Niko Hovinen
Encyclopedia
Niko Hovinen is a Finnish professional ice hockey
goaltender
who currently plays for the Pelicans
of the SM-liiga
.
, after Tim Thomas
abruptly left the team only a day before the start of the 2005–06 regular season. Hovinen returned to the junior team for the rest of the season. He made his first SM-liiga start on November 23, 2006, against SaiPa
, again called up when three Jokerit goaltenders were injured.
During the 2007–08 season, Hovinen served as backup to Jussi Markkanen
. Hovinen was relegated to no. 3 goaltender when Jokerit acquired Joni Puurula from SaiPa
just before the end of regular season. Hovinen dressed up to serve as backup for Joni Puurula in several games during the 2007–08 playoffs as Jussi Markkanen got himself injured during the first game of playoffs.
. For the first time, Niko Hovinen will play outside of Jokerit-organization in 2008-09 season.
A tall goaltender at 196 cm, Hovinen covers the net very well and is considered a highly promising goaltender prospect.
Hovinen was ranked #10 on the International Scouting Service's list of goaltender prospects for the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
. He was drafted in the fifth round, 132nd overall, by the Minnesota Wild
.
's Philadelphia Flyers
on May 17, 2011. He will remain with the Pelicans
through the 2011–12 season.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
who currently plays for the Pelicans
Pelicans (ice hockey)
Pelicans is an ice hockey team playing in the SM-liiga, and formed in 1996. They play in the city of Lahti, Finland at Isku Arena. The team is partially owned by retired NHL goaltender Pasi Nurminen.-Notable players:* Sean Avery* Jason Bonsignore...
of the SM-liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
.
Jokerit (2005–2008)
Niko Hovinen's SM-liiga career started during the 2005-06 season when Hovinen dressed for a single regular-season Jokerit game as backup to Joonas HallikainenJoonas Hallikainen
Joonas Hallikainen is a Finnish ice hockey goaltender.Hallikainen has played with the Jokerit junior team, and has represented Team Finland in international play. When netminder Pasi Häkkinen left for Denmark after the 2004-2005 season, Hallikainen became the Jokerit #2 goalie in the SM-liiga...
, after Tim Thomas
Tim Thomas (ice hockey)
Timothy James Thomas, Jr. is an American professional ice hockey goaltender with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League . Raised in Davison, MI, Thomas played college hockey for the University of Vermont for four years, from 1993–1997, during which he was drafted 217th overall by the...
abruptly left the team only a day before the start of the 2005–06 regular season. Hovinen returned to the junior team for the rest of the season. He made his first SM-liiga start on November 23, 2006, against SaiPa
SaiPa
Saimaan Pallo is an ice hockey team in the Finnish SM-liiga. They play their home games at Kisapuisto in Lappeenranta, Finland.-History:The team's best achievement is from the 1965-1966 season, when they won bronze medals for placing third...
, again called up when three Jokerit goaltenders were injured.
During the 2007–08 season, Hovinen served as backup to Jussi Markkanen
Jussi Markkanen
Jussi Markkanen is an ice hockey goaltender for EV Zug of the National League A .-Playing career:Markkanen has played extensively in various European professional leagues as well as the NHL...
. Hovinen was relegated to no. 3 goaltender when Jokerit acquired Joni Puurula from SaiPa
SaiPa
Saimaan Pallo is an ice hockey team in the Finnish SM-liiga. They play their home games at Kisapuisto in Lappeenranta, Finland.-History:The team's best achievement is from the 1965-1966 season, when they won bronze medals for placing third...
just before the end of regular season. Hovinen dressed up to serve as backup for Joni Puurula in several games during the 2007–08 playoffs as Jussi Markkanen got himself injured during the first game of playoffs.
Pelicans (2008–current)
During the off-season of 2007–08 SM-liiga season, Niko Hovinen was contracted to PelicansPelicans (ice hockey)
Pelicans is an ice hockey team playing in the SM-liiga, and formed in 1996. They play in the city of Lahti, Finland at Isku Arena. The team is partially owned by retired NHL goaltender Pasi Nurminen.-Notable players:* Sean Avery* Jason Bonsignore...
. For the first time, Niko Hovinen will play outside of Jokerit-organization in 2008-09 season.
A tall goaltender at 196 cm, Hovinen covers the net very well and is considered a highly promising goaltender prospect.
Hovinen was ranked #10 on the International Scouting Service's list of goaltender prospects for the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
2006 NHL Entry Draft
The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 24, 2006.The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006....
. He was drafted in the fifth round, 132nd overall, by the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
.
NHL Philadelphia Flyers (2011)
Hovinen signed a two-year entry level contract with the National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
on May 17, 2011. He will remain with the Pelicans
Pelicans (ice hockey)
Pelicans is an ice hockey team playing in the SM-liiga, and formed in 1996. They play in the city of Lahti, Finland at Isku Arena. The team is partially owned by retired NHL goaltender Pasi Nurminen.-Notable players:* Sean Avery* Jason Bonsignore...
through the 2011–12 season.
Regular season
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | Sv% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–06 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2006–07 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 59.56 | 4 | 0 | 4.00 | 87.1% |
| 2007–08 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 60.00 | 12 | 0 | 5.78 | 83.3% |
| 2008–09 | Pelicans Pelicans (ice hockey) Pelicans is an ice hockey team playing in the SM-liiga, and formed in 1996. They play in the city of Lahti, Finland at Isku Arena. The team is partially owned by retired NHL goaltender Pasi Nurminen.-Notable players:* Sean Avery* Jason Bonsignore... |
SM-liiga | 21 | 7 | 12 | 1 | 1110.00 | 12 | 2 | 2.92 | 89.6% |
| 2009–10 | Pelicans | SM-liiga | 18 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 944.00 | 47 | 1 | 2.99 | 91.4% |
| SM-liiga Totals | 44 | 12 | 20 | 5 | 2173.56 | 75 | 3 | 2.25 | 87.8% | ||