Saku Koivu
Encyclopedia
Saku Antero Koivu is a Finnish
professional ice hockey
player and an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens
in 1995–96 after three seasons with TPS
of the Finnish SM-liiga
. Koivu served as the Canadiens' captain
for nine of his thirteen seasons with the club, which makes his the longest captaincy tenure in team history tied with Jean Béliveau
. Koivu was the first European to captain the Montreal Canadiens.
in the Finnish SM-liiga
, beginning in 1992–93. He posted 10 points in his rookie season, including 5 points in the playoffs to help TPS to a Kanada-malja
championship. After improving to 53 points the following season, he put up a league-high 73 points in 1994–95. In addition to earning the Veli-Pekka Ketola trophy
as league scoring champion, Koivu was awarded the Kultainen kypärä award as the players' choice for the best player and the Lasse Oksanen trophy
as league MVP. He went on to record 17 points in 13 post-season games that year to earn the Jari Kurri trophy
as playoff MVP and win his second Kanada-malja trophy in three years with TPS.
Koivu would return to the TPS squad during the 2004–2005 NHL lockout, scoring 8 goals and 8 assists in 20 games.
in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft
, following his rookie season in the SM-liiga, as their first-round selection (21st overall). After two more seasons with TPS, Koivu moved to North America for the 1995–96 season to join the Canadiens. In his first year, Koivu ranked 4th in scoring amongst NHL rookies with 45 points in 82 games. The following season, Koivu was among the NHL leading scorers (13 goals, 25 assists and 38 points) before suffering a knee injury on December 7, 1996, in a game against Chicago Blackhawks
. He missed 32 games that season but returned to finish with 56 points in 50 games.
The next two seasons, Koivu continued to miss time with various leg injuries; however, in each year, he managed to play in more than 60 regular season games, scoring 57 and 44 points in 1997–98 and 1998–99 respectively. With the departure of team captain
Vincent Damphousse
in 1998–99, Koivu was named the 27th captain for the Canadiens on September 30, 1999. He also became the first European-born captain in team history. His first season as captain, however, was cut short due to a dislocated shoulder
that took him off the ice for 40 games. After returning, he suffered another knee injury, resulting in a shortened 24-game season, in which Koivu recorded 21 points. The next season, in 2000–01, Koivu sat out another 28 games after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, limiting him to 47 points.
After six seasons in the NHL, Koivu was diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma
, a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. on September 6, 2001, and missed nearly the entire 2001–02 season. Koivu was on his way back from Finland with Canadiens teammate Brian Savage
, who said he looked pale. He was suffering serious pains in stomach and vomiting. and went to see the Canadiens' physician David Mulder, who, after several tests discovered the cancer. Koivu received large numbers of get-well e-mails and letters from fans and was also in touch with Mario Lemieux
, John Cullen
, and Lance Armstrong
; all athletes who had beaten cancer and made successful returns to their respective sports.
Koivu was expected to be out for the season but made a remarkable comeback in time for the last few games. Fans gave Koivu an eight-minute standing ovation when he skated onto the Molson Centre ice for the first time on April 9, 2002, in the team's 80th game of the season. Koivu helped the team to gain a playoff spot and they went on to beat the top-seeded Boston Bruins
in six games. For his courage and off-ice team leadership while undergoing cancer treatment, he was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
following the 2002 playoffs. He followed up in 2002–03 by scoring what was then a career best 71 points (21 goals, 50 assists).
Koivu suffered further knee problems in 2003–04 and was forced to miss 13 games. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Koivu returned to Finland to play for TPS, whose head coach at the time was his father, Jukka Koivu. He was joined in Turku by Canadiens teammate Craig Rivet
. When NHL play resumed in 2005–06, Koivu returned to the Canadiens to tally 62 points in 72 games. On April 26, 2006, however, during a home playoff game against the Carolina Hurricanes
, Koivu sustained a serious injury to his left eye. Hurricanes forward Justin Williams
attempted to lift Koivu's stick but instead struck him in the eye. Koivu was rushed to the hospital, where he would remain overnight and for the remainder of the playoffs. Williams attempted to contact Koivu to apologize personally, but was only able to leave him a message on his cell phone. Koivu remained out of the lineup for the rest of the series and underwent surgery to repair a detached retina during the off-season.
Koivu has admitted to having lost some degree of peripheral vision out of the injured eye which he will likely never regain. As well, a small cataract
developed following the retinal re-attachment surgery that was later successfully removed. He has since opted to wear a larger style of visor than he had previously worn.
Koivu's play the next season demonstrated that he can still complement his linemates with seemingly no adverse impact to his performance. He reached the 500-point mark for his NHL career on January 9, 2007, in a game in which the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Atlanta Thrashers
4–2. With 2:47 remaining in regulation, Koivu fed Michael Ryder
with a pass across the slot for a power-play goal prompting a standing ovation for Koivu from the sellout crowd of 21,273 in Montreal. He went on to score 22 goals and 53 assists in 81 games, totaling 75 points, to surpass his previous career-high. At the season's annual awards banquet, Koivu was announced as the winner of the King Clancy Trophy for his role in the cancer-fighting Saku Koivu Foundation. The Canadiens' team doctor, Dr. David Mulder, received the award on Koivu's behalf as he was not present. Waiting until the end of the season, Koivu underwent further surgery to his eye and also tried a contact lens
design to counteract the cataract's effects.
Early in the 2007–08 season in October, Koivu was criticized by nationalist lawyer Guy Bertrand for not speaking French in a videotaped pre-game ceremony. Although Koivu is fluent in English, Swedish
and Finnish
, he speaks limited French and is apprehensive about using it in public. He replied to Bertrand's remarks that he is not perfect, and jokingly mentioned that he speaks French to his wife during intimate moments. Koivu introduced his team in the next pre-game video with the phrase "Ici Saku Koivu, voici mon équipe" ("Saku Koivu here, this is my team"). Later that season, in NHL.com's March 2008 edition of Impact! Magazine, Brian Compton listed the 10 best captains of all-time since Steve Yzerman
was first named captain of the Detroit Red Wings
in 1987; Koivu was included in the article in the 10th place, behind the likes of Mark Messier
and Mario Lemieux
. He finished the season with 56 points. In the subsequent 2008 playoffs, Koivu missed a couple games with a broken foot. Nevertheless, he contributed 9 points in 7 games.
On October 18, 2008, Koivu moved up to seventh on the Canadiens all-time assist list over the legendary Maurice "Rocket" Richard
in a game against the Phoenix Coyotes
. Koivu netted one and assisted on two from newly-acquired linemate Alex Tanguay
when the Habs beat Coyotes 4–1. Koivu reached another milestone with his 600th career point the following game against the Florida Panthers
on October 20, 2008.
, Koivu tied Jean Béliveau
as the longest serving captain in team history, having held the position for ten years. Koivu's tenure ended a ten-year period from 1989 to 1999, in which six Canadien team captains were traded away. Becoming an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, Koivu and the Canadiens parted ways after thirteen seasons. On July 8, 2009, he signed a one-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks
worth $3.25 million, playing alongside countryman Teemu Selänne
. Koivu was named an alternate captain of the Ducks before the 2009–10 season began.
Following the 2009–10 season, Koivu re-upped with the Ducks for another two seasons. Koivu continues to serve as an alternate captain for the Ducks, along with fellow Finn Teemu Selänne
.
On January 22, 2011, Koivu made his first return to Montreal, as a member of the Anaheim Ducks, and was welcomed by a standing ovation
.
on several occasions and was the national team's captain. Koivu was named the successor of a long-time captain Timo Jutila
after he retired from international play in 1997. Koivu's first duty came in 1998 when the 1998 Winter Olympics
took place in Nagano. He has held the post ever since, with one exception in 2008 when he joined the team in the middle of the tournament. He was offered the C letter but declined pleading "it would only stir things up and the team has already a great captain, Ville Peltonen."
Koivu won a silver medal at the 2006
Winter Olympics, and bronze medals at the 1994
, 1998
and 2010
Winter Olympics. He was also on the 2004
World Cup
team, which advanced to the final but lost against Canada
, thereby winning the silver medal.
Koivu's most renowned achievement with Team Finland is as first line center in the 1995 IIHF World Championships, where Finland
won its first IIHF men's gold medal. Koivu played in the first line with Jere Lehtinen
and Ville Peltonen
(the "Huey, Dewey, and Louie" line), who were all selected as tournament all-stars.
Koivu is partnered with Teemu Selänne
and Jere Lehtinen
in a line if all three are available. The trio has been a key factor to Finland's success at bigger events. However, Koivu and Selänne have played numerous times without Lehtinen and have had great performances which have also affected the NHL; after 1999 World Championships Selänne said in an interview on a Finnish TV program: "It would be great to play with Saku" which led to speculation about Koivu being traded to Anaheim. Koivu signed with Anaheim in July 2009.
On February 23, 2006, Koivu was elected by his fellow Olympic competitors as a member of the Athletes' Commission of the IOC
.
, Finland. His younger brother Mikko
is a forward for the Minnesota Wild
and is the team's current captain. Koivu and his wife Hanna have two children, a daughter, Ilona (b. 2004) and a son, Aatos (b. 2006).
In 2008, Koivu was featured in the Simple Plan
music video for the song Save You
, which was originally written for the lead singer's brother. The music video features many cancer survivors such as Koivu.
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...
player and an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the National Hockey League
National 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...
(NHL). He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in 1995–96 after three seasons with TPS
TPS (ice hockey)
TPS or Turun Palloseura is an ice hockey team and 11-time champion of SM-liiga. They play in Turku, Finland at the HK Arena. In terms of championships, TPS is the most successful team in SM-liiga history.-Team history:...
of 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...
. Koivu served as the Canadiens' captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
for nine of his thirteen seasons with the club, which makes his the longest captaincy tenure in team history tied with Jean Béliveau
Jean Béliveau
Jean Arthur "Le Gros Bill" Béliveau, is a former professional ice hockey player who played parts of 20 seasons with the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens. As a player, he won the Stanley Cup 10 times, and as an executive he was part of another seven championship teams, the most Stanley...
. Koivu was the first European to captain the Montreal Canadiens.
TPS (SM-liiga)
Saku started his professional ice hockey career playing for TPSTPS (ice hockey)
TPS or Turun Palloseura is an ice hockey team and 11-time champion of SM-liiga. They play in Turku, Finland at the HK Arena. In terms of championships, TPS is the most successful team in SM-liiga history.-Team history:...
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...
, beginning in 1992–93. He posted 10 points in his rookie season, including 5 points in the playoffs to help TPS to a Kanada-malja
Kanada-malja
The Kanada-malja is an ice hockey club championship trophy, awarded annually to the SM-liiga playoffs champion. Kanada-malja is Finnish for "Canada Cup", and is so named because it was donated by Canada's Finnish community in 1951....
championship. After improving to 53 points the following season, he put up a league-high 73 points in 1994–95. In addition to earning the Veli-Pekka Ketola trophy
Veli-Pekka Ketola trophy
The Veli-Pekka Ketola trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish SM-liiga to the player who scores the most points during regular season play.To date, Steve Kariya and Martin Kariya are the only two brothers to win the title.Trophy winners:...
as league scoring champion, Koivu was awarded the Kultainen kypärä award as the players' choice for the best player and the Lasse Oksanen trophy
Lasse Oksanen trophy
The Lasse Oksanen trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish SM-liiga to the best player of the season during regular season play.Trophy winners:1948-49: Unto Wiitala 1953-54: Unto Wiitala...
as league MVP. He went on to record 17 points in 13 post-season games that year to earn the Jari Kurri trophy
Jari Kurri trophy
The Jari Kurri trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish SM-liiga to the best player in the SM-liiga playoffs. The trophy is named after Jari Kurri....
as playoff MVP and win his second Kanada-malja trophy in three years with TPS.
Koivu would return to the TPS squad during the 2004–2005 NHL lockout, scoring 8 goals and 8 assists in 20 games.
Montreal Canadiens
Koivu was drafted by the Montreal CanadiensMontreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft
1993 NHL Entry Draft
The 1993 NHL Entry Draft took place on June 26, 1993, at the Colisee de Quebec in Quebec City, Quebec.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise specified.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
, following his rookie season in the SM-liiga, as their first-round selection (21st overall). After two more seasons with TPS, Koivu moved to North America for the 1995–96 season to join the Canadiens. In his first year, Koivu ranked 4th in scoring amongst NHL rookies with 45 points in 82 games. The following season, Koivu was among the NHL leading scorers (13 goals, 25 assists and 38 points) before suffering a knee injury on December 7, 1996, in a game against Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
. He missed 32 games that season but returned to finish with 56 points in 50 games.
The next two seasons, Koivu continued to miss time with various leg injuries; however, in each year, he managed to play in more than 60 regular season games, scoring 57 and 44 points in 1997–98 and 1998–99 respectively. With the departure of team captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
Vincent Damphousse
Vincent Damphousse
Vincent Francois Damphousse is a retired Canadian professional hockey who played in the National Hockey League for eighteen seasons. He played centre for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens and San Jose Sharks, winning a Stanley Cup championship with Montreal in 1993...
in 1998–99, Koivu was named the 27th captain for the Canadiens on September 30, 1999. He also became the first European-born captain in team history. His first season as captain, however, was cut short due to a dislocated shoulder
Dislocated shoulder
A dislocated shoulder occurs when the humerus separates from the scapula at the glenohumeral joint. The shoulder joint has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body and as a result is particularly susceptible to dislocation and subluxation. Approximately half of major joint...
that took him off the ice for 40 games. After returning, he suffered another knee injury, resulting in a shortened 24-game season, in which Koivu recorded 21 points. The next season, in 2000–01, Koivu sat out another 28 games after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, limiting him to 47 points.
After six seasons in the NHL, Koivu was diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma
Burkitt's lymphoma
Burkitt's lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system...
, a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. on September 6, 2001, and missed nearly the entire 2001–02 season. Koivu was on his way back from Finland with Canadiens teammate Brian Savage
Brian Savage
Brian Savage is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers.-Playing career:...
, who said he looked pale. He was suffering serious pains in stomach and vomiting. and went to see the Canadiens' physician David Mulder, who, after several tests discovered the cancer. Koivu received large numbers of get-well e-mails and letters from fans and was also in touch with Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
, John Cullen
John Cullen
John Cullen is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Hartford Whalers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning. He was a standout player for Boston University and is the school's all-time leading scorer...
, and Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
; all athletes who had beaten cancer and made successful returns to their respective sports.
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
in six games. For his courage and off-ice team leadership while undergoing cancer treatment, he was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association after each team nominates one...
following the 2002 playoffs. He followed up in 2002–03 by scoring what was then a career best 71 points (21 goals, 50 assists).
Koivu suffered further knee problems in 2003–04 and was forced to miss 13 games. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Koivu returned to Finland to play for TPS, whose head coach at the time was his father, Jukka Koivu. He was joined in Turku by Canadiens teammate Craig Rivet
Craig Rivet
Craig A. Rivet is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL. He has previously played for the Montreal Canadiens, San Jose Sharks, Buffalo Sabres, and Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League....
. When NHL play resumed in 2005–06, Koivu returned to the Canadiens to tally 62 points in 72 games. On April 26, 2006, however, during a home playoff game against the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
, Koivu sustained a serious injury to his left eye. Hurricanes forward Justin Williams
Justin Williams
Justin Williams is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
attempted to lift Koivu's stick but instead struck him in the eye. Koivu was rushed to the hospital, where he would remain overnight and for the remainder of the playoffs. Williams attempted to contact Koivu to apologize personally, but was only able to leave him a message on his cell phone. Koivu remained out of the lineup for the rest of the series and underwent surgery to repair a detached retina during the off-season.
Koivu has admitted to having lost some degree of peripheral vision out of the injured eye which he will likely never regain. As well, a small cataract
Cataract
A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light...
developed following the retinal re-attachment surgery that was later successfully removed. He has since opted to wear a larger style of visor than he had previously worn.
Koivu's play the next season demonstrated that he can still complement his linemates with seemingly no adverse impact to his performance. He reached the 500-point mark for his NHL career on January 9, 2007, in a game in which the Montreal Canadiens defeated 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...
4–2. With 2:47 remaining in regulation, Koivu fed Michael Ryder
Michael Ryder
Michael Wayne Glen Ryder is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who plays for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League. He was born in St John's, Newfoundland.-Pre-NHL:...
with a pass across the slot for a power-play goal prompting a standing ovation for Koivu from the sellout crowd of 21,273 in Montreal. He went on to score 22 goals and 53 assists in 81 games, totaling 75 points, to surpass his previous career-high. At the season's annual awards banquet, Koivu was announced as the winner of the King Clancy Trophy for his role in the cancer-fighting Saku Koivu Foundation. The Canadiens' team doctor, Dr. David Mulder, received the award on Koivu's behalf as he was not present. Waiting until the end of the season, Koivu underwent further surgery to his eye and also tried a contact lens
Contact lens
A contact lens, or simply contact, is a lens placed on the eye. They are considered medical devices and can be worn to correct vision, for cosmetic or therapeutic reasons. In 2004, it was estimated that 125 million people use contact lenses worldwide, including 28 to 38 million in the United...
design to counteract the cataract's effects.
Early in the 2007–08 season in October, Koivu was criticized by nationalist lawyer Guy Bertrand for not speaking French in a videotaped pre-game ceremony. Although Koivu is fluent in English, Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
and Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
, he speaks limited French and is apprehensive about using it in public. He replied to Bertrand's remarks that he is not perfect, and jokingly mentioned that he speaks French to his wife during intimate moments. Koivu introduced his team in the next pre-game video with the phrase "Ici Saku Koivu, voici mon équipe" ("Saku Koivu here, this is my team"). Later that season, in NHL.com's March 2008 edition of Impact! Magazine, Brian Compton listed the 10 best captains of all-time since Steve Yzerman
Steve Yzerman
Stephen Gregory "Steve" Yzerman is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League...
was first named captain of the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in 1987; Koivu was included in the article in the 10th place, behind the likes of Mark Messier
Mark Messier
Mark Douglas Messier is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre of the National Hockey League and current special assistant to the president and general manager of the New York Rangers. He spent a quarter of a century in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver...
and Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
. He finished the season with 56 points. In the subsequent 2008 playoffs, Koivu missed a couple games with a broken foot. Nevertheless, he contributed 9 points in 7 games.
On October 18, 2008, Koivu moved up to seventh on the Canadiens all-time assist list over the legendary Maurice "Rocket" Richard
Maurice Richard
Joseph Henri Maurice "the Rocket" Richard, Sr., was a French-Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League from 1942 to 1960. The "Rocket" was the most prolific goal-scorer of his era, the first to achieve the feat of 50 goals in 50...
in a game against the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
. Koivu netted one and assisted on two from newly-acquired linemate Alex Tanguay
Alex Tanguay
Alexandre Tanguay is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger currently with the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He has additionally played with the Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL and briefly for HC Lugano in the Swiss National League A in...
when the Habs beat Coyotes 4–1. Koivu reached another milestone with his 600th career point the following game against the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
on October 20, 2008.
Anaheim Ducks
Upon the conclusion of the 2008–09 season2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
, Koivu tied Jean Béliveau
Jean Béliveau
Jean Arthur "Le Gros Bill" Béliveau, is a former professional ice hockey player who played parts of 20 seasons with the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens. As a player, he won the Stanley Cup 10 times, and as an executive he was part of another seven championship teams, the most Stanley...
as the longest serving captain in team history, having held the position for ten years. Koivu's tenure ended a ten-year period from 1989 to 1999, in which six Canadien team captains were traded away. Becoming an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, Koivu and the Canadiens parted ways after thirteen seasons. On July 8, 2009, he signed a one-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
worth $3.25 million, playing alongside countryman Teemu Selänne
Teemu Selänne
Teemu Ilmari Selänne nicknamed "The Finnish Flash" is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger, an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . An offensive player known for his skill and speed, Selanne has led the NHL in goal-scoring three times and has been named to...
. Koivu was named an alternate captain of the Ducks before the 2009–10 season began.
Following the 2009–10 season, Koivu re-upped with the Ducks for another two seasons. Koivu continues to serve as an alternate captain for the Ducks, along with fellow Finn Teemu Selänne
Teemu Selänne
Teemu Ilmari Selänne nicknamed "The Finnish Flash" is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger, an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . An offensive player known for his skill and speed, Selanne has led the NHL in goal-scoring three times and has been named to...
.
On January 22, 2011, Koivu made his first return to Montreal, as a member of the Anaheim Ducks, and was welcomed by a standing ovation
Standing ovation
A standing ovation is a form of applause where members of a seated audience stand up while applauding after extraordinary performances of particularly high acclaim...
.
International play
Koivu has represented FinlandFinnish national men's ice hockey team
The Finnish men's national ice hockey team, or Leijonat / Lejonen , as it is called in Finland, is governed by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association...
on several occasions and was the national team's captain. Koivu was named the successor of a long-time captain Timo Jutila
Timo Jutila
Timo Juhani Jutila is a retired Finnish ice hockey defenceman.Jutila was drafted by Buffalo Sabres in 1982 NHL Entry Draft.-Playing career:...
after he retired from international play in 1997. Koivu's first duty came in 1998 when the 1998 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics was played at The Big Hat and Aqua Wing Arena in Nagano, Japan.-Men's tournament:The 1998 Olympic men's ice hockey tournament was the first in which professional players from the National Hockey League were allowed to participate, allowing national teams to...
took place in Nagano. He has held the post ever since, with one exception in 2008 when he joined the team in the middle of the tournament. He was offered the C letter but declined pleading "it would only stir things up and the team has already a great captain, Ville Peltonen."
Koivu won a silver medal at the 2006
Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics
-Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:Goalkeepers with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.-Awards:Antero Niittymäki was named the most valuable player and received the Directorate Award for best goaltender of the tournament. Directorate Awards also went to Teemu Selänne for best forward, and...
Winter Olympics, and bronze medals at the 1994
Ice hockey at the 1994 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1994 Winter Olympics was held at the Fjellhallen in Gjøvik and the Håkons Hall in Lillehammer, Norway. The competition, held from February 12 to February 27, was won by Sweden and Canada as runner-up.-Final rankings:Source:* Gold -...
, 1998
Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics was played at The Big Hat and Aqua Wing Arena in Nagano, Japan.-Men's tournament:The 1998 Olympic men's ice hockey tournament was the first in which professional players from the National Hockey League were allowed to participate, allowing national teams to...
and 2010
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the...
Winter Olympics. He was also on the 2004
2004 World Cup of Hockey
The 2004 World Cup of Hockey was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the second installment of the National Hockey League -sanctioned competition eight years after the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was held from August 30 to September 14, 2004, and took place in various venues...
World Cup
World Cup of Hockey
The World Cup of Hockey is an international ice hockey tournament. Inaugurated in 1996, it is the successor to the previous Canada Cup, which ran from 1976 to 1991...
team, which advanced to the final but lost against Canada
Canadian national men's hockey team
The Canadian national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by senior...
, thereby winning the silver medal.
Koivu's most renowned achievement with Team Finland is as first line center in the 1995 IIHF World Championships, where Finland
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...
won its first IIHF men's gold medal. Koivu played in the first line with Jere Lehtinen
Jere Lehtinen
Jere Kalervo Lehtinen is a former Finnish professional ice hockey forward. He played as a right wing. He was drafted 88th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota North Stars. Lehtinen handles defensive aspects of the game as well as offensive, hence he is a two-way forward for which...
and Ville Peltonen
Ville Peltonen
Ville Peltonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the HIFK of the SM-liiga . He was drafted by the San Jose Sharks as their third round pick, 58th overall, in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft....
(the "Huey, Dewey, and Louie" line), who were all selected as tournament all-stars.
Koivu is partnered with Teemu Selänne
Teemu Selänne
Teemu Ilmari Selänne nicknamed "The Finnish Flash" is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger, an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . An offensive player known for his skill and speed, Selanne has led the NHL in goal-scoring three times and has been named to...
and Jere Lehtinen
Jere Lehtinen
Jere Kalervo Lehtinen is a former Finnish professional ice hockey forward. He played as a right wing. He was drafted 88th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota North Stars. Lehtinen handles defensive aspects of the game as well as offensive, hence he is a two-way forward for which...
in a line if all three are available. The trio has been a key factor to Finland's success at bigger events. However, Koivu and Selänne have played numerous times without Lehtinen and have had great performances which have also affected the NHL; after 1999 World Championships Selänne said in an interview on a Finnish TV program: "It would be great to play with Saku" which led to speculation about Koivu being traded to Anaheim. Koivu signed with Anaheim in July 2009.
On February 23, 2006, Koivu was elected by his fellow Olympic competitors as a member of the Athletes' Commission of the IOC
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
.
Personal life
Koivu was born to Jukka and Tuire Koivu on November 23, 1974, in TurkuTurku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
, Finland. His younger brother Mikko
Mikko Koivu
Mikko Sakari Koivu is a Finnish professional ice hockey center and captain of the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League...
is a forward for 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 ....
and is the team's current captain. Koivu and his wife Hanna have two children, a daughter, Ilona (b. 2004) and a son, Aatos (b. 2006).
In 2008, Koivu was featured in the Simple Plan
Simple Plan
Simple Plan is a Canadian pop punk band from Montréal, Québec. The band has had no line up changes since its inception in 1999. Members are Pierre Bouvier , Jeff Stinco , Sébastien Lefebvre , David Desrosiers and Chuck Comeau...
music video for the song Save You
Save You (Simple Plan song)
"Save You" is the third and last single from Simple Plan's self titled CD. It was announced as the third single in a message to "SP Crew", the band's official fan club....
, which was originally written for the lead singer's brother. The music video features many cancer survivors such as Koivu.
SM-liiga
- Kultainen kypäräKultainen kypäräKultainen kypärä is an ice hockey award given to the best player in the Finnish SM-liiga. It is the most appreciated of the awards, as it is voted for by the players. It has been awarded since 1987....
award (Players choice for the best player) – 1995 - Jari Kurri trophyJari Kurri trophyThe Jari Kurri trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish SM-liiga to the best player in the SM-liiga playoffs. The trophy is named after Jari Kurri....
(Best player in playoffs) – 1995 - Lasse Oksanen trophyLasse Oksanen trophyThe Lasse Oksanen trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish SM-liiga to the best player of the season during regular season play.Trophy winners:1948-49: Unto Wiitala 1953-54: Unto Wiitala...
(Most valuable player) – 1995 - Veli-Pekka Ketola trophyVeli-Pekka Ketola trophyThe Veli-Pekka Ketola trophy is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish SM-liiga to the player who scores the most points during regular season play.To date, Steve Kariya and Martin Kariya are the only two brothers to win the title.Trophy winners:...
(Most points in regular season) – 1995 - President's TrophyPresident's trophy (Finland)President's Trophy is a Finnish Ice Hockey award given by the Honor Chairman of the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation, Kai Hietaranta.Winners:1993-94 Jari Kurri1994-95 Timo Jutila1995-96 Hannu Virta1996-97 Jarmo Myllys1997-98 Teemu Selänne1998-99 Saku Koivu...
– 1999
NHL
- Voted to the NHL All-Star GameNational Hockey League All-Star GameThe National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held at the midway point of the regular season of the National Hockey League , with many of the league's star players playing against each other...
by the fans – 1998, 2003 (did not play due to injury) - Bill Masterton Trophy – 2002
- King Clancy Memorial TrophyKing Clancy Memorial TrophyThe King Clancy Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and who has made a significant humanitarian contribution to his community. Since the award was established in 1988, no player has won it more than...
– 2007 - First ever European-born captain of the Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
– 1999–2009 - Longest-serving captain in Canadiens history (tied with Jean Béliveau)
International
- Ice Hockey World ChampionshipsIce Hockey World ChampionshipsThe Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
Tournament All-Star – 1994, 1995, 1999 - Ice Hockey World Championships Tournament's Best Forward – 1995, 1999
- Ice Hockey World Championships Tournament's Top scorer – 1999
- Finnish Ice hockey player of the year – 1994, 1995
- Turin 2006 Winter Olympics – Tournament All-Star
- Turin 2006 Winter Olympics – Top scorer
- Captain of Team FinlandFinnish national men's ice hockey teamThe Finnish men's national ice hockey team, or Leijonat / Lejonen , as it is called in Finland, is governed by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association...
– 1998–2010
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
+/– | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1992–93 | TPS TPS (ice hockey) TPS or Turun Palloseura is an ice hockey team and 11-time champion of SM-liiga. They play in Turku, Finland at the HK Arena. In terms of championships, TPS is the most successful team in SM-liiga history.-Team history:... |
SM-L 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... |
46 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 28 | −5 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 1993–94 | TPS | SM-L | 47 | 23 | 30 | 53 | 42 | +27 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | ||
| 1994–95 | TPS | SM-L | 45 | 27 | 47 | 74 | 73 | +33 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 16 | ||
| 1995–96 | Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
NHL National 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... |
82 | 20 | 25 | 45 | 40 | −7 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 1996–97 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 50 | 17 | 39 | 56 | 38 | +7 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | ||
| 1997–98 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 69 | 14 | 43 | 57 | 48 | +8 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 1998–99 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 65 | 14 | 30 | 44 | 38 | −7 | – | – | – | – | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 24 | 3 | 18 | 21 | 14 | +7 | – | – | – | – | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 54 | 17 | 30 | 47 | 40 | +2 | – | – | – | – | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 4 | ||
| 2002–03 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 82 | 21 | 50 | 71 | 72 | +5 | – | – | – | – | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 68 | 14 | 41 | 55 | 52 | −5 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 10 | ||
| 2004–05 | TPS | SM-l | 20 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 28 | +11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 30 | ||
| 2005–06 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 72 | 17 | 45 | 62 | 70 | +1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2006–07 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 81 | 22 | 53 | 75 | 74 | −21 | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 2007–08 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 77 | 16 | 40 | 56 | 93 | −4 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 65 | 16 | 34 | 50 | 44 | +4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Anaheim Ducks Anaheim Ducks The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 71 | 19 | 33 | 52 | 36 | 14 | – | – | – | – | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 75 | 15 | 30 | 45 | 36 | −8 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 6 | ||
| NHL totals | 938 | 225 | 513 | 738 | 695 | -4 | 60 | 17 | 38 | 55 | 48 | ||||
| SM-L totals | 158 | 61 | 92 | 153 | 171 | +66 | 41 | 17 | 22 | 39 | 64 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 1993 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships - Group 2 :- Quarterfinals :- Consolation Round 9-12 Place :- Semifinals :- Consolation Round 11-12 Place :Switzerland was relegated to Group B.- Match for third place :- Final :-World Championship Group B :... |
Finland | WC Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1994 Ice hockey at the 1994 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 1994 Winter Olympics was held at the Fjellhallen in Gjøvik and the Håkons Hall in Lillehammer, Norway. The competition, held from February 12 to February 27, was won by Sweden and Canada as runner-up.-Final rankings:Source:* Gold -... |
Finland | OLY Ice hockey at the Olympic Games Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games programme in 1924. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics... |
8 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 12 | ||
| 1994 1994 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships - Group 2 :- Quarterfinals :- Consolation Round 11-12 Place :- Semifinals :- Match for third place :- Final :-World Championship Group B :... |
Finland | WC | 8 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 4 | ||
| 1995 1995 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 1995 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was played in Stockholm and Gavle Sweden, from April 23rd to May the 7th, 1995. In the tournament finals, Finland won the gold medal by winning over Sweden 4-1 at the Globen arena in Stockholm. The Finnish goals were scored by Timo Jutila and Ville... |
Finland | WC | 8 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 18 | ||
| 1996 1996 World Cup of Hockey The first World Cup of Hockey , or 1996 World Cup of Hockey, replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey .... |
Finland | WCH World Cup of Hockey The World Cup of Hockey is an international ice hockey tournament. Inaugurated in 1996, it is the successor to the previous Canada Cup, which ran from 1976 to 1991... |
4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 1997 1997 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships - Group 2 :- Second Round 1-6 Place :Teams that had played each other in the first round carried those results forward. First and second place played off for gold, third and fourth for bronze.- Consolation Round 7-12 Place :... |
Finland | WC | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 1998 Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics was played at The Big Hat and Aqua Wing Arena in Nagano, Japan.-Men's tournament:The 1998 Olympic men's ice hockey tournament was the first in which professional players from the National Hockey League were allowed to participate, allowing national teams to... |
Finland | OLY | 6 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 4 | ||
| 1999 1999 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -World Championship Group C:Played at Eindhoven and Tilburg, Netherlands April 5–11. Yugoslavia was supposed to particpate in this tournament, but was prevented by the host Dutch government.-Group 1:-Group 2:-Final Round 25-28 Place:... |
Finland | WC | 10 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 4 | ||
| 2003 2003 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -Relegation round: avoids relegation by defeating 4-1 in the 2004 IIHF World Championship Far East Qualification game. and are demoted to Division I at the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:-Group A:... |
Finland | WC | 7 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 4 | ||
| 2004 2004 World Cup of Hockey The 2004 World Cup of Hockey was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the second installment of the National Hockey League -sanctioned competition eight years after the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was held from August 30 to September 14, 2004, and took place in various venues... |
Finland | WCH | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 2006 Ice hockey at the 2006 Winter Olympics -Leading scorers:-Leading goaltenders:Goalkeepers with 40% or more of their team's total minutes.-Awards:Antero Niittymäki was named the most valuable player and received the Directorate Award for best goaltender of the tournament. Directorate Awards also went to Teemu Selänne for best forward, and... |
Finland | OLY | 8 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 12 | ||
| 2008 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition... |
Finland | WC | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2010 Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the... |
Finland | OLY | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | ||
| WC totals | 51 | 17 | 39 | 56 | 38 | ||||
| OLY totals | 28 | 9 | 21 | 30 | 34 | ||||
| WCH totals | 10 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | ||||
| Int'l totals | 89 | 30 | 64 | 94 | 78 | ||||
External links
- Saku Koivu on nhlfinns.com