Kari Takko
Encyclopedia
Kari Maurits Takko is a retired Finnish ice hockey
goaltender
.
, serving as a backup to Don Beaupre
, Jon Casey
and Bill Ranford
. He was selected in the tenth round of the 1981 NHL Entry Draft
, 200th overall, by the Quebec Nordiques
, but was unable to come to contract terms. He re-entered the 1984 NHL Entry Draft
and was this time drafted by the Minnesota North Stars
.
Takko started his SM-liiga
career in Ässät
during the 1978–79 season and played on for seven seasons (1978–1985). Takko went to NHL after the 1984–85 season. He was contracted by Minnesota North Stars and played with them for a total of six seasons (1985–1991). During the 1990–91 season Takko was traded to Edmonton Oilers
and played for the rest of the season (and his NHL career) in Edmonton. After retiring from NHL play, he played nine more seasons in Europe
representing: Ässät
(1991–1996), in SM-liiga, and HV71
(1997–2000), in Elitserien
. Takko retired from playing after the 1999–2000 season.
Takko also played internationally for Finland
, appearing for their national team for a total of 104 times.
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...
.
Playing career
He played six seasons in the NHLNational 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...
, serving as a backup to Don Beaupre
Don Beaupre
Donald William Beaupre is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Beaupre in his 17 seasons in the NHL played for four teams: the Minnesota North Stars, Washington Capitals, Ottawa Senators, and the Toronto Maple Leafs.-Playing career:Beaupre emerged as a goaltender in the OHA for...
, Jon Casey
Jon Casey
Jonathan James Casey is a retired American ice hockey goaltender.Jon Casey was born in Grand Rapids Minnesota to James and Colleen Casey. He is the second of four children...
and Bill Ranford
Bill Ranford
William Edward Ranford is a former professional ice hockey goaltender and current goaltending coach for the Los Angeles Kings. He graduated from New Westminster Secondary School in 1985. He was selected in the third round of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, 52nd overall, by the Boston Bruins...
. He was selected in the tenth round of the 1981 NHL Entry Draft
1981 NHL Entry Draft
The 1981 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 211 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1980–81 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those players...
, 200th overall, by the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
, but was unable to come to contract terms. He re-entered the 1984 NHL Entry Draft
1984 NHL Entry Draft
The 1984 NHL Entry Draft took place on June 9, 1984, at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec.The 1984 Entry Draft was noted for the unusually high number of future Hall of Famers picked, particularly in lower rounds. In addition to Mario Lemieux being taken first overall, Patrick Roy was chosen...
and was this time drafted by the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
.
Takko started his 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...
career in 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:...
during the 1978–79 season and played on for seven seasons (1978–1985). Takko went to NHL after the 1984–85 season. He was contracted by Minnesota North Stars and played with them for a total of six seasons (1985–1991). During the 1990–91 season Takko was traded to Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
and played for the rest of the season (and his NHL career) in Edmonton. After retiring from NHL play, he played nine more seasons in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
representing: 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:...
(1991–1996), in SM-liiga, and HV71
HV71
HV71, often referred to as just HV, is a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Jönköping, playing in the Swedish elite league Elitserien...
(1997–2000), in Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
. Takko retired from playing after the 1999–2000 season.
Takko also played internationally for 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...
, appearing for their national team for a total of 104 times.
Awards
- Silver medal at the World Junior ChampionshipsWorld Junior Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world...
in 1981. - Bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in 1982.
- Named Best Goalie of SM-liigaSM-liigaThe 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...
in 1985 and 1994.
External links
- HockeyGoalies entry
- Kari Takko on nhlfinns.com