year (1967, 1968 & 1970)
Jorma Valtonen, goaltender (b. 1946)
Profile: very similar to Urpo Yl̦nen in style Рan elegant goaltender with quick feet and hands who could read the game like an open book. He was also similar to Yl̦nen in attitude in that he was a perfectionist at everything he did, right down to choosing his diet and hockey equipment. He was quite a natural talent as well: the man started his goaltending career at 16 and debuted in the FEL before his 18th birthday!
- 1 Canada Cup, 3 Olympic tournaments and 9 World Championships; 64 games played
- Had a 92.92 save % over 7 games in the 1971 World Championships
- 2nd among goaltenders in All Star voting in the 1971 Worlds
- Played an incredible game as Finland beat Soviet Union (4-2) for the first time in history in December 1971
- Best Goaltender of the 1972 World Championships as selected by the IIHF Directorate
- Came extremely close to winning a medal as the starting goaltender in the 1971 and 1974 World Championships
- Member of the IIHF Hall of Fame (inducted in 1999)
- Participated in the Maple Leafs’ training camp in 1972 along with 2 other Finns and was told that the ’73 Worlds would seal the fate of his NHL contract (but only played in 4 out of 10 games in that tournament)
- 3-time Finnish champion (1967, 1971 & 1973), 2-time silver medallist and 1-time bronze medallist
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1971, 1972 & 1980)
- 2-time SM-liiga Goaltender of the Year (1979 & 1980)
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1972
Veli-Pekka Ketola, center (b. 1948)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/k/ketolve01.html
Profile: big (6’2/218), strong and clever player who could pass the puck and read the game really well. His hands were a lot softer than his character and while he enjoyed a beer too many quite a few times during his prime, no one could blame him for lack of dedication off the ice. Sounds like an almost perfect forward for North American hockey, but in addition to choosing the one WHA team where he had zero chance of making the first line, he also received mysteriously little playing time during his brief NHL stint. Perhaps Ketola too became a victim of stereotypes, but in any case he’s considered one of the greatest legends in Finnish hockey history.
- Participated in the Red Wings’ training camp in 1969 and was offered a place in the farm team, but decided to return to Finland instead
- One of the first 2 Finns to play in the WHA (debuted there in 1974-75)
- WHA champion in 1976, played 3 seasons in the league as a 2nd/3rd line center behind Ulf Nilsson
- Was traded towards the end of ’76-77 due to having some issues with his coach and soon returned to Finland
- Received plenty of NHL offers while in Finland before finally signing one in 1981
- Played half a season in the NHL in ‘81-82, but due to previously mentioned reasons decided to go back to Finland again
- 2 Canada Cups, 2 Olympic tournaments and 6 World Championships; 46 points in 77 games (not counting all the 2nd assists)
- Finland’s MVP and top scorer (7+3=10) in the 1974 World Championships, where Finland placed 4th
- 3-time Finnish champion (1965, 1971 & 1978) and 2-time silver medallist (1979 & 1980)
- Has the SM-liiga Top Scorer award named after him
- 2-time Lynces Academic’s FEL Forward of the Year (1974 & 1981)
- 2-time FEL Top Scorer (1971 & 1979)
- 7 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (1-1-2-4-4-4-5)
- 6-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1968, 1970-71, 1974 & 1978-79, most selections among centers)
- SM-liiga playoffs top scorer in 1978; scored a record 20 points (beaten 3 times since)
- 2 top 5 finishes in SM-liiga playoff scoring (1-5)
- SM-liiga Plus/Minus award winner in 1979
- Scored 2+4=6 points in the championship-deciding game of the 1978 SM-liiga playoffs
- 17th best point producer in FEL history (5th best p/g average in the top 50)
- 2-time Finnish Player of the Year (1974 & 1978, note that Finnish WHA/NHL players were ignored from 1975 until ’81-82 when Kurri won the award)
Matti Hagman, center (b. 1955)
Story: http://oilerslegends.blogspot.com/2008/02/matti-hagman.html
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/h/hagmama01.html
Profile: relatively big playmaking center who was famous for his fantastic vision and breathtaking passes. He also liked to use his size to his advantage, often managing to bend the rules in the process. Hagman was perhaps a bit unfortunate in North America and never got the chance to play for a full season as a first line center, albeit I have no idea whether he actually deserved to be one in the NHL (it obviously wasn’t gonna happen in Edmonton). But Finnish fans consider him an absolute legend regardless - some even place him over Jari Kurri and Teemu Selänne.
- Father of Niklas Hagman
- Brother of Riitta Salin, 400 m European champion and world record holder in 1974 (who still owns the national record and would have placed 4th with that time in the 2010 European Championships)
- Son of Nisse Hagman, former sprinter and former vice president of the Finnish Athletics Federation
- Knocked Bobby Orr flat in the 1976 Canada Cup
- Started his NHL career as a 3rd/4th line center for Boston Bruins in 1976-77
- Became the first ever European Stanley Cup finalist in 1977
- Became unhappy with lack of playing time and was granted a trade to the WHA in ’77-78
- Lost his place as the first line center in his WHA team as soon as Christian Bordeleau recovered from his injury, saw most of his playing time disappear and decided to return to Finland
- Returned to the NHL in 1980 and spent 2 years as a 2nd line center behind Wayne Gretzky
- Returned to Finland again after a career year in 1982, once again frustrated with his lack of playing time
- 3 Canada Cups, 1 Olympic tournament and 4 World Championships; 39-41 points (depending on the source) in 55 games
- Finland’s best player in the 1976 Canada Cup
- Finland’s leading scorer in the 1976 and 1981 Canada Cups
- 3-time Finnish champion (1974, 1980 & 1983)
- 2-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1980 & 1983)
- 2-time Lynces Academic’s FEL Forward of the Year (1980 & 1983)
- 4-time FEL top scorer (1980, 1983, 1984 & 1985)
- 7 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (1-1-1-1-2-3-3)
- 2-time SM-liiga playoffs top scorer (1980 & 1983)
- 3 top 5 finishes in SM-liiga playoff scoring (1-1-3)
- 3rd best point producer in FEL history (3rd best p/g average in the top 50)
- Best single-season point/game average in SM-liiga history; 87 points in 35 games in 1979-80
- Captain of HIFK 1983-1985 and 1987-1989
- FEL Rookie of the Year in 1974
- Scored 16 points in 13 games in the FEL as a 17-year-old in 1972-73
- Ran 400 meters in 49.3 seconds as a teenager and won 6 individual medals at national junior levels before choosing hockey over track & field
Risto Siltanen, defenseman (b. 1958)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/s/siltari01.html
Profile: short (5’7 to 5’9 depending on the source) but very strong and stocky defenseman, as his nickname “The little Hulk” implied. He had virtually no real weaknesses and yet plenty of outstanding qualities such as his skating, hockey sense and passing skills and also knew where to be on the ice at both ends of the rink. His greatest claim to fame however was possessing one of the hardest slapshots in the NHL. Siltanen went to North America as a very young man in the late 70s, but grew tired of constant travelling over the years and finally decided to return to Europe in 1987, at the age of 28.
- Best single-season p/g average by a Finnish NHL defenseman (63 points in 63 games in 1981-82)
- Most assists by a defenseman in a single NHL playoff game; 5 on April 14th 1987
- Became the first ever Oilers defenseman to score a hat trick in the NHL on April 4th 1981
- Was traded midway through ’85-86 and had one of the shortest trips to his new team in NHL history: he simply switched locker rooms and played the game for Quebec instead of Hartford. He had quite a bit of trouble with line changes that day though!
- 1 Canada Cup and 3 World Championships; 7 points in 31 games
- Finland’s best defenseman in the 1981 Canada Cup
- SM-liiga silver medallist in 1990 and bronze medallist in 1989
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year in 1990 (Hannu Virta won the Rautakallio trophy)
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1977, 1989 & 1990)
- SM-liiga Rookie of the Year in 1977
- 2nd youngest All Star Team member in FEL history; 18 in 1977 (beaten by a couple of months by Jarmo Wasama in 1962)
- 2-time member of the WJC All Star Team (1977 & 1978, alongside Slava Fetisov btw)
Pekka Rautakallio, defenseman (b. 1953)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/r/rautape01.html
Profile: http://internationalhockeylegends.blogspot.com/2006/05/pekka-rautakallio.html
- First Finn ever to play in the NHL All Star Game (1982)
- 2 Canada Cups and 7 World Championships; 33 points in 68 games
- 3-time FEL champion (1971, 1978 & 1983), 2-time silver medallist and 1-time bronze medallist
- Has the SM-liiga Defenseman of the Year award named after him
- 5-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1975, 1978-79, 1983 & 1986), most selections among defensemen
- 3-time SM-liiga Defenseman of the Year (1978-79 & 1986, Hannu Virta is the only 4-time winner)
- 2-time Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year (1983 & 1986)
- Most points by a FEL defenseman in a single season; 53 (Brian Rafalski has since tied the record)
- 1 top 5 finish in SM-liiga scoring (5th in 1979, 4 points shy of 2nd place)
- 3 top 5 finishes in SM-liiga playoff scoring (3-3-4), led his team in points in 1979
- SM-liiga Plus/Minus award winner in 1978
- Captain of HIFK 1985-1987
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1979
Reijo Ruotsalainen, defenseman/left wing (b. 1960)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/r/ruotsre01.html
Profile: http://nyrangerslegends.blogspot.com/2008/02/reijo-ruotsalainen.html
- 2-time Stanley Cup winner (1987 & 1990)
- Played in the 1986 NHL All Star Game
- Led the NY Rangers in points (73) in 1984-85, albeit playing partially as a forward
- Olympic silver medallist in 1988 (Finland’s first ever medal)
- 2 Canada Cups, 1 Olympic tournament and 5 World Championships; 26 points in 61 games
- SM-liiga champion in 1981, bronze medallist in 1980
- 2-time SM-liiga Defenseman of the Year (1980 & 1981)
- 6th best goal scorer and 1 point short of making the top 5 in points in the SM-liiga in 1981
- 1 top 5 finish in SM-liiga playoff scoring (3rd in 1981)
- 3-time NLA champion (1989, 1991 & 1992)
- 4th in NLA playoff scoring in 1989 and 3rd in 1991, led his team in points both times
- NLA Defenseman of the Year in 1987
- Only Finn ever to have played in 4 WJC tournaments (1977-1980)
- Best Defenseman of the 1980 WJC
Details on tier 2 players:
Lasse Oksanen, right wing (b. 1942)
Profile: versatile gentleman forward and a team player through and through. He based his game on intelligence and puck skills, was absolute elite in Finland both mentally and skillwise, rarely made any mistakes and even then did his best to listen to his coaches and follow their instructions. He would also carefully go through all the game events and tactics in his mind unlike the vast majority of his contemporaries and was basically a dream player for any coach, save for one tendency: he was sometimes even too unselfish. Oksanen firmly refused to score the easy and simple goals and preferred to pass the puck to a linemate in such a situation instead. Had he not chosen the hard way, he would have scored tons and tons of goals more.
- Became the first ever Finn to participate in an NHL training camp (Canucks, 1968) but wanted to resume his career in his home country
- 1 Canada Cup, 3 Olympic tournaments and 11 World Championships; 65 points in 128 games (not counting all the 2nd assists)
- Finland’s leading scorer in the 1968 Olympics
- Played his last World Championships in 1977, scoring 9 points in 10 games
- Member of the IIHF Hall of Fame (inducted in 1999)
- 3-time Finnish champion (1962, 1966 & 1972), 4-time silver medallist and 5-time bronze medallist
- Has the SM-liiga Regular Season Player of the Year award named after him
- 9-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1965-72 & 1975, most selections ever)
- FEL Top Goalscorer in 1970
- Most hat tricks in a single FEL season: 7 in 22 games in 1969-70
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Forward of the Year in 1971
- 4 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (2-2-3-4)
- 498 points (268+230) in 476 FEL games (23rd on the all time list)
- Captain of Ilves 1966-71, spring 1979 & 1980-82
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1966
Urpo Ylönen, goaltender (b. 1943)
Profile: smallish (5’7 to 5’10 depending on the source) but otherwise prototypical goaltender - quiet and calm player with excellent positioning and reflexes. He also had explosive legs and, according to some, the fastest glove hand in the world. Ylönen actually started his career as a center and kept occasionally playing the position until his Junior A days, developing into a good skater (for a goalie) as a result. Unlike many of his contemporaries he also trained extensively and has always been known for his ability to build good relationships with his teammates or virtually any human being for that matter. “Gentleman” and “thorough” tend to be main words his past and current co-workers use to describe him. His calm and humble demeanor might fool some, but the results speak for themselves: I doubt this man has ever done anything without giving his all.
- 3 Olympic tournaments and 8 World Championships; 50 games played
- Member of the 2nd All Star Team in the 1968 Olympics
- Best Goaltender of the 1970 World Championships as selected by the IIHF Directorate
- Stopped 52 shots as Finland took its first ever World Championship victory (3-1) over Czechoslovakia in 1967
- Stopped 177 shots out of 188 in 5 games in the ’67 World Championships
- Was in goal as Finland beat Canada (5-2) for the first time in Olympic history in 1968
- Stopped 225 out of 248 shots in 8 games in the ’68 Olympics
- Stopped 107 out of 118 shots in 3 games in the ’76 Olympics
- Was selected to the 1963 World Championship squad despite playing at tier 2 level in Finland (similar cases include Esa Peltonen in 1967 and Jere Lehtinen in 1992)
- Debuted at World Championship level against Soviet Union in 1963, aged 19, and performed brilliantly (only let in one goal in a 6-1 loss)
- Member of the IIHF Hall of Fame (inducted among the first 30 players in 1997)
- SM-liiga champion in 1976, silver medallist in 1977 and bronze medallist in 1978 & 1979
- Has the SM-liiga Goaltender of the Year award named after him
- 6-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1967-70 & 1976-77, most selections among goaltenders)
- 399 FEL games
- 3-time Finnish Player of the Year (1967, 1968 & 1970)
Jorma Valtonen, goaltender (b. 1946)
Profile: very similar to Urpo Yl̦nen in style Рan elegant goaltender with quick feet and hands who could read the game like an open book. He was also similar to Yl̦nen in attitude in that he was a perfectionist at everything he did, right down to choosing his diet and hockey equipment. He was quite a natural talent as well: the man started his goaltending career at 16 and debuted in the FEL before his 18th birthday!
- 1 Canada Cup, 3 Olympic tournaments and 9 World Championships; 64 games played
- Had a 92.92 save % over 7 games in the 1971 World Championships
- 2nd among goaltenders in All Star voting in the 1971 Worlds
- Played an incredible game as Finland beat Soviet Union (4-2) for the first time in history in December 1971
- Best Goaltender of the 1972 World Championships as selected by the IIHF Directorate
- Came extremely close to winning a medal as the starting goaltender in the 1971 and 1974 World Championships
- Member of the IIHF Hall of Fame (inducted in 1999)
- Participated in the Maple Leafs’ training camp in 1972 along with 2 other Finns and was told that the ’73 Worlds would seal the fate of his NHL contract (but only played in 4 out of 10 games in that tournament)
- 3-time Finnish champion (1967, 1971 & 1973), 2-time silver medallist and 1-time bronze medallist
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1971, 1972 & 1980)
- 2-time SM-liiga Goaltender of the Year (1979 & 1980)
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1972
Veli-Pekka Ketola, center (b. 1948)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/k/ketolve01.html
Profile: big (6’2/218), strong and clever player who could pass the puck and read the game really well. His hands were a lot softer than his character and while he enjoyed a beer too many quite a few times during his prime, no one could blame him for lack of dedication off the ice. Sounds like an almost perfect forward for North American hockey, but in addition to choosing the one WHA team where he had zero chance of making the first line, he also received mysteriously little playing time during his brief NHL stint. Perhaps Ketola too became a victim of stereotypes, but in any case he’s considered one of the greatest legends in Finnish hockey history.
- Participated in the Red Wings’ training camp in 1969 and was offered a place in the farm team, but decided to return to Finland instead
- One of the first 2 Finns to play in the WHA (debuted there in 1974-75)
- WHA champion in 1976, played 3 seasons in the league as a 2nd/3rd line center behind Ulf Nilsson
- Was traded towards the end of ’76-77 due to having some issues with his coach and soon returned to Finland
- Received plenty of NHL offers while in Finland before finally signing one in 1981
- Played half a season in the NHL in ‘81-82, but due to previously mentioned reasons decided to go back to Finland again
- 2 Canada Cups, 2 Olympic tournaments and 6 World Championships; 46 points in 77 games (not counting all the 2nd assists)
- Finland’s MVP and top scorer (7+3=10) in the 1974 World Championships, where Finland placed 4th
- 3-time Finnish champion (1965, 1971 & 1978) and 2-time silver medallist (1979 & 1980)
- Has the SM-liiga Top Scorer award named after him
- 2-time Lynces Academic’s FEL Forward of the Year (1974 & 1981)
- 2-time FEL Top Scorer (1971 & 1979)
- 7 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (1-1-2-4-4-4-5)
- 6-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1968, 1970-71, 1974 & 1978-79, most selections among centers)
- SM-liiga playoffs top scorer in 1978; scored a record 20 points (beaten 3 times since)
- 2 top 5 finishes in SM-liiga playoff scoring (1-5)
- SM-liiga Plus/Minus award winner in 1979
- Scored 2+4=6 points in the championship-deciding game of the 1978 SM-liiga playoffs
- 17th best point producer in FEL history (5th best p/g average in the top 50)
- 2-time Finnish Player of the Year (1974 & 1978, note that Finnish WHA/NHL players were ignored from 1975 until ’81-82 when Kurri won the award)
Matti Hagman, center (b. 1955)
Story: http://oilerslegends.blogspot.com/2008/02/matti-hagman.html
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/h/hagmama01.html
Profile: relatively big playmaking center who was famous for his fantastic vision and breathtaking passes. He also liked to use his size to his advantage, often managing to bend the rules in the process. Hagman was perhaps a bit unfortunate in North America and never got the chance to play for a full season as a first line center, albeit I have no idea whether he actually deserved to be one in the NHL (it obviously wasn’t gonna happen in Edmonton). But Finnish fans consider him an absolute legend regardless - some even place him over Jari Kurri and Teemu Selänne.
- Father of Niklas Hagman
- Brother of Riitta Salin, 400 m European champion and world record holder in 1974 (who still owns the national record and would have placed 4th with that time in the 2010 European Championships)
- Son of Nisse Hagman, former sprinter and former vice president of the Finnish Athletics Federation
- Knocked Bobby Orr flat in the 1976 Canada Cup
- Started his NHL career as a 3rd/4th line center for Boston Bruins in 1976-77
- Became the first ever European Stanley Cup finalist in 1977
- Became unhappy with lack of playing time and was granted a trade to the WHA in ’77-78
- Lost his place as the first line center in his WHA team as soon as Christian Bordeleau recovered from his injury, saw most of his playing time disappear and decided to return to Finland
- Returned to the NHL in 1980 and spent 2 years as a 2nd line center behind Wayne Gretzky
- Returned to Finland again after a career year in 1982, once again frustrated with his lack of playing time
- 3 Canada Cups, 1 Olympic tournament and 4 World Championships; 39-41 points (depending on the source) in 55 games
- Finland’s best player in the 1976 Canada Cup
- Finland’s leading scorer in the 1976 and 1981 Canada Cups
- 3-time Finnish champion (1974, 1980 & 1983)
- 2-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1980 & 1983)
- 2-time Lynces Academic’s FEL Forward of the Year (1980 & 1983)
- 4-time FEL top scorer (1980, 1983, 1984 & 1985)
- 7 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (1-1-1-1-2-3-3)
- 2-time SM-liiga playoffs top scorer (1980 & 1983)
- 3 top 5 finishes in SM-liiga playoff scoring (1-1-3)
- 3rd best point producer in FEL history (3rd best p/g average in the top 50)
- Best single-season point/game average in SM-liiga history; 87 points in 35 games in 1979-80
- Captain of HIFK 1983-1985 and 1987-1989
- FEL Rookie of the Year in 1974
- Scored 16 points in 13 games in the FEL as a 17-year-old in 1972-73
- Ran 400 meters in 49.3 seconds as a teenager and won 6 individual medals at national junior levels before choosing hockey over track & field
Risto Siltanen, defenseman (b. 1958)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/s/siltari01.html
Profile: short (5’7 to 5’9 depending on the source) but very strong and stocky defenseman, as his nickname “The little Hulk” implied. He had virtually no real weaknesses and yet plenty of outstanding qualities such as his skating, hockey sense and passing skills and also knew where to be on the ice at both ends of the rink. His greatest claim to fame however was possessing one of the hardest slapshots in the NHL. Siltanen went to North America as a very young man in the late 70s, but grew tired of constant travelling over the years and finally decided to return to Europe in 1987, at the age of 28.
- Best single-season p/g average by a Finnish NHL defenseman (63 points in 63 games in 1981-82)
- Most assists by a defenseman in a single NHL playoff game; 5 on April 14th 1987
- Became the first ever Oilers defenseman to score a hat trick in the NHL on April 4th 1981
- Was traded midway through ’85-86 and had one of the shortest trips to his new team in NHL history: he simply switched locker rooms and played the game for Quebec instead of Hartford. He had quite a bit of trouble with line changes that day though!
- 1 Canada Cup and 3 World Championships; 7 points in 31 games
- Finland’s best defenseman in the 1981 Canada Cup
- SM-liiga silver medallist in 1990 and bronze medallist in 1989
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year in 1990 (Hannu Virta won the Rautakallio trophy)
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1977, 1989 & 1990)
- SM-liiga Rookie of the Year in 1977
- 2nd youngest All Star Team member in FEL history; 18 in 1977 (beaten by a couple of months by Jarmo Wasama in 1962)
- 2-time member of the WJC All Star Team (1977 & 1978, alongside Slava Fetisov btw)
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Details on tier 3 players:
Seppo Lindström, defenseman (b. 1941)
Profile: physically gifted and always reliable defenseman with an uncompromising attitude. He had speed, stamina and strength and together with Ilpo Koskela formed clearly the best defensive partnership of the 1971 World Championships. Very few modern hockey fans seem to have heard of him, but his achievements are certainly up there with the absolute greatest Finnish defensemen of the 60s and 70s.
- 3 Olympic tournaments and 7 World Championships; 15 points in 89 games
- 3rd among defensemen in All Star voting in the 1971 World Championships
- Led Finnish defensemen in assists (4) in the 1972 Olympics
- Led Finnish defensemen in goals (2) and points (4) in the 1974 World Championships
- Played his last major international tournament just before turning 36
- Finnish champion in 1976 + 2-time silver medallist and 2-time bronze medallist
- 5-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1968-71 & 1973, but actually played the 1970-71 season in Austria)
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year in 1973
- 147 points (56+91) in 342 FEL games
- Austrian champion in 1971
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1969
Lalli Partinen, defenseman (b. 1941)
Profile: physical defenseman known for his huge hits and widely considered the toughest Finnish player of his generation. At 6’2 and over 220 pounds he was a giant for his era and made up for his lack of agility and acceleration with a tremendous reach, impressive strength and very good hockey sense and ability to position himself on the ice. Partinen carried his team SaiPa in the FEL throughout the 1960s, playing monstrous minutes and saving them from relegation numerous times until 1969 when they were finally beyond helping. He then moved to play for HIFK and immediately won his first FEL championship.
- 1 Olympic tournament and 5 World Championships; 6 points in 46 games
- Made a name for himself in international hockey by knocking down 3 players in a row whilst carrying the puck vs. Canada in the 1965 World Championships
- 2-time Finnish champion (1970 & 1974), 2-time silver medallist and 3-time bronze medallist
- 2-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1965 & 1973)
- Most career penalty minutes in the FEL; 858 (record broken by Toni Mäkiaho in 2002-03)
- Most penalty minutes in a single FEL season; 116 in ’75-76 (record broken by Brent Sapergia in 1987)
- 165 points (56+109) in 436 FEL games
- Captain of SaiPa 1962-1969
- Only Finn ever to get a separate farewell game (HIFK vs. Ässät in September 1977)
Matti Keinonen, left wing (b. 1941)
Profile: the most unpredictable Finnish player in the 1960s - a great stickhandler who could turn on a dime and had the most infuriating smile in the country. Always a fan favorite thanks to his highlight reel moves, always a coach favorite thanks to his responsible defensive play and somehow virtually always at his best against Sweden. The slow Canadian amateur defensemen were likewise often humiliated by this slippery Finn and then enraged by his smile that followed every successful deke. His stats may not look as impressive as one might expect, but his real specialty was to provide unforgettable moments and performances instead.
- 2 Olympic tournaments and 9 World Championships; 39 points in 83 games (not counting 2nd assists)
- Led Finland in goals and points in the 1963 World Championships (scored 6 points vs. USA)
- Member of the IIHF Hall of Fame (inducted in 2002)
- 2-time Finnish champion (1963 & 1967), 2-time silver medallist and 2-time bronze medallist
- Has the SM-liiga Plus/Minus award named after him
- 5-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1963, 1965, 1967-68 & 1970)
- FEL top scorer and goalscorer in 1967
- 5 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (1-3-4-5-5)
- 311 points (186+125) in 267 FEL games
Jorma Peltonen, center (b. 1944, d. 2010)
Profile: the very best Finnish playmaker of the 1960s. His hockey sense and passing ability were astonishing, but he was also a faceoff specialist and could both skate and shoot the puck well. He demanded a lot from himself and his teammates and would regularly plan the plays beforehand with his long time linemate Lasse Oksanen. Given Peltonen’s skillset and almost Gretzky-like dominance in the domestic scoring race year after year, it’s actually very surprising that he isn’t more revered in Finland, even if his international career was no match for Oksanen.
- 3 Olympic tournaments and 6 World Championships; 34 points in 70 games (not counting 2nd assists)
- Led Finland in points (7) in the 1969 World Championships
- 2-time Finnish champion (1966 & 1972), 3-time silver medallist and 5-time bronze medallist
- 2-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1966 & 1969)
- 5-time FEL top scorer (1966, 1968-1970 & 1972, most scoring titles in FEL history)
- 10 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (1-1-1-1-1-2-2-5-5-5)
- Finished his FEL career with a respectable 13 points in 13 games in ‘80-81 and 2 points in 3 games in ’81-82
- 531 points (240+291) in 329 FEL games (19th on the all time list, best p/g average in the top 50)
- Best assists/game average in a singe FEL season; 41 assists in 21 games in 1969-70
- Fastest 2 assists in FEL history; 6 seconds on November 2nd 1967
- Fastest 4 assists in FEL history; 15 minutes and 37 seconds on November 4th 1969
- Captain of Ilves 1971-75
Ilpo Koskela, defenseman (b. 1945, d. 1997)
Profile: smallish (5’10/165) player who rarely hit people or participated in puck battles in the corners, but instead relied on his brilliant hockey sense and also made good use of his solid skating, stickhandling and positioning skills. He was very mobile thanks to his excellent balance and unmatched stamina that allowed him to handle any workload and move equally well to any direction he chose, but his playing style was still very much based on calculated decisions and he was extremely calm both with and without the puck. The only thing he really could be criticized for was surprisingly enough his reluctance to train in the summer – he preferred to spend his time at his summer cottage, so his coaches agreed to let their most valuable player to train on his own until the season would start. And despite all this, Koskela could still play more minutes per game than anyone else in Finland!
- 2 Olympic tournaments and 4 World Championships; 14 points in 54 games
- Led Finnish defensemen in goals (1), assists (2) and points (3) in the 1968 Olympics
- Led Finland in goals (6) and points (7) in the 1971 World Championships
- Member of the World Championships All Star Team in 1971 (first ever Finn to be selected)
- Best Defenseman of the 1971 World Championships (along with Jan Suchy) as selected by the IIHF Directorate
- Was asked to play in the 1974 World Championships, but decided to end his national team career whilst still in his prime
- Finnish champion in 1973 and silver medallist in 1971
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1968, 1970 & 1971)
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year in 1971
- 149 points (67+82) in 349 FEL games
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1971
Juha Rantasila, defenseman (b. 1945)
Profile: tough offensive defenseman who had one of the hardest and most accurate slapshots of his era and was equally famous for his high-flying elbows. Rantasila was one of the very first Finns who really took hockey as a profession and was somewhat of an individualist – he even decided to end his national team career after being part of one of the finest five-man units in Finnish hockey history in the ’74 Worlds, because he deemed his own performance a disappointment in that tournament.
- 2 Olympic tournaments and 5 World Championships; 26 points in 57 games
- Led Finland in goals (4) and Finnish defensemen in points (6) in the 1969 World Championships
- Scored 4 goals and 6 points in just 3 games in the 1972 Olympics
- Led Finnish defensemen in goals (4) and points (8) in the 1972 World Championships
- First pairing defenseman for Finland in the 1974 World Championships
- 4-time Finnish champion (1965, 1969-70 & 1974), 2-time silver medallist and 2-time bronze medallist
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1966, 1969 & 1974)
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year in 1974
- FEL top goalscorer in 1971 (still remains the only defenseman who’s ever won the title)
- 1 top 5 finish in FEL scoring (4th in 1974, HIFK’s top scorer as they won the championship)
- Most goals by a defenseman in a single FEL season; 30 in 32 games in1970-71
- Outscored his coach/teammate Carl Brewer by 4 points in the 1968-69 season
- Joint top scorer of HIFK’s championship-winning squad in 1970
- 264 points (161+103) in 326 FEL games
Esa Peltonen, left wing (b. 1947)
Profile: phenomenal skater with tremendous north-south speed and amazing technique who was hungry for goals and had arguably the best high speed puck control in Finland. He worked extremely hard to develop his skills pretty much since childhood and became particularly great at finishing the plays. Although he was quite the team player and his exceptional speed allowed him to effectively kill penalties, the one play that best defined Peltonen was skating straight towards the slot to release his feared wristshot or one-timer.
- Father of Ville Peltonen
- 1 Canada Cup, 4 Olympic tournaments and 10 World Championships; 63 points in 112 games (not counting all the 2nd assists)
- Selected to the 1967 World Championship squad despite playing at tier 2 level in Finland
- Was a first line left wing for Finland virtually throughout the 1970s
- Member of the IIHF Hall of Fame (inducted in 2007)
- 3-time Finnish champion (1974, 1980 & 1983), 3-time silver medallist and 1-time bronze medallist
- 4-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1971, 1973, 1974 & 1977)
- 1 top 5 finish in FEL scoring (4th in 1972)
- 1 top 5 finish in SM-liiga playoff scoring (3rd in 1980)
- 527 points (317+210) in 488 FEL games (20th on the all time list, 3rd best goalscorer ever)
Antti Leppänen, goaltender (b. 1947)
Profile: somewhat chubby goalie at 5’8 and over 190 pounds who played with a very unorthodox style. At times he looked like a soccer keeper with the way he stopped the low shots, but more often than not the moves actually worked. The secrets behind his success were his incredible quickness and reflexes, though the extra pounds did help him cover the net better. He also had a really suitable personality for a team sport and could crack jokes with the best of them. Perhaps the most recognizable thing about him however was his hideous goalie mask, specifically designed to scare his opponents. At his best in 1973 he even attracted the interest of several NHL teams, but never really felt tempted to leave Finland.
- 1 Canada Cup, 1 Olympic tournament and 3 World Championships; 24 games played
- Had a 92.31 save % over 7 games in the 1975 World Championships
- Stopped 72/79 shots in 3 games in the 1976 Olympics
- 2-time Finnish champion (1975 & 1977), 3-time silver medallist and 1-time bronze medallist
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1973, 1974 & 1975)
- 3-time Lynces Academic’s FEL Goaltender of the Year (1973, 1974 & 1975)
- 308 FEL games between 1966 and 1978, all of them for Tappara (2.94 GAA and 90.29 save %)
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1973
Pekka Marjamäki, defenseman (b. 1947)
Profile: big (6’1/203), fast and relatively strong defenseman who nevertheless relied much more on his skillset than his size. He was calm by nature, rarely made mistakes and could make very accurate outlet passes. His specialty however was faking the shot and skating around the shot blocker, a move he mastered so well that it worked time and time again. Not that his opponents had much choice though, since he also had a superb slapshot. Marjamäki is an interesting case in that he went from national hero to national traitor in just one year: first he excelled in the ’75 Worlds and then was blamed to be the main man behind a strike that left the ’76 World Championship squad with just one TPS/Tappara player (the squad had 6 of them in ‘75). Marjamäki himself has admitted that he didn’t hide his opinions as much as his contemporaries, but also considers the accusations of him provoking the strike a heavy exaggeration at the time. These days he has no bitterness towards the incident however and he actually regards it as one of his funniest hockey memories.
- 2 Olympic tournaments and 10 World Championships; 31 points in 101 games
- Member of the All Star Team in the 1975 World Championships
- Best Defenseman of the 1975 World Championships as selected by the IIHF Directorate
- Led Finland in goals (6) and points (8) in the 1975 World Championships
- Member of the IIHF Hall of Fame (inducted in 1998)
- 5-time Finnish champion (1975, 1977, 1979, 1982 & 1984), 3-time silver medallist and 1-time bronze medallist
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1975, 1976 & 1978)
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year in 1975
- 254 points (125+129) in 476 FEL games
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1975 (note that WHA/NHL players were ignored that year)
Timo Nummelin, defenseman (b. 1948)
Profile: extremely loyal, determined, hardworking and yet gentleman-like defenseman who became a TPS icon in both hockey and soccer. Many people have wondered how good Nummelin would have become had he quit his secondary sport in his teens, but then they wouldn’t have witnessed him achieve the impossible: actually becoming the best player in the country in both sports.
- Father of Petteri Nummelin (who was likewise a promising soccer prospect in his youth)
- 2 Canada Cups, 1 Olympic tournament and 8 Wold Championships; 19 points in 85 games
- Was considered too old to play in the 1980 Olympics, but ended up playing his best international tournament ever a year later in the 1981 World Championships
- Finnish champion in 1976, 4-time silver medallist and 3-time bronze medallist
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1972, 1976 & 1981)
- 3-time Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year (1972, 1976, 1981)
- Most FEL seasons ever; 23 (1964-87 + one game in ’93-94, Pertti Lehtonen has since tied the record)
- Oldest player in SM-liiga history; 45 on December 9th 1993 (was paired with his son Petteri)
- 337 consecutive FEL regular season games between 1978 and 1987
- SM-liiga Plus/Minus award winner in 1982
- 294 points (147+147) in 691 FEL games, all of them for TPS
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1981 & Finnish Footballer of the Year in 1968 (only Finn ever to win both awards, albeit WHA/NHL players were still ignored in ‘81)
- 3-time Finnish champion in soccer (1968, 1971 & 1972), also with TPS
Heikki Riihiranta, defenseman (b. 1948)
Profile: not amongst the most skilled Finns of his time, but his incredible determination and intelligence to develop himself as a player still made him one of the best defensive defensemen in Europe. Riihiranta was a tough, physical player with great leadership ability who was excellent at clearing the crease and defending in one-on-one situations. He actually started his career as a winger, but when Carl Brewer became HIFK’s coach in 1968 he soon moved the heavy hitter to defense. Not a bad decision.
- One of the first 2 Finns to play in the WHA (debuted there in 1974-75)
- WHA champion in 1976
- 1 Canada Cup, 1 Olympic tournament and 4 World Championships; 11 points in 47 games
- First pairing defenseman for Finland in the 1974 World Championships and in the 1976 Canada Cup
- 5-time Finnish champion (1969-70, 1974, 1980 & 1983), 1-time silver medallist and 3-time bronze medallist
- Member of the FEL All Star Team in 1974
- 169 points (50+119) in 393 FEL games, all of them for HIFK
- Captain of HIFK 1977-1983
Lauri Mononen, center/wing (b. 1950)
WHA stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/m/mononla01.html
Profile: skilful player whose attitude was ahead of his time: he never cared about the local top league as much as the other Finns, but was extremely determined to succeed in international hockey and to become the best player in the world. He would coast through the league season and play just well enough to make the national team and then train like a madman just prior to the Olympics and World Championships. He refused to accept defeat, even against the likes of Soviet Union, and put up some monster individual performances in otherwise really lopsided games.
- 1 Olympic tournament and 6 World Championships; 46 points in 56 games (not counting 2nd assists)
- Received his first NHL offer in 1969 (LA Kings), just after his first World Championships
- 2nd best goalscorer in the 1972 Olympics (behind Valeri Kharlamov)
- 4th in scoring in the 1972 World Championships (behind Maltsev, Vikulov and Yakushev, but ahead of Kharlamov and Mikhailov)
- 2nd most points (15) by a Finn in a single international tournament (Saku Koivu scored 16 in 1999, but Koivu’s total includes 2nd assists)
- Participated in the Maple Leafs’ training camp in 1972 along with 2 other Finns and was told that the ’73 Worlds would seal the fate of his NHL contract
- Was awarded for 100 national team games at the age of 22 (and would play only 45 more afterwards)
- Got his ankle broken and NHL dream crushed vs. Poland in the 1973 World Championships, attacked the Russian police out of frustration for mistreating him the following morning and was banned from hockey for one year by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association, missing the ’73-74 season entirely (save for a few games at Finnish tier 2 level)
- Came within an inch of securing Finland’s first ever medal in the 1975 Worlds. He had scored Finland’s both goals against Sweden and got a breakaway in the last minute of the game, deked the goalie and released a shot that was heading towards the open net…until the puck hit his own teammate’s skate and bounced off the crossbar. Finland and Sweden both finished with 10 points and had both beaten the other by a single goal, but Sweden won the bronze thanks to an away goal rule that has since been abandoned.
- Was invited to the Roadrunners’ training camp in 1975 and made the team
- Got frustrated with lack of playing time, the WHA’s playing style and his teammates’ lack of skill and deemed the whole league overrated. Decided to leave NA no later than during the ’75 Christmas break, but ended up spending 2 seasons there, playing only a few shifts per game according to the player himself. Roadrunners had no less than 4 Finns playing for them in 1976-77.
- Never selected to another major international tournament after the ’75 World Championships
- Finnish champion in 1973 + silver medallist in 1971
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1969, 1972 & 1975)
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Forward of the Year in 1972
- 1 top 5 finish in FEL scoring (4th in 1975, 3 points shy of 1st place)
- Most goals in a single SM-liiga game; 6 on October 9th 1977 (has been tied twice since)
- 3rd youngest All Star Team member in FEL history (behind Jarmo Wasama and Risto Siltanen)
- 252 points (157+95) in 248 FEL games
- Swiss champion in 1979
- Scored hat tricks in his men’s league debut at 15, national team debut at 18 and WHA debut at 25 (all 3 goals in the first period) and scored 6 goals when he returned to Finland and debuted for HIFK in 1977
- Signature move: triple spin-o-rama behind the opponent’s net
- Once broke the puck in half with a vicious slap shot – only one of the halves found the net, but the goal stood!
Juhani Tamminen, right wing (b. 1950)
WHA stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/t/tammiju01.html
Profile: gifted athlete who’s always been willing to lead the way and who used his good shot at every opportunity. He dedicated himself to extensive physical training and was rewarded with first line duties in just about every major international tournament in the 1970s. Tamminen’s colorful nature and endless confidence have made him a hero to some and a joke to others, but these qualities also made him a player you could always count on when the stakes were high.
- Participated in the Maple Leafs’ training camp in 1972 and was told the same thing as Mononen (but only managed 4 points in 10 games in the ’73 Worlds)
- 1 Canada Cup, 1 Olympic tournament and 10 World Championships; 56 points in 98 games (not counting 2nd assists)
- Scored twice as Finland beat Soviet Union (4-2) for the first time in history in December 1971
- Led Finland in goals (6) in the 1978 World Championships and scored 2 of them in a 6-4 win vs. Canada
- Led Finland in first assists in the 1972 & 1974 World Championships (2nd assists didn’t count back then)
- Finnish champion in 1974, 5-time silver medallist and 3-time bronze medallist
- Member of the FEL All Star Team in 1974
- 3 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (3-5-5)
- 1 top 5 finish in SM-liiga playoff scoring (2nd in 1979, one point short of 1st place)
- 413 points (199+214) in 380 FEL games (43rd on the all time list)
- National team captain 1978-82
Martti Jarkko, center (b. 1953)
Profile: immensely gifted stickhandling wizard who had a plethora of highlight reel moves, a terrific hockey sense and the ability to thread a needle with his passes. However, he was likewise famous for his lazy attitude towards training, couldn’t care less about defending, was a mediocre to average skater at best and had no ambition whatsoever. When the rest of his team began training for the season ahead, this man would start planning for his yearly 2-week beach vacation! He basically relied on his amazing natural talent alone and yet piled up points like few others in the entire FEL history. His lazy attitude and stubbornness would regularly lead to clashes with his coaches and the national team staff took notice, but being left out of the World Championship squads hardly bothered the guy. He wasn’t used to playing tons of games a season and got to play more than enough as it was. Had he cared to try harder, Jarkko could have become one of the greatest Finns of all time…but instead he’s now merely one of the greatest FEL players ever.
- 2nd ever Finn to be drafted by an NHL team (Islanders, 235th overall in 1974)
- 2 World Championships; 11 points in 20 games
- 3-time Finnish champion (1975, 1977 & 1979), 5-time silver medallist and 2-time bronze medallist
- 2-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1976 & 1977)
- 2-time FEL top scorer (1976 & 1977)
- 5 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (1-1-2-2-4)
- 2 top 5 finishes in SM-liiga playoff scoring (2-2)
- 575 points (274+301) in 382 FEL games (10th on the all time list, 2nd best p/g average in the top 50)
Mikko Leinonen, center (b. 1955)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/l/leinomi01.html
Profile: clever player with excellent stickhandling skills and good stamina. More here:
http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13363
- Rangers’ 6th best scorer in 1983
- Most assists in a single NHL playoff game; 6 vs. Flyers in 1982 (Wayne Gretzky later tied the record)
- 1 Canada Cup, 1 Olympic tournament and 3 World Championships; 22 points in 36 games
- Led Finland in goals and points in the 1981 World Championships
- 3-time Finnish champion (1975, 1977 & 1981), 2-time silver medallist and 3-time bronze medallist
- Member of the FEL All Star Team in 1981
- 2 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (5-5)
- 1 top 5 finish in SM-liiga playoff scoring (3rd in 1977)
- Elitserien champion in 1979
Tapio Levo, defenseman (b. 1955)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/l/levota01.html
Profile: big, physical and agile offensive defenseman with a really hard shot. Levo signed with the Colorado Rockies in 1981 along with 3 other Finns and was the only one of them who got quality ice time and managed to prove himself in the NHL. However, he was so dedicated to his Finnish home team Ässät that he would have preferred to return back to Finland as soon as his rookie season ended. But his team was not willing to let him go so he played one more good season in the NHL (individually speaking anyways), growing even more tired of travelling and then chose the easier schedule that awaited in his home country.
- Devils’ 4th best scorer in 1983, 4th best sophomore season by a Finnish defenseman in terms of points
- 2 Canada Cups, 1 Olympic Tournament and 5 World Championships; 28 points in 58-60 games (depending on the source)
- First pairing defenseman for Finland in the 1981 Canada Cup
- Finland’s top scoring defenseman in the 1980 Olympics and the 1981 World Championships
- Finnish champion in 1978, 4-time silver medallist and 1-time bronze medallist
- 2-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1984 & 1985)
- 2-time SM-liiga Defenseman of the Year (1984 & 1985)
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year in 1984
- 1 top 5 finish in SM-liiga playoff scoring (4th in 1984, led his team in points)
- 40th best point producer in FEL history and 3rd among defensemen
Kari Eloranta, defenseman (b. 1956)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/e/eloraka01.html
Profile: http://flameslegends.blogspot.com/2010/03/kari-eloranta.html
- Led the Flames in plus/minus in 1983 and was 4th in the team in 1984
- 1 Canada Cup, 3 Olympic tournaments & 4 World Championships; 24 points in 63 games
- Olympic silver medallist in 1988 (Finland’s first ever medal)
- 3-time Elitserien bronze medallist
- Elitserien Player of the Year in 1986 (players’ choice)
- 2-time NLA champion (1988 & 1990) + 1-time silver medallist (1989)
- Member of the NLA All Star Team in 1990
- Led NLA defensemen in assists in 1988
- 2-time Finnish champion in soccer (1982 & 1986)
Seppo Lindström, defenseman (b. 1941)
Profile: physically gifted and always reliable defenseman with an uncompromising attitude. He had speed, stamina and strength and together with Ilpo Koskela formed clearly the best defensive partnership of the 1971 World Championships. Very few modern hockey fans seem to have heard of him, but his achievements are certainly up there with the absolute greatest Finnish defensemen of the 60s and 70s.
- 3 Olympic tournaments and 7 World Championships; 15 points in 89 games
- 3rd among defensemen in All Star voting in the 1971 World Championships
- Led Finnish defensemen in assists (4) in the 1972 Olympics
- Led Finnish defensemen in goals (2) and points (4) in the 1974 World Championships
- Played his last major international tournament just before turning 36
- Finnish champion in 1976 + 2-time silver medallist and 2-time bronze medallist
- 5-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1968-71 & 1973, but actually played the 1970-71 season in Austria)
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year in 1973
- 147 points (56+91) in 342 FEL games
- Austrian champion in 1971
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1969
Lalli Partinen, defenseman (b. 1941)
Profile: physical defenseman known for his huge hits and widely considered the toughest Finnish player of his generation. At 6’2 and over 220 pounds he was a giant for his era and made up for his lack of agility and acceleration with a tremendous reach, impressive strength and very good hockey sense and ability to position himself on the ice. Partinen carried his team SaiPa in the FEL throughout the 1960s, playing monstrous minutes and saving them from relegation numerous times until 1969 when they were finally beyond helping. He then moved to play for HIFK and immediately won his first FEL championship.
- 1 Olympic tournament and 5 World Championships; 6 points in 46 games
- Made a name for himself in international hockey by knocking down 3 players in a row whilst carrying the puck vs. Canada in the 1965 World Championships
- 2-time Finnish champion (1970 & 1974), 2-time silver medallist and 3-time bronze medallist
- 2-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1965 & 1973)
- Most career penalty minutes in the FEL; 858 (record broken by Toni Mäkiaho in 2002-03)
- Most penalty minutes in a single FEL season; 116 in ’75-76 (record broken by Brent Sapergia in 1987)
- 165 points (56+109) in 436 FEL games
- Captain of SaiPa 1962-1969
- Only Finn ever to get a separate farewell game (HIFK vs. Ässät in September 1977)
Matti Keinonen, left wing (b. 1941)
Profile: the most unpredictable Finnish player in the 1960s - a great stickhandler who could turn on a dime and had the most infuriating smile in the country. Always a fan favorite thanks to his highlight reel moves, always a coach favorite thanks to his responsible defensive play and somehow virtually always at his best against Sweden. The slow Canadian amateur defensemen were likewise often humiliated by this slippery Finn and then enraged by his smile that followed every successful deke. His stats may not look as impressive as one might expect, but his real specialty was to provide unforgettable moments and performances instead.
- 2 Olympic tournaments and 9 World Championships; 39 points in 83 games (not counting 2nd assists)
- Led Finland in goals and points in the 1963 World Championships (scored 6 points vs. USA)
- Member of the IIHF Hall of Fame (inducted in 2002)
- 2-time Finnish champion (1963 & 1967), 2-time silver medallist and 2-time bronze medallist
- Has the SM-liiga Plus/Minus award named after him
- 5-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1963, 1965, 1967-68 & 1970)
- FEL top scorer and goalscorer in 1967
- 5 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (1-3-4-5-5)
- 311 points (186+125) in 267 FEL games
Jorma Peltonen, center (b. 1944, d. 2010)
Profile: the very best Finnish playmaker of the 1960s. His hockey sense and passing ability were astonishing, but he was also a faceoff specialist and could both skate and shoot the puck well. He demanded a lot from himself and his teammates and would regularly plan the plays beforehand with his long time linemate Lasse Oksanen. Given Peltonen’s skillset and almost Gretzky-like dominance in the domestic scoring race year after year, it’s actually very surprising that he isn’t more revered in Finland, even if his international career was no match for Oksanen.
- 3 Olympic tournaments and 6 World Championships; 34 points in 70 games (not counting 2nd assists)
- Led Finland in points (7) in the 1969 World Championships
- 2-time Finnish champion (1966 & 1972), 3-time silver medallist and 5-time bronze medallist
- 2-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1966 & 1969)
- 5-time FEL top scorer (1966, 1968-1970 & 1972, most scoring titles in FEL history)
- 10 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (1-1-1-1-1-2-2-5-5-5)
- Finished his FEL career with a respectable 13 points in 13 games in ‘80-81 and 2 points in 3 games in ’81-82
- 531 points (240+291) in 329 FEL games (19th on the all time list, best p/g average in the top 50)
- Best assists/game average in a singe FEL season; 41 assists in 21 games in 1969-70
- Fastest 2 assists in FEL history; 6 seconds on November 2nd 1967
- Fastest 4 assists in FEL history; 15 minutes and 37 seconds on November 4th 1969
- Captain of Ilves 1971-75
Ilpo Koskela, defenseman (b. 1945, d. 1997)
Profile: smallish (5’10/165) player who rarely hit people or participated in puck battles in the corners, but instead relied on his brilliant hockey sense and also made good use of his solid skating, stickhandling and positioning skills. He was very mobile thanks to his excellent balance and unmatched stamina that allowed him to handle any workload and move equally well to any direction he chose, but his playing style was still very much based on calculated decisions and he was extremely calm both with and without the puck. The only thing he really could be criticized for was surprisingly enough his reluctance to train in the summer – he preferred to spend his time at his summer cottage, so his coaches agreed to let their most valuable player to train on his own until the season would start. And despite all this, Koskela could still play more minutes per game than anyone else in Finland!
- 2 Olympic tournaments and 4 World Championships; 14 points in 54 games
- Led Finnish defensemen in goals (1), assists (2) and points (3) in the 1968 Olympics
- Led Finland in goals (6) and points (7) in the 1971 World Championships
- Member of the World Championships All Star Team in 1971 (first ever Finn to be selected)
- Best Defenseman of the 1971 World Championships (along with Jan Suchy) as selected by the IIHF Directorate
- Was asked to play in the 1974 World Championships, but decided to end his national team career whilst still in his prime
- Finnish champion in 1973 and silver medallist in 1971
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1968, 1970 & 1971)
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year in 1971
- 149 points (67+82) in 349 FEL games
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1971
Juha Rantasila, defenseman (b. 1945)
Profile: tough offensive defenseman who had one of the hardest and most accurate slapshots of his era and was equally famous for his high-flying elbows. Rantasila was one of the very first Finns who really took hockey as a profession and was somewhat of an individualist – he even decided to end his national team career after being part of one of the finest five-man units in Finnish hockey history in the ’74 Worlds, because he deemed his own performance a disappointment in that tournament.
- 2 Olympic tournaments and 5 World Championships; 26 points in 57 games
- Led Finland in goals (4) and Finnish defensemen in points (6) in the 1969 World Championships
- Scored 4 goals and 6 points in just 3 games in the 1972 Olympics
- Led Finnish defensemen in goals (4) and points (8) in the 1972 World Championships
- First pairing defenseman for Finland in the 1974 World Championships
- 4-time Finnish champion (1965, 1969-70 & 1974), 2-time silver medallist and 2-time bronze medallist
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1966, 1969 & 1974)
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year in 1974
- FEL top goalscorer in 1971 (still remains the only defenseman who’s ever won the title)
- 1 top 5 finish in FEL scoring (4th in 1974, HIFK’s top scorer as they won the championship)
- Most goals by a defenseman in a single FEL season; 30 in 32 games in1970-71
- Outscored his coach/teammate Carl Brewer by 4 points in the 1968-69 season
- Joint top scorer of HIFK’s championship-winning squad in 1970
- 264 points (161+103) in 326 FEL games
Esa Peltonen, left wing (b. 1947)
Profile: phenomenal skater with tremendous north-south speed and amazing technique who was hungry for goals and had arguably the best high speed puck control in Finland. He worked extremely hard to develop his skills pretty much since childhood and became particularly great at finishing the plays. Although he was quite the team player and his exceptional speed allowed him to effectively kill penalties, the one play that best defined Peltonen was skating straight towards the slot to release his feared wristshot or one-timer.
- Father of Ville Peltonen
- 1 Canada Cup, 4 Olympic tournaments and 10 World Championships; 63 points in 112 games (not counting all the 2nd assists)
- Selected to the 1967 World Championship squad despite playing at tier 2 level in Finland
- Was a first line left wing for Finland virtually throughout the 1970s
- Member of the IIHF Hall of Fame (inducted in 2007)
- 3-time Finnish champion (1974, 1980 & 1983), 3-time silver medallist and 1-time bronze medallist
- 4-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1971, 1973, 1974 & 1977)
- 1 top 5 finish in FEL scoring (4th in 1972)
- 1 top 5 finish in SM-liiga playoff scoring (3rd in 1980)
- 527 points (317+210) in 488 FEL games (20th on the all time list, 3rd best goalscorer ever)
Antti Leppänen, goaltender (b. 1947)
Profile: somewhat chubby goalie at 5’8 and over 190 pounds who played with a very unorthodox style. At times he looked like a soccer keeper with the way he stopped the low shots, but more often than not the moves actually worked. The secrets behind his success were his incredible quickness and reflexes, though the extra pounds did help him cover the net better. He also had a really suitable personality for a team sport and could crack jokes with the best of them. Perhaps the most recognizable thing about him however was his hideous goalie mask, specifically designed to scare his opponents. At his best in 1973 he even attracted the interest of several NHL teams, but never really felt tempted to leave Finland.
- 1 Canada Cup, 1 Olympic tournament and 3 World Championships; 24 games played
- Had a 92.31 save % over 7 games in the 1975 World Championships
- Stopped 72/79 shots in 3 games in the 1976 Olympics
- 2-time Finnish champion (1975 & 1977), 3-time silver medallist and 1-time bronze medallist
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1973, 1974 & 1975)
- 3-time Lynces Academic’s FEL Goaltender of the Year (1973, 1974 & 1975)
- 308 FEL games between 1966 and 1978, all of them for Tappara (2.94 GAA and 90.29 save %)
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1973
Pekka Marjamäki, defenseman (b. 1947)
Profile: big (6’1/203), fast and relatively strong defenseman who nevertheless relied much more on his skillset than his size. He was calm by nature, rarely made mistakes and could make very accurate outlet passes. His specialty however was faking the shot and skating around the shot blocker, a move he mastered so well that it worked time and time again. Not that his opponents had much choice though, since he also had a superb slapshot. Marjamäki is an interesting case in that he went from national hero to national traitor in just one year: first he excelled in the ’75 Worlds and then was blamed to be the main man behind a strike that left the ’76 World Championship squad with just one TPS/Tappara player (the squad had 6 of them in ‘75). Marjamäki himself has admitted that he didn’t hide his opinions as much as his contemporaries, but also considers the accusations of him provoking the strike a heavy exaggeration at the time. These days he has no bitterness towards the incident however and he actually regards it as one of his funniest hockey memories.
- 2 Olympic tournaments and 10 World Championships; 31 points in 101 games
- Member of the All Star Team in the 1975 World Championships
- Best Defenseman of the 1975 World Championships as selected by the IIHF Directorate
- Led Finland in goals (6) and points (8) in the 1975 World Championships
- Member of the IIHF Hall of Fame (inducted in 1998)
- 5-time Finnish champion (1975, 1977, 1979, 1982 & 1984), 3-time silver medallist and 1-time bronze medallist
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1975, 1976 & 1978)
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year in 1975
- 254 points (125+129) in 476 FEL games
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1975 (note that WHA/NHL players were ignored that year)
Timo Nummelin, defenseman (b. 1948)
Profile: extremely loyal, determined, hardworking and yet gentleman-like defenseman who became a TPS icon in both hockey and soccer. Many people have wondered how good Nummelin would have become had he quit his secondary sport in his teens, but then they wouldn’t have witnessed him achieve the impossible: actually becoming the best player in the country in both sports.
- Father of Petteri Nummelin (who was likewise a promising soccer prospect in his youth)
- 2 Canada Cups, 1 Olympic tournament and 8 Wold Championships; 19 points in 85 games
- Was considered too old to play in the 1980 Olympics, but ended up playing his best international tournament ever a year later in the 1981 World Championships
- Finnish champion in 1976, 4-time silver medallist and 3-time bronze medallist
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1972, 1976 & 1981)
- 3-time Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year (1972, 1976, 1981)
- Most FEL seasons ever; 23 (1964-87 + one game in ’93-94, Pertti Lehtonen has since tied the record)
- Oldest player in SM-liiga history; 45 on December 9th 1993 (was paired with his son Petteri)
- 337 consecutive FEL regular season games between 1978 and 1987
- SM-liiga Plus/Minus award winner in 1982
- 294 points (147+147) in 691 FEL games, all of them for TPS
- Finnish Player of the Year in 1981 & Finnish Footballer of the Year in 1968 (only Finn ever to win both awards, albeit WHA/NHL players were still ignored in ‘81)
- 3-time Finnish champion in soccer (1968, 1971 & 1972), also with TPS
Heikki Riihiranta, defenseman (b. 1948)
Profile: not amongst the most skilled Finns of his time, but his incredible determination and intelligence to develop himself as a player still made him one of the best defensive defensemen in Europe. Riihiranta was a tough, physical player with great leadership ability who was excellent at clearing the crease and defending in one-on-one situations. He actually started his career as a winger, but when Carl Brewer became HIFK’s coach in 1968 he soon moved the heavy hitter to defense. Not a bad decision.
- One of the first 2 Finns to play in the WHA (debuted there in 1974-75)
- WHA champion in 1976
- 1 Canada Cup, 1 Olympic tournament and 4 World Championships; 11 points in 47 games
- First pairing defenseman for Finland in the 1974 World Championships and in the 1976 Canada Cup
- 5-time Finnish champion (1969-70, 1974, 1980 & 1983), 1-time silver medallist and 3-time bronze medallist
- Member of the FEL All Star Team in 1974
- 169 points (50+119) in 393 FEL games, all of them for HIFK
- Captain of HIFK 1977-1983
Lauri Mononen, center/wing (b. 1950)
WHA stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/m/mononla01.html
Profile: skilful player whose attitude was ahead of his time: he never cared about the local top league as much as the other Finns, but was extremely determined to succeed in international hockey and to become the best player in the world. He would coast through the league season and play just well enough to make the national team and then train like a madman just prior to the Olympics and World Championships. He refused to accept defeat, even against the likes of Soviet Union, and put up some monster individual performances in otherwise really lopsided games.
- 1 Olympic tournament and 6 World Championships; 46 points in 56 games (not counting 2nd assists)
- Received his first NHL offer in 1969 (LA Kings), just after his first World Championships
- 2nd best goalscorer in the 1972 Olympics (behind Valeri Kharlamov)
- 4th in scoring in the 1972 World Championships (behind Maltsev, Vikulov and Yakushev, but ahead of Kharlamov and Mikhailov)
- 2nd most points (15) by a Finn in a single international tournament (Saku Koivu scored 16 in 1999, but Koivu’s total includes 2nd assists)
- Participated in the Maple Leafs’ training camp in 1972 along with 2 other Finns and was told that the ’73 Worlds would seal the fate of his NHL contract
- Was awarded for 100 national team games at the age of 22 (and would play only 45 more afterwards)
- Got his ankle broken and NHL dream crushed vs. Poland in the 1973 World Championships, attacked the Russian police out of frustration for mistreating him the following morning and was banned from hockey for one year by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association, missing the ’73-74 season entirely (save for a few games at Finnish tier 2 level)
- Came within an inch of securing Finland’s first ever medal in the 1975 Worlds. He had scored Finland’s both goals against Sweden and got a breakaway in the last minute of the game, deked the goalie and released a shot that was heading towards the open net…until the puck hit his own teammate’s skate and bounced off the crossbar. Finland and Sweden both finished with 10 points and had both beaten the other by a single goal, but Sweden won the bronze thanks to an away goal rule that has since been abandoned.
- Was invited to the Roadrunners’ training camp in 1975 and made the team
- Got frustrated with lack of playing time, the WHA’s playing style and his teammates’ lack of skill and deemed the whole league overrated. Decided to leave NA no later than during the ’75 Christmas break, but ended up spending 2 seasons there, playing only a few shifts per game according to the player himself. Roadrunners had no less than 4 Finns playing for them in 1976-77.
- Never selected to another major international tournament after the ’75 World Championships
- Finnish champion in 1973 + silver medallist in 1971
- 3-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1969, 1972 & 1975)
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Forward of the Year in 1972
- 1 top 5 finish in FEL scoring (4th in 1975, 3 points shy of 1st place)
- Most goals in a single SM-liiga game; 6 on October 9th 1977 (has been tied twice since)
- 3rd youngest All Star Team member in FEL history (behind Jarmo Wasama and Risto Siltanen)
- 252 points (157+95) in 248 FEL games
- Swiss champion in 1979
- Scored hat tricks in his men’s league debut at 15, national team debut at 18 and WHA debut at 25 (all 3 goals in the first period) and scored 6 goals when he returned to Finland and debuted for HIFK in 1977
- Signature move: triple spin-o-rama behind the opponent’s net
- Once broke the puck in half with a vicious slap shot – only one of the halves found the net, but the goal stood!
Juhani Tamminen, right wing (b. 1950)
WHA stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/t/tammiju01.html
Profile: gifted athlete who’s always been willing to lead the way and who used his good shot at every opportunity. He dedicated himself to extensive physical training and was rewarded with first line duties in just about every major international tournament in the 1970s. Tamminen’s colorful nature and endless confidence have made him a hero to some and a joke to others, but these qualities also made him a player you could always count on when the stakes were high.
- Participated in the Maple Leafs’ training camp in 1972 and was told the same thing as Mononen (but only managed 4 points in 10 games in the ’73 Worlds)
- 1 Canada Cup, 1 Olympic tournament and 10 World Championships; 56 points in 98 games (not counting 2nd assists)
- Scored twice as Finland beat Soviet Union (4-2) for the first time in history in December 1971
- Led Finland in goals (6) in the 1978 World Championships and scored 2 of them in a 6-4 win vs. Canada
- Led Finland in first assists in the 1972 & 1974 World Championships (2nd assists didn’t count back then)
- Finnish champion in 1974, 5-time silver medallist and 3-time bronze medallist
- Member of the FEL All Star Team in 1974
- 3 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (3-5-5)
- 1 top 5 finish in SM-liiga playoff scoring (2nd in 1979, one point short of 1st place)
- 413 points (199+214) in 380 FEL games (43rd on the all time list)
- National team captain 1978-82
Martti Jarkko, center (b. 1953)
Profile: immensely gifted stickhandling wizard who had a plethora of highlight reel moves, a terrific hockey sense and the ability to thread a needle with his passes. However, he was likewise famous for his lazy attitude towards training, couldn’t care less about defending, was a mediocre to average skater at best and had no ambition whatsoever. When the rest of his team began training for the season ahead, this man would start planning for his yearly 2-week beach vacation! He basically relied on his amazing natural talent alone and yet piled up points like few others in the entire FEL history. His lazy attitude and stubbornness would regularly lead to clashes with his coaches and the national team staff took notice, but being left out of the World Championship squads hardly bothered the guy. He wasn’t used to playing tons of games a season and got to play more than enough as it was. Had he cared to try harder, Jarkko could have become one of the greatest Finns of all time…but instead he’s now merely one of the greatest FEL players ever.
- 2nd ever Finn to be drafted by an NHL team (Islanders, 235th overall in 1974)
- 2 World Championships; 11 points in 20 games
- 3-time Finnish champion (1975, 1977 & 1979), 5-time silver medallist and 2-time bronze medallist
- 2-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1976 & 1977)
- 2-time FEL top scorer (1976 & 1977)
- 5 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (1-1-2-2-4)
- 2 top 5 finishes in SM-liiga playoff scoring (2-2)
- 575 points (274+301) in 382 FEL games (10th on the all time list, 2nd best p/g average in the top 50)
Mikko Leinonen, center (b. 1955)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/l/leinomi01.html
Profile: clever player with excellent stickhandling skills and good stamina. More here:
http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13363
- Rangers’ 6th best scorer in 1983
- Most assists in a single NHL playoff game; 6 vs. Flyers in 1982 (Wayne Gretzky later tied the record)
- 1 Canada Cup, 1 Olympic tournament and 3 World Championships; 22 points in 36 games
- Led Finland in goals and points in the 1981 World Championships
- 3-time Finnish champion (1975, 1977 & 1981), 2-time silver medallist and 3-time bronze medallist
- Member of the FEL All Star Team in 1981
- 2 top 5 finishes in FEL scoring (5-5)
- 1 top 5 finish in SM-liiga playoff scoring (3rd in 1977)
- Elitserien champion in 1979
Tapio Levo, defenseman (b. 1955)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/l/levota01.html
Profile: big, physical and agile offensive defenseman with a really hard shot. Levo signed with the Colorado Rockies in 1981 along with 3 other Finns and was the only one of them who got quality ice time and managed to prove himself in the NHL. However, he was so dedicated to his Finnish home team Ässät that he would have preferred to return back to Finland as soon as his rookie season ended. But his team was not willing to let him go so he played one more good season in the NHL (individually speaking anyways), growing even more tired of travelling and then chose the easier schedule that awaited in his home country.
- Devils’ 4th best scorer in 1983, 4th best sophomore season by a Finnish defenseman in terms of points
- 2 Canada Cups, 1 Olympic Tournament and 5 World Championships; 28 points in 58-60 games (depending on the source)
- First pairing defenseman for Finland in the 1981 Canada Cup
- Finland’s top scoring defenseman in the 1980 Olympics and the 1981 World Championships
- Finnish champion in 1978, 4-time silver medallist and 1-time bronze medallist
- 2-time member of the FEL All Star Team (1984 & 1985)
- 2-time SM-liiga Defenseman of the Year (1984 & 1985)
- Lynces Academic’s FEL Defenseman of the Year in 1984
- 1 top 5 finish in SM-liiga playoff scoring (4th in 1984, led his team in points)
- 40th best point producer in FEL history and 3rd among defensemen
Kari Eloranta, defenseman (b. 1956)
Stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/e/eloraka01.html
Profile: http://flameslegends.blogspot.com/2010/03/kari-eloranta.html
- Led the Flames in plus/minus in 1983 and was 4th in the team in 1984
- 1 Canada Cup, 3 Olympic tournaments & 4 World Championships; 24 points in 63 games
- Olympic silver medallist in 1988 (Finland’s first ever medal)
- 3-time Elitserien bronze medallist
- Elitserien Player of the Year in 1986 (players’ choice)
- 2-time NLA champion (1988 & 1990) + 1-time silver medallist (1989)
- Member of the NLA All Star Team in 1990
- Led NLA defensemen in assists in 1988
- 2-time Finnish champion in soccer (1982 & 1986)
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