Sport (Vaasa)
Encyclopedia
Sport, known by its full name as Hockey Team Vaasan Sport OY, is a Finnish
ice hockey
team based at Vaasa Arena
(capacity 4448) in Vaasa
. The team was established in 1939
as IF Sport (Idrottsföreningen Sport).
in 1975, but was relegated in the 1975-1976 season (roster for their first and only SM-Liiga season).
After the relegation Sport played in the Finnish 1st Division (since then renamed as Mestis
), until they were relegated in 1991-1992 to the Finnish Second Division. Climbing back up to the 1st division proved to be a tough task and wasn't accomplished until spring 1997, with the game winning goal of the deciding game against Kiekko-67 being scored by Kari Teräväinen in overtime.
Season 2008-09 was a success, as Sport won the championship. However the team lost in the last game (best of 7 games are played) to Ässät
in the league qualification series and remained in Mestis. The overall qualification series were close, as Sport was 1 goal from being promoted to SM-Liiga, but was unable to score.
Sport has since year 2000, been struggling with bad economy. Which has almost led the club to bankruptcy. But the club board has made improvements to secure a future for the club, cutting down on the budget for the whole new season. And also installed new Head coach and former world ice hockey champion Antti Törmänen
, who started to build a new young team from scratch.
Fans
Sport have a large fan base in Finland. The official fan club is called Red army, and Ultras 06 as non official supporters. In the first away game in the qualification series against Ässät, more than 20 official busses from Sport was filled with fans. It's the largest number of fans in Finland to go to an away game. At the arena in Pori (the town Ässät are from) all from 1500-2500 Sport fans where all around the Arena in Pori.
Ultras 06 is the group who makes the so called "Tifo
" at the home games.
which has a capacity of 4448 (seats: 1971 / standing: 2377 / luxury suites: 100).
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...
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...
team based at Vaasa Arena
Vaasa Arena
Vaasa Arena is an arena in Vaasa, Finland. It is primarily used for ice hockey, and is the home arena of Sport. It opened in 1971 and holds 4,448 people, but plans are ready to expand the capacity. Some extra seats were installed before the SM-league qualification series in spring 2009.The arena...
(capacity 4448) in Vaasa
Vaasa
Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa...
. The team was established in 1939
1939 in sports
1939 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.Note — many sporting events did not take place because of World War II-American football:NFL championship...
as IF Sport (Idrottsföreningen Sport).
History
Vaasan Sport was founded in 1939. The team was involved in the founding of SM-liigaSM-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 1975, but was relegated in the 1975-1976 season (roster for their first and only SM-Liiga season).
After the relegation Sport played in the Finnish 1st Division (since then renamed as Mestis
Mestis
Mestis, , is the second-highest ice hockey league in Finland.The league was established in 2000 to replace the first division. Since 2000, Mestis has been the highest hockey league in Finland that can be reached with playing merits only; the SM-liiga was closed in 2000...
), until they were relegated in 1991-1992 to the Finnish Second Division. Climbing back up to the 1st division proved to be a tough task and wasn't accomplished until spring 1997, with the game winning goal of the deciding game against Kiekko-67 being scored by Kari Teräväinen in overtime.
Season 2008-09 was a success, as Sport won the championship. However the team lost in the last game (best of 7 games are played) to 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:...
in the league qualification series and remained in Mestis. The overall qualification series were close, as Sport was 1 goal from being promoted to SM-Liiga, but was unable to score.
Sport has since year 2000, been struggling with bad economy. Which has almost led the club to bankruptcy. But the club board has made improvements to secure a future for the club, cutting down on the budget for the whole new season. And also installed new Head coach and former world ice hockey champion Antti Törmänen
Antti Törmänen
Antti Törmänen is a retired professional ice hockey player and current head coach of SC Bern in Switzerland's National League A...
, who started to build a new young team from scratch.
Fans
Sport have a large fan base in Finland. The official fan club is called Red army, and Ultras 06 as non official supporters. In the first away game in the qualification series against Ässät, more than 20 official busses from Sport was filled with fans. It's the largest number of fans in Finland to go to an away game. At the arena in Pori (the town Ässät are from) all from 1500-2500 Sport fans where all around the Arena in Pori.
Ultras 06 is the group who makes the so called "Tifo
Tifo
Tifo, originally the Italian word for the phenomenon of supporting a sport team, is mostly used as a name for any spectacular choreography displayed by supporters on the terraces of an arena or stadium in connection with a sport event, mostly a football match....
" at the home games.
Roster
|}Arena
Its homeground is the Vaasa ArenaVaasa Arena
Vaasa Arena is an arena in Vaasa, Finland. It is primarily used for ice hockey, and is the home arena of Sport. It opened in 1971 and holds 4,448 people, but plans are ready to expand the capacity. Some extra seats were installed before the SM-league qualification series in spring 2009.The arena...
which has a capacity of 4448 (seats: 1971 / standing: 2377 / luxury suites: 100).
Retired numbers
- # 29 Håkan Hjerpe
- # 27 Tomi Väkelä
- # 14 Sami Laaksoharju (not officially retired, but number has been off rotation after the death of Laaksoharju)
Former notable players
Chris AllenChris Allen (ice hockey)Chris Allen is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman who is currently Player/Head Coach of the Peterborough Phantoms.-Playing career :...- Matthieu DescoteauxMatthieu DescoteauxMatthieu Descoteaux is a professional ice hockey defenceman. Selected in the first round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, 19th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers, Descoteaux played only five games at the NHL level, all with the Montreal Canadiens, and is widely viewed as a terrible first-round...
Dale DunbarDale DunbarDale Dunbar is a retired American professional ice hockey defenceman who briefly played in the National Hockey League during the 1980s.-Playing career:...- Glen GulutzanGlen GulutzanGlen Gulutzan is the head coach of the NHL Dallas Stars.- Playing career :Gulutzan played junior hockey with the Moose Jaw Warriors, Brandon Wheat Kings and Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League from 1986–92. After not playing competitive hockey for four seasons, Gulutzan signed with the...
Tero LeinonenTero LeinonenTero Leinonen is an ice hockey goaltender who is currently without a club.-External links:...- Ian MacNeilIan MacNeil (ice hockey)Ian MacNeil is a professional ice hockey player. He played two NHL games with the Philadelphia Flyers during the 2002–03 season....
- Oskar OsalaOskar OsalaOskar Osala is a Finnish professional ice hockey Left Wing currently playing with the HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.-Playing career:He started his career with Vaasa-based Sport...
- David Saunders
Janis SpruktsJanis SpruktsJānis Sprukts is a Latvian professional ice hockey forward, who currently is playing for KHL team Dinamo Riga. Last year he spent in North America, playing 12 games for Florida Panthers...- Juho-Tuomas Appel