Pauli Levokari
Encyclopedia
Pauli Levokari is a Finnish
professional ice hockey
defenceman
currently playing for SaiPa
in the Finnish SM-liiga
.
Levokari began his career at Ässät
his hometown team where he played from 1996 to 2001. He then moved to Jokerit
and then HIFK
where he recorded then-career high stats of three goals and five assists for eight points in just 21 games.
He was drafted 257th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers
in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft
and signed with the organisation. He played six games for the AHL
's Chicago Wolves
and six games in the ECHL
for the Greenville Grrrowl
before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets
with fellow Finn Tomi Kallio
for another Finn Petteri Nummelin
and Chris Nielsen
. He spent the rest of the 2002–03 season with the Syracuse Crunch
, playing 45 games and scoring four goals and six assists for ten points, his most productive to date. He continued to play for Syracuse until he was traded once more, moving to the Pittsburgh Penguins
for fellow minor-league player Brendan Buckley
. He finished the season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
and had a short playoff run with the team before returning to Finland.
In 2004 he returned to Ässät for one season before moving to Lukko
. In 2006, he signed for SaiPa
and remains a member of the team.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
professional ice hockey
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...
defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
currently playing for 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...
in the Finnish 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...
.
Levokari began his career at Ässät
Ässät
Ässät is an ice hockey team in the Finnish elite league, SM-liiga. They play in Pori, Finland at the Porin jäähalli.-Team history:...
his hometown team where he played from 1996 to 2001. He then moved to Jokerit
Jokerit
Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships...
and then HIFK
HIFK (ice hockey)
HIFK is an ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland. The team plays at Helsinki Ice Hall. It was founded in 1897...
where he recorded then-career high stats of three goals and five assists for eight points in just 21 games.
He was drafted 257th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft
2002 NHL Entry Draft
The 2002 NHL Entry Draft was held June 22–23 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. 291 players were drafted in total: 35 from the OHL; 23 from the QMJHL; 43 from the WHL; 41 from the NCAA; 6 from U.S high schools and 110 from outside North America....
and signed with the organisation. He played six games for the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
's Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
and six games in the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
for the Greenville Grrrowl
Greenville Grrrowl
The Greenville Grrrowl were an ECHL hockey team located in Greenville, South Carolina. They played their home games at the BI-LO Center. In the 2001-02 season, they won the Kelly Cup....
before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
with fellow Finn Tomi Kallio
Tomi Kallio
Tomi Kristian Kallio is a professional Finnish ice hockey player who plays right wing for Växjö Lakers Hockey in the Swedish Elitserien.-Playing career:...
for another Finn Petteri Nummelin
Petteri Nummelin
Petteri Nummelin is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman, and a former NHL defenceman for the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets. He currently plays for HC Lugano of the Swiss Nationalliga A. He was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets as their fifth-round pick, #133 overall, in the...
and Chris Nielsen
Chris Nielsen
Chris Nielsen is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre.Nielsen was born in Tanzania while his Canadian father was stationed there working for the Canadian International Development Agency...
. He spent the rest of the 2002–03 season with the Syracuse Crunch
Syracuse Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch are a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Syracuse, New York, at the War Memorial at Oncenter...
, playing 45 games and scoring four goals and six assists for ten points, his most productive to date. He continued to play for Syracuse until he was traded once more, moving to the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
for fellow minor-league player Brendan Buckley
Brendan Buckley (ice hockey)
Brendan Buckley is a professional ice hockey defenceman, who has played 569 regular-season games in the American Hockey League for the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Syracuse Crunch, Worcester IceCats, Peoria Rivermen, Manchester Monarchs, Worcester Sharks, and Chicago...
. He finished the season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins. They play in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza...
and had a short playoff run with the team before returning to Finland.
In 2004 he returned to Ässät for one season before moving to Lukko
Lukko
Lukko is an ice hockey team in the SM-liiga, formed 1936. The full name of the club is Rauman Lukko. They play in Rauma, Finland at the Äijänsuo Arena. They have won the national championship once, in 1963...
. In 2006, he signed for 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...
and remains a member of the team.