Mikko Viitanen

Mikko Viitanen
Born	(1982-02-18) February 18, 1982 (age 43) Nurmijärvi, Finland
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Blues Hershey Bears Lowell Lock Monsters Lukko Rauma JYP Jyväskylä Ässät Pori
NHL draft	149th overall, 2001 Colorado Avalanche
Playing career	2000–2016

Mikko Viitanen (born February 18, 1982) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey defenceman who most notably played in the Finnish Liiga. He was drafted 149th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Viitanen previously played seven seasons with JYP, joining from fellow Liiga club Lukko Rauma in 2009. ^[1]

On April 23, 2015, Viitanen joined his fourth Finnish Liiga club, in agreeing to a two-year contract with Ässät Pori. ^[2] Viitanen appeared in 32 games for 5 points in the 2015–16 season. With his campaign limited due to injury and with the toll of 15 professional seasons mounting, Viitanen opted to forgo the final year of his contract with Pori and end his professional hockey career on May 31, 2016. ^[3]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1998–99	HPK	FIN U18		36	3	6	9	40		—	—	—	—	—
1998–99	HPK	FIN U20		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1999–2000	Chicago Freeze	NAHL		54	4	6	10	126		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Ahmat	FIN.2 U20		9	3	4	7	41		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Ahmat	Mestis		41	3	9	12	66		3	0	0	0	0
2001–02	Blues	FIN U20		10	1	3	4	16		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Blues	SM-l		3	0	0	0	6		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Jukurit	Mestis		21	0	3	3	26		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Blues	FIN U20		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Blues	SM-l		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Haukat	Mestis		9	0	1	1	56		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Hershey Bears	AHL		20	1	1	2	14		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Reading Royals	ECHL		47	0	4	4	21		13	0	1	1	8
2004–05	Hershey Bears	AHL		22	0	1	1	6		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Reading Royals	ECHL		52	3	3	6	47		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Lowell Lock Monsters	AHL		72	1	7	8	56		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Lukko	SM-l		51	8	16	24	44		2	0	2	2	2
2007–08	Lukko	SM-l		13	2	0	2	6		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Lukko	SM-l		18	0	0	0	6		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	JYP	SM-l		37	2	6	8	30		15	3	1	4	6
2009–10	JYP	SM-l		48	2	6	8	44		12	0	1	1	2
2010–11	JYP	SM-l		55	0	3	3	61		10	1	2	3	29
2010–11	D Team	Mestis		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	JYP	SM-l		35	0	4	4	36		14	3	1	4	18
2012–13	JYP	SM-l		36	2	1	3	58		9	1	0	1	26
2013–14	JYP	Liiga		13	0	1	1	6		3	0	0	0	2
2014–15	JYP	Liiga		21	2	0	2	34		8	0	0	0	14
2015–16	Ässät	Liiga		32	1	4	5	37		—	—	—	—	—
Liiga totals				363	19	41	60	368		73	8	7	15	99
AHL totals				114	2	9	11	76		—	—	—	—	—

Medal record
Representing   Finland
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
	2002 Pardubice

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2002	Finland	WJC			7	0	0	0	4
Junior totals					7	0	0	0	4

References

1. "Mikko Viitanen continues with JYP" (in Finnish). JYP. 2009-05-08. Retrieved 2011-05-13.
2. "Assat Pori make roster additions" (in Finnish). Ässät Pori. 2015-04-23. Retrieved 2015-04-23.
3. "Mikko Viitanen ends professional career" (in Finnish). Ässät Pori. 2016-05-31. Retrieved 2016-05-31.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Eurohockey.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database