Sami Salo
Encyclopedia
Sami Salo is a Finnish professional ice hockey
defenceman
with the Vancouver Canucks
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He began his professional career with TPS
of the SM-liiga
before being selected by the Ottawa Senators
with their last pick in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft
. He joined the Senators in 1998–99 and was selected to the NHL All-Rookie Team
. In the 2002 off-season, he was traded to the Canucks with whom he has recorded three 30-point campaigns. Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Salo played overseas with Frölunda HC
of the Swedish Elite League
and helped the club capture the Le Mat Trophy
as league champions. Internationally, Salo has competed for Finland, appearing in two World Championships, three Winter Olympics and one World Cup
. He won silver medals at the 2001 World Championships
and the 2006 Winter Olympics
, as well as a bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Throughout his career, Salo has become infamous for being injury prone, having suffered over 40 career injuries. He is known as a two-way defenceman with a powerful slapshot.
club of his hometown, Turku
, Finland, Salo turned professional with TPS
of the SM-Liiga
in 1994–95. He appeared in seven games, recording a goal and two assists in his first season in the SM-Liiga. The following campaign, he recorded a Finnish career-high 14 assists and 21 points over 47 games. In the off-season, Salo was selected by the Ottawa Senators
with their last selection in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft
, 239th overall in the ninth round. He remained in Finland for two more seasons upon being drafted. He improved from seven goals to nine in 1996–97. The following season, he transferred from TPS to Jokerit
. In his lone season with the Helsinki
-based team, he tallied three goals and eight points over 35 games.
, Ottawa's International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate, due to his first NHL injury and was recalled on November 18, 1998. Twenty-seven games into his rookie campaign, he scored his first NHL goal against Boston Bruins
goaltender Byron Dafoe
, a game-winner, in a 3-1 win on January 21, 1999. Completing the 1998–99 season with seven goals and 19 points, he was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team
. The following season, Salo notched a hat trick
in a 6–4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins
on March 30, 1999. His campaign was shortened, however, to 37 games due to injury and he was limited to 14 points. In 2000, he missed two games as he suffered from a snakebite.
Salo continued to be sidelined in 2000–01 with various ailments, including shoulder, foot and knee injuries, as well as the flu
. In March 2001, he was also cross-checked in the face by Rick Tocchet
of the Philadelphia Flyers
, suffering broken teeth and a mild concussion. He finished his third NHL season with 18 points in 31 games.
Before the 2001–02 season began, Salo injured his groin in an exhibition game against the Toronto Maple Leafs
in September. In addition to missing the first three games of the season, he was later sidelined for a total of 13 more contests due to separate cases of the flu, a broken finger and back spasms. He recorded 18 points in 66 games. In the proceeding off-season, Salo underwent shoulder surgery. Becoming a free agent
, he accepted an $880,000 qualifying offer from the Senators on July 31, 2002. Nearly two months later, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks
in exchange for forward Peter Schaefer on September 21.
Salo established himself as a top-four defenceman with the Canucks, ranking fourth among team blueliners in average ice time per game during his first season with Vancouver. He also appeared in a career-high 79 games while recording nine goals and 30 points. The Canucks re-signed him in the off-season to a two-year, $3.2 million contract. The following campaign, he recorded seven goals and 26 points in 74 games.
Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Salo went overseas to play for Frölunda HC
in the Swedish Elite League
. He notched six goals and 14 points in 41 games, helping Frölunda to the league's best regular season record. The club went on to capture the Le Mat Trophy
as playoff champions, defeating Färjestads BK
four games to one in the finals. Salo assisted on the overtime goal by Niklas Andersson
in game five to win the championship. Salo completed the playoffs with a goal and seven points in 14 post-season contests.
As NHL play was set to resume the following season, Salo signed another two-year contract with the Canucks at $1.5 million per season. He was limited to 59 games in the subsequent 2005–06 season, suffering a shoulder injury with the Finnish national team during the 2006 Winter Olympics
, colliding with a teammate during a line change. He recorded 10 goals and 33 points with the Canucks, second among team defencemen in scoring. His 23 assists were also a career-high.
In 2006–07, Salo sprained his knee in a game against the Minnesota Wild
on November 2, 2006. Soon after returning, he sustained nerve damage in his shoulder from a hit against the Edmonton Oilers
in December. Towards the end of the season, he suffered a groin injury, sidelining him for five games in March and April. Although he cumulatively missed 15 games, Salo still managed to have a career year, recording personal bests with 14 goals, 23 assists and 37 points. He tied for 10th among league defencemen in goals and ranked first in game-winning goals with six. Late in the season, he avoided his pending unrestricted free agency by re-signing with the Canucks to a four-year, $14 million contract extension on March 29, 2007. The Canucks entered the 2007 playoffs
as the third seed. After eliminating the Dallas Stars
in the first round, Vancouver was defeated by the Anaheim Ducks
in five games. Salo missed the first two games of the second round due to the flu. He notched an assist over 10 post-season games.
With an accumulation of injuries over the years, Salo spent the 2007 off-season recovering from chronic groin, back and shoulder problems. Salo was immediately sidelined once more before the start of the 2007–08 season, fracturing his wrist during an intra-squad game in training camp. Shortly after returning, he was hit in the face by a clearing attempt from teammate Alexander Edler
during a game against the Nashville Predators
on November 2, 2007. The impact from the puck broke his nose and he mised 19 games. In 63 games, Salo recorded 25 points, his lowest output since his 2001–02 season with the Senators. Despite this, he still led all Canucks defencemen in scoring, as all the team's blueliners also suffered injuries over the season.
The 2008–09 season
began with more time off in November due to separate leg and shoulder injuries. After returning, he was hit into the boards by Edmonton Oilers captain Ethan Moreau
on December 17, 2008, and suffered a broken rib. He missed 15 games before returning on January 20, 2009. Limited to 60 games, he managed five goals and 25 points in the regular season. In the ensuing playoffs, Salo scored seven points in seven games, including game-winning goals in both game ones of the first and second rounds against the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks
, respectively. Salo injured himself in game two of the second round, tearing his gluteus medius muscle
while taking a slapshot in which he scored. He played through the injury the following game before missing the next two matches. Following his return, the Canucks were eliminated in the sixth game by the Blackhawks. Salo had three goals and seven points in seven games.
Early in the 2009–10 season
, Salo suffered a medial collateral ligament
(MCL) sprain to his right knee during a game against the Dallas Stars
on October 11, 2009. Sidelined for seven games, he returned by the end of the month. Salo missed additional games during the season to various injuries, ending the campaign with nine goals and 28 points in 68 games. Towards the second half of the season, Salo took on a more defensive role, replacing Willie Mitchell, who was sidelined with a concussion, as the team's primary shutdown defenceman.
In game five of the second round of the 2010 playoffs
, Salo was hit in the groin by a slapshot from Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Duncan Keith
. Needing to be helped off the ice, he was taken to hospital with what was falsely believed to be a ruptured testicle
. He played through an undisclosed injury the following game, as the Canucks were eliminated by the Blackhawks by a 5–1 score. He completed the playoffs with a goal and six points in 12 post-season games.
Playing floorball
in the off-season, Salo tore his achilles tendon
on July 22, 2010. After undergoing surgery, he was sidelined for the first four months of the 2010–11 season
. Before returning to the Canucks lineup, he was sent to the team's American Hockey League
(AHL) affiliate, the Manitoba Moose
, for a conditioning assignment. Making his AHL debut on February 4, 2011, he scored two goals for the Moose in a 3–2 win against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
. Salo played two more games for the Moose, going pointless in both, before being called up by the Canucks on February 11. Salo appeared in 27 games in 2010–11, recording three goals and four assists. During the first and second rounds of the 2011 playoffs
, Salo missed four games with a leg injury. The Canucks eliminated the Blackhawks and Nashville Predators
in the first two rounds to qualify for the Western Conference Finals against the San Jose Sharks
. During Game 4 of the series, Salo set a Canucks playoff record for fastest back-to-back goals, scoring 16 seconds apart on a pair of 5-on-3 powerplays. The feat also tied Larry Murphy
's NHL record for fastest two power play goals in the playoffs since 1957. Combined with Ryan Kesler
's goal a minute and thirty-nine seconds previously, the trio of goals were also the fastest scored in Canucks playoff history at a minute and fifty-five seconds. Vancouver went on to win the game 4–2, while winning the series 4–1. Advancing to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals
, the Canucks were defeated in seven games by the Boston Bruins
. During the off-season, Salo re-signed with the Canucks to a one-year, $2 million deal on July 1, 2011, prior to becoming an unrestricted free agent.
in Germany. He recorded an international career-high nine points in nine games, second among tournament defencemen to Finnish teammate Petteri Nummelin
. Finland advanced to the gold medal game, where they lost 3–2 to the Czech Republic, earning silver.
On December 13, 2001, Salo was selected to the Finnish national team for the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City, along with Senators teammate Jani Hurme
. He appeared in four games without registering a point as Finland was defeated by the gold-medal winning Canadians in the quarterfinal by a 2–1 score.
In Salo's next World Championships appearance in 2004
, he recorded three assists in seven games. Finland failed to medal, losing their quarterfinal to Canada. Salo assisted on the go-ahead goal in the third period before Canada tied up the score and won 5–4 in overtime. Several months later, at the 2004 World Cup
, Salo helped Finland to the final, notching three assists in seven games. For his third straight national team appearance, however, Finland was eliminated by Canada, losing the championship game 3–2.
He made his second Olympics appearance at the 2006 Games
in Turin
. He recorded four points in six games before suffering a tournament-ending shoulder injury in a collision with teammate Ville Peltonen
during a line change in front of the team bench. The injury kept him from playing in the semifinal and gold medal game, where Finland won the silver medal in a 3–2 loss to Sweden. Despite missing two games, Salo ranked second among team defencemen, behind Kimmo Timonen
, with a goal and four points in six games. Four years later, Salo competed once again for Finland at the 2010 Winter Olympics
in his NHL hometown Vancouver
. He recorded two points in six games, while leading all Finnish players in ice time. He scored his lone goal during the bronze medal game, opening the score against Slovakia in a 5–3 win.
Growing up in Turku
, Finland, Salo had aspirations of playing with the Finnish national team, rather than the NHL. He idolized Jari Kurri
and was more familiar with other Finnish players, such as Esa Peltonen
and Heikki Riihiranta
, than he was with any NHL stars.
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...
with the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
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 professional career 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 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...
before being selected by the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
with their last pick in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft
1996 NHL Entry Draft
The 1996 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 22, 1996.- Selections by round :Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.- Round one :- Round two :...
. He joined the Senators in 1998–99 and was selected to the NHL All-Rookie Team
NHL All-Rookie Team
The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year...
. In the 2002 off-season, he was traded to the Canucks with whom he has recorded three 30-point campaigns. Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Salo played overseas with Frölunda HC
Frölunda HC
Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...
of the Swedish Elite League
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
and helped the club capture the Le Mat Trophy
Le Mat Trophy
The Le Mat is the championship trophy of Elitserien, the major professional ice hockey league in Sweden.The Le Mat is the oldest trophy competed for by professional athletes in Sweden. The trophy was donated by the founding father of ice hockey in Sweden, Raoul Le Mat, and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
as league champions. Internationally, Salo has competed for Finland, appearing in two World Championships, three Winter Olympics and one 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...
. He won silver medals at the 2001 World Championships
2001 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-Championship:Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2002# — relegated to Division I for 2002# - Group A :Group A was played in Grenoble, France between April 16 and April 22, 2001...
and the 2006 Winter Olympics
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...
, as well as a bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Throughout his career, Salo has become infamous for being injury prone, having suffered over 40 career injuries. He is known as a two-way defenceman with a powerful slapshot.
TPS and Jokerit
After developing his skills with the juniorJunior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
club of his hometown, Turku
Turku
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, Salo turned professional 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 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...
in 1994–95. He appeared in seven games, recording a goal and two assists in his first season in the SM-Liiga. The following campaign, he recorded a Finnish career-high 14 assists and 21 points over 47 games. In the off-season, Salo was selected by the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
with their last selection in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft
1996 NHL Entry Draft
The 1996 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 22, 1996.- Selections by round :Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.- Round one :- Round two :...
, 239th overall in the ninth round. He remained in Finland for two more seasons upon being drafted. He improved from seven goals to nine in 1996–97. The following season, he transferred from TPS 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...
. In his lone season with the Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
-based team, he tallied three goals and eight points over 35 games.
Ottawa Senators
Following a four-year career in Finland, Salo signed with the Senators in July 1998. He played in the first 3 games of the 1998/99 season before he was assigned to the Detroit VipersDetroit Vipers
The Detroit Vipers was an International Hockey League team. The team was founded in 1994, and played at The Palace of Auburn Hills.-Beginning:...
, Ottawa's International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate, due to his first NHL injury and was recalled on November 18, 1998. Twenty-seven games into his rookie campaign, he scored his first NHL goal against Boston Bruins
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...
goaltender Byron Dafoe
Byron Dafoe
Byron Dafoe is a British-Canadian former National Hockey League goaltender. He was born in Worthing, Sussex, England and moved to Duncan, British Columbia with his mother at the age of two months old. Between 1992 and 2004, he played for the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings...
, a game-winner, in a 3-1 win on January 21, 1999. Completing the 1998–99 season with seven goals and 19 points, he was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team
NHL All-Rookie Team
The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year...
. The following season, Salo notched a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
in a 6–4 win against 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...
on March 30, 1999. His campaign was shortened, however, to 37 games due to injury and he was limited to 14 points. In 2000, he missed two games as he suffered from a snakebite.
Salo continued to be sidelined in 2000–01 with various ailments, including shoulder, foot and knee injuries, as well as the flu
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
. In March 2001, he was also cross-checked in the face by Rick Tocchet
Rick Tocchet
Richard Tocchet is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals and Phoenix Coyotes. He was most recently the head coach of the...
of the 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...
, suffering broken teeth and a mild concussion. He finished his third NHL season with 18 points in 31 games.
Before the 2001–02 season began, Salo injured his groin in an exhibition game against the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in September. In addition to missing the first three games of the season, he was later sidelined for a total of 13 more contests due to separate cases of the flu, a broken finger and back spasms. He recorded 18 points in 66 games. In the proceeding off-season, Salo underwent shoulder surgery. Becoming a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
, he accepted an $880,000 qualifying offer from the Senators on July 31, 2002. Nearly two months later, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
in exchange for forward Peter Schaefer on September 21.
Vancouver Canucks
Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Salo went overseas to play for Frölunda HC
Frölunda HC
Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...
in the Swedish Elite League
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
. He notched six goals and 14 points in 41 games, helping Frölunda to the league's best regular season record. The club went on to capture the Le Mat Trophy
Le Mat Trophy
The Le Mat is the championship trophy of Elitserien, the major professional ice hockey league in Sweden.The Le Mat is the oldest trophy competed for by professional athletes in Sweden. The trophy was donated by the founding father of ice hockey in Sweden, Raoul Le Mat, and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
as playoff champions, defeating Färjestads BK
Färjestads BK
Färjestads Bollklubb is a Swedish professional ice hockey team based in Karlstad. Färjestad has had 18 Swedish Championship final appearances, winning nine times since Elitserien was started in 1975. The team plays in the highest Swedish league, and have done so since 1965...
four games to one in the finals. Salo assisted on the overtime goal by Niklas Andersson
Niklas Andersson
Per Niklas Andersson is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey left winger. In his career, he spent time with several National Hockey League teams as well as various minor professional teams in North America, but mostly played for Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elitserien.- Playing career...
in game five to win the championship. Salo completed the playoffs with a goal and seven points in 14 post-season contests.
As NHL play was set to resume the following season, Salo signed another two-year contract with the Canucks at $1.5 million per season. He was limited to 59 games in the subsequent 2005–06 season, suffering a shoulder injury with the Finnish national team during the 2006 Winter Olympics
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...
, colliding with a teammate during a line change. He recorded 10 goals and 33 points with the Canucks, second among team defencemen in scoring. His 23 assists were also a career-high.
In 2006–07, Salo sprained his knee in a game against 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 ....
on November 2, 2006. Soon after returning, he sustained nerve damage in his shoulder from a hit against the 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 ....
in December. Towards the end of the season, he suffered a groin injury, sidelining him for five games in March and April. Although he cumulatively missed 15 games, Salo still managed to have a career year, recording personal bests with 14 goals, 23 assists and 37 points. He tied for 10th among league defencemen in goals and ranked first in game-winning goals with six. Late in the season, he avoided his pending unrestricted free agency by re-signing with the Canucks to a four-year, $14 million contract extension on March 29, 2007. The Canucks entered the 2007 playoffs
2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 11, 2007. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the...
as the third seed. After eliminating the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
in the first round, Vancouver was defeated by 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...
in five games. Salo missed the first two games of the second round due to the flu. He notched an assist over 10 post-season games.
With an accumulation of injuries over the years, Salo spent the 2007 off-season recovering from chronic groin, back and shoulder problems. Salo was immediately sidelined once more before the start of the 2007–08 season, fracturing his wrist during an intra-squad game in training camp. Shortly after returning, he was hit in the face by a clearing attempt from teammate Alexander Edler
Alexander Edler
Alexander Edler is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . He was drafted out of Sweden's third-tier ice hockey league by the Canucks 91st overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and played junior hockey with Modo of the J20 SuperElit and...
during a game against the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
on November 2, 2007. The impact from the puck broke his nose and he mised 19 games. In 63 games, Salo recorded 25 points, his lowest output since his 2001–02 season with the Senators. Despite this, he still led all Canucks defencemen in scoring, as all the team's blueliners also suffered injuries over the season.
The 2008–09 season
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...
began with more time off in November due to separate leg and shoulder injuries. After returning, he was hit into the boards by Edmonton Oilers captain Ethan Moreau
Ethan Moreau
Ethan Byron Moreau is a professional ice hockey left winger who is currently playing with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. Prior to this, he was a alternate captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League...
on December 17, 2008, and suffered a broken rib. He missed 15 games before returning on January 20, 2009. Limited to 60 games, he managed five goals and 25 points in the regular season. In the ensuing playoffs, Salo scored seven points in seven games, including game-winning goals in both game ones of the first and second rounds against the St. Louis Blues and 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...
, respectively. Salo injured himself in game two of the second round, tearing his gluteus medius muscle
Gluteus medius muscle
The gluteus medius , one of the three gluteal muscles, is a broad, thick, radiating muscle, situated on the outer surface of the pelvis....
while taking a slapshot in which he scored. He played through the injury the following game before missing the next two matches. Following his return, the Canucks were eliminated in the sixth game by the Blackhawks. Salo had three goals and seven points in seven games.
Early in the 2009–10 season
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...
, Salo suffered a medial collateral ligament
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
(MCL) sprain to his right knee during a game against the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
on October 11, 2009. Sidelined for seven games, he returned by the end of the month. Salo missed additional games during the season to various injuries, ending the campaign with nine goals and 28 points in 68 games. Towards the second half of the season, Salo took on a more defensive role, replacing Willie Mitchell, who was sidelined with a concussion, as the team's primary shutdown defenceman.
In game five of the second round of the 2010 playoffs
2010 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 14, 2010, after the 2009–10 NHL regular season. The Finals ended on June 9, 2010, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Philadelphia Flyers four games to two to win their fourth championship and their first since 1961...
, Salo was hit in the groin by a slapshot from Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Duncan Keith
Duncan Keith
Duncan Keith is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is an alternate captain for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...
. Needing to be helped off the ice, he was taken to hospital with what was falsely believed to be a ruptured testicle
Testicular rupture
Testicular rupture is a rip or tear in the tunica albuginea resulting in extrusion of the testicular contents. It is a rare complication of testicular trauma. It may cause pain, scrotal swelling, nausea and vomiting. Treatment consists of surgical exploration with repair of the defect.-External...
. He played through an undisclosed injury the following game, as the Canucks were eliminated by the Blackhawks by a 5–1 score. He completed the playoffs with a goal and six points in 12 post-season games.
Playing floorball
Floorball
Floorball, a type of floor hockey, is an indoor team sport which was developed in the 1970s in Sweden. Floorball is most popular in areas where the sport has developed the longest, such as the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. The game is played...
in the off-season, Salo tore his achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
on July 22, 2010. After undergoing surgery, he was sidelined for the first four months of the 2010–11 season
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...
. Before returning to the Canucks lineup, he was sent to the team's American Hockey League
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...
(AHL) affiliate, the Manitoba Moose
Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose were a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba that played in the International Hockey League from 1996 to 2001 and American Hockey League from 2001 to 2011. The team moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011 to become the St...
, for a conditioning assignment. Making his AHL debut on February 4, 2011, he scored two goals for the Moose in a 3–2 win against 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...
. Salo played two more games for the Moose, going pointless in both, before being called up by the Canucks on February 11. Salo appeared in 27 games in 2010–11, recording three goals and four assists. During the first and second rounds of the 2011 playoffs
2011 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 13, 2011, after the conclusion of the 2010–11 NHL regular season. Game 1 of the Finals was held on June 1, while Game 7 was held on June 15...
, Salo missed four games with a leg injury. The Canucks eliminated the Blackhawks and Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the first two rounds to qualify for the Western Conference Finals against the San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. During Game 4 of the series, Salo set a Canucks playoff record for fastest back-to-back goals, scoring 16 seconds apart on a pair of 5-on-3 powerplays. The feat also tied Larry Murphy
Larry Murphy
Lawrence Thomas Murphy is a former Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He currently serves as an analyst and sideline reporter for the Detroit Red Wings on Fox Sports Detroit, and a studio analyst on NHL Network.-Playing career:...
's NHL record for fastest two power play goals in the playoffs since 1957. Combined with Ryan Kesler
Ryan Kesler
Ryan James Kesler is an American professional ice hockey center for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . He serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during home games. Selected in the first round, 23rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Kesler has...
's goal a minute and thirty-nine seconds previously, the trio of goals were also the fastest scored in Canucks playoff history at a minute and fifty-five seconds. Vancouver went on to win the game 4–2, while winning the series 4–1. Advancing to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals
2011 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2011 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League , and the culmination of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was the 118th year of the Stanley Cup's presentation. The Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins defeated the Western Conference Champion Vancouver...
, the Canucks were defeated in seven games by the Boston Bruins
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...
. During the off-season, Salo re-signed with the Canucks to a one-year, $2 million deal on July 1, 2011, prior to becoming an unrestricted free agent.
International play
Salo made his international debut with the Finnish national team at the 2001 World Championships2001 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-Championship:Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2002# — relegated to Division I for 2002# - Group A :Group A was played in Grenoble, France between April 16 and April 22, 2001...
in Germany. He recorded an international career-high nine points in nine games, second among tournament defencemen to Finnish teammate 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...
. Finland advanced to the gold medal game, where they lost 3–2 to the Czech Republic, earning silver.
On December 13, 2001, Salo was selected to the Finnish national team for the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics were held at the E Center in West Valley City and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, Utah. Both the men's and women's tournaments were won by Canada, defeating the host USA in both games.-Men:...
in Salt Lake City, along with Senators teammate Jani Hurme
Jani Hurme
Jani Hurme is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for Ilves in the Finnish SM-liiga. He was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the third round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft with the 58th overall pick....
. He appeared in four games without registering a point as Finland was defeated by the gold-medal winning Canadians in the quarterfinal by a 2–1 score.
In Salo's next World Championships appearance in 2004
2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2004 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held April 24-May 9, 2004, in Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic. Games for this Ice Hockey World Championships tournament were played at Sazka Arena and ČEZ Aréna...
, he recorded three assists in seven games. Finland failed to medal, losing their quarterfinal to Canada. Salo assisted on the go-ahead goal in the third period before Canada tied up the score and won 5–4 in overtime. Several months later, at the 2004 World Cup
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...
, Salo helped Finland to the final, notching three assists in seven games. For his third straight national team appearance, however, Finland was eliminated by Canada, losing the championship game 3–2.
He made his second Olympics appearance at the 2006 Games
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...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
. He recorded four points in six games before suffering a tournament-ending shoulder injury in a collision with teammate 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....
during a line change in front of the team bench. The injury kept him from playing in the semifinal and gold medal game, where Finland won the silver medal in a 3–2 loss to Sweden. Despite missing two games, Salo ranked second among team defencemen, behind Kimmo Timonen
Kimmo Timonen
Kimmo Timonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenseman and an alternate captain for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, with a goal and four points in six games. Four years later, Salo competed once again for Finland at the 2010 Winter Olympics
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...
in his NHL hometown Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. He recorded two points in six games, while leading all Finnish players in ice time. He scored his lone goal during the bronze medal game, opening the score against Slovakia in a 5–3 win.
Playing style
Salo is known as a two-way defenceman, capable of being matched up against opposing team's top players, while also contributing offensively. His offensive game is characterized by his powerful slapshot. He has won numerous hardest shot titles with the Canucks in the team's SuperSkills competitions, clocking one shot at 101.6 miles-per-hour (163.5 kph) in 2006. As a result, he is used frequently on the powerplay, being set up by teammates for shots from the point. A well-rounded defenceman, Salo also earns time on the penalty kill.Personal life
Salo has a wife, Johanna, and three children. From youngest to oldest, they are Peppi, Oliver and Julia. Salo has spent time coaching Oliver, his only son, on his hockey team.Growing up in Turku
Turku
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, Salo had aspirations of playing with the Finnish national team, rather than the NHL. He idolized Jari Kurri
Jari Kurri
Jari Pekka Kurri is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey right winger and a five-time Stanley Cup champion. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001. He is currently the general manager of Team Finland....
and was more familiar with other Finnish players, such as Esa Peltonen
Esa Peltonen
Esa Olavi Peltonen is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the SM-liiga for Kärpät, Upon Pallo, HJK, HIFK and Kiekkoreipas. He was inducted into the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990....
and Heikki Riihiranta
Heikki Riihiranta
Heikki "Hexi" Riihiranta is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the SM-liiga and World Hockey Association.-Career in Finland:...
, than he was with any NHL stars.
Regular season and playoffs
| 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 | ||
| 1994–95 | TPS Turku 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... |
7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1995–96 | TPS Turku | SM-l | 47 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 32 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 1996–97 | TPS Turku | SM-l | 48 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 1997–98 | 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... |
SM-l | 35 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1998–99 | Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
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... |
61 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1998–99 | Detroit Vipers Detroit Vipers The Detroit Vipers was an International Hockey League team. The team was founded in 1994, and played at The Palace of Auburn Hills.-Beginning:... |
IHL | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 37 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2000–01 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 31 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2001–02 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 66 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 2002–03 | Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
NHL | 79 | 9 | 21 | 30 | 10 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2003–04 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 74 | 7 | 19 | 26 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2004–05 2004–05 Elitserien season The 2004–05 Elitserien season was the 30th season of Elitserien. It started on September 20, 2004, with the regular season ending March 1, 2005. The playoffs of the 81st Swedish Championship ended on April 11, with Frölunda HC taking the championship.... |
Frölunda HC Frölunda HC Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the... |
SEL Elitserien Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden... |
41 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 2005–06 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 59 | 10 | 23 | 33 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 67 | 14 | 23 | 37 | 26 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 2007–08 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 63 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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... |
Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 60 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 26 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 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... |
Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 68 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 18 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 AHL season The 2010–11 AHL season is the 75th season of the American Hockey League. An all-time high of thirty teams will play 80 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on October 8, 2010 and ended on April 10, 2011... |
Manitoba Moose Manitoba Moose The Manitoba Moose were a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba that played in the International Hockey League from 1996 to 2001 and American Hockey League from 2001 to 2011. The team moved to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011 to become the St... |
AHL | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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... |
Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 27 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | ||
| NHL totals | 692 | 84 | 196 | 280 | 242 | 95 | 12 | 19 | 31 | 16 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Finland | WCh 2001 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -Championship:Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2002# — relegated to Division I for 2002# - Group A :Group A was played in Grenoble, France between April 16 and April 22, 2001... |
9 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 9 | |
| 2002 | Finland | Oly Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics were held at the E Center in West Valley City and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, Utah. Both the men's and women's tournaments were won by Canada, defeating the host USA in both games.-Men:... |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2004 | Finland | WCh 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2004 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held April 24-May 9, 2004, in Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic. Games for this Ice Hockey World Championships tournament were played at Sazka Arena and ČEZ Aréna... |
7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2004 | Finland | WCp 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... |
6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2006 | Finland | Oly 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... |
6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2010 | Finland | Oly 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... |
6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
| Senior int'l totals | 38 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 15 | |||
Awards
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| NHL All-Rookie Team NHL All-Rookie Team The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year... |
1999 |
| Le Mat Trophy Le Mat Trophy The Le Mat is the championship trophy of Elitserien, the major professional ice hockey league in Sweden.The Le Mat is the oldest trophy competed for by professional athletes in Sweden. The trophy was donated by the founding father of ice hockey in Sweden, Raoul Le Mat, and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer... (with Frölunda HC Frölunda HC Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the... ) |
2005 2004–05 Elitserien season The 2004–05 Elitserien season was the 30th season of Elitserien. It started on September 20, 2004, with the regular season ending March 1, 2005. The playoffs of the 81st Swedish Championship ended on April 11, with Frölunda HC taking the championship.... |
| Silver medal (with Finland) | 2001 World Championships 2001 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -Championship:Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2002# — relegated to Division I for 2002# - Group A :Group A was played in Grenoble, France between April 16 and April 22, 2001... 2006 Winter Olympics 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... |
| Bronze medal (with Finland) | 2010 Winter Olympics |
Transactions
- June 22, 1996 - Drafted by Ottawa SenatorsOttawa SenatorsThe Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the 9th round, 239th overall, in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft1996 NHL Entry DraftThe 1996 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 22, 1996.- Selections by round :Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.- Round one :- Round two :...
. - July 31, 2002 - Signed a one-year, $880,000 qualifying offer from the Ottawa Senators.
- September 21, 2002 - Traded to the Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
for Peter Schaefer. - July 17, 2003 - Re-signed to a two-year, $3.2 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks.
- September 15, 2004 – Signed to a one-year contract with Frölunda HCFrölunda HCFrölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the...
. - August 14, 2005 - Re-signed to a two-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks.
- March 29, 2007 - Signed to a four-year, $14-million contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks.