The SM-liiga, colloquially called the Finnish Elite League in English, is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. It is one of the six founding leagues of the Champions Hockey League and currently allocated five spots - the maximum number - based on success in previous editions. 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 Hockey Association, but the league and association have an agreement of cooperation. SM is a common abbreviation for Suomen mestaruus, "Finnish championship".
Mestis is the second-highest men's ice hockey league in Finland. The league was established by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association in 2000 to replace the I-divisioona. It had initially been the highest hockey league in Finland that could be reached through playing merits alone; the SM-liiga was closed in 2000. After the 2004–05 season, KalPa was promoted to the SM-liiga, and the Liiga was re-opened in the 2008–09 season. Vaasan Sport was promoted in 2014–15, KooKoo was promoted in 2015–16, and Jukurit was promoted in 2016–17. Mestis, however, is an open league, with promotion and relegation between it and Suomi-sarja. However there will be no relegation during the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jarmo Pentti Kalevi Myllys is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars as their ninth-round pick, #172 overall, in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. He is currently the goalkeeping coach for Austrian hockey team EC KAC of the EBEL. His jersey number, #35, was retired in Luleå in 2011.
Mikko Jokela is a Finnish former professional ice hockey defenceman. Jokela played one game in the National Hockey League for the Vancouver Canucks in 2003.
Jouni Rinne is a retired professional ice hockey player who played in the SM-liiga. He played for Lukko, HPK, KalPa, KooKoo, and YJK. He was inducted into the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005.
Alexander Bonsaksen is a Norwegian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing with KooKoo in the Finnish Liiga.
KooKoo is a Finnish ice hockey team playing in the first level of Finnish ice hockey league Liiga. KooKoo plays in the Lumon arena, in Kouvola. The team was established in 1965 and the previous name of the club is Kouvolan Kiekko-65.
Juha-Pekka Haataja is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger. He currently plays for KooKoo of the Finnish Liiga.
Matthew Watkins is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played a single game with the Phoenix Coyotes in the National Hockey League (NHL). He currently plays in the senior men's hockey in the WSHL with the Craik Warriors. He was selected by the Dallas Stars in the 5th round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Watkins was born in Aylesbury, Saskatchewan, but grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Erik Karlsson is a Swedish professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing with KooKoo of the Liiga. Karlsson was drafted in the fourth round, 99th overall, in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes.
Patrick Bjorkstrand is a Danish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for EC VSV of the Austrian Hockey League (EBEL). He formerly played with the Ontario Reign of the AHL while under contract to the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Malte Strömwall is a Swedish professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for HC Dinamo Minsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Joni Tuulola is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing with Tappara in the Finnish Liiga. He was selected 181st overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
Miska Siikonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey player. He is currently playing with KooKoo in the Finnish Liiga.
Vilmos Galló is a Hungarian professional ice hockey winger who plays for Linköping HC of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).
The 2017–18 Liiga season was the 43rd season of the SM-liiga, the top level of ice hockey in Finland, since the league's formation in 1975. Tappara was the season as a defending champion. This season included a record number of matches played on Fridays and Saturdays. In autumn, there was a national team break from 5 November until 13 November.
The 2019–20 Liiga season is the 45th season of the Liiga, the top level of ice hockey in Finland, since the league's formation in 1975. The last two game days of the regular season were scheduled to be played in front of an empty arena due to the Finnish government advising that all public events with more than 500 attendees will be cancelled or postponed. On 13 March, the rest of the season, which included the final round of the regular season and all of playoffs, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kyle Platzer is a Canadian professional ice hockey Forward currently playing with Tappara in the Finnish Liiga. He was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the fourth-round, 96th overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Kasper Björkqvist is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger who is currently playing for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect under contract to the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Penguins in the second round, 61st overall, of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. He has previously played on loan for KooKoo of the Liiga.
The 2021–22 Liiga season was the 47th season of the Liiga, the top level of ice hockey in Finland, since the league's formation in 1975.