SaiPa

Last updated
SaiPa
Saimaan Pallo (SaiPa) logo.svg
City Lappeenranta, Finland
League Liiga
Founded1948 (1948)
Home arena Kisapuisto
(capacity: 4,820)
ColoursYellow, black
  
General manager Jussi Markkanen
Head coach Ville Hämäläinen
Captain Jarno Koskiranta
Affiliate Imatran Ketterä (Mestis)
Website saipa.fi
SaiPa uudet peliasut.png

Saimaan Pallo (SaiPa) is an ice hockey team in the Finnish Liiga. They play their home games at Kisapuisto in Lappeenranta, Finland. SaiPa has many nicknames, such as "The Sputniks", "Sputnik", "Miracle of the East" and "Eastern Giant."

Contents

SaiPa play home games in the yellow shirt, black pants, yellow socks, and a black helmet. SaiPa play away games in mostly the same costumes as the home games, but also have a black version of the jersey.

History

The team's best achievement is from the 1965-1966 season, when they won bronze medals for placing third. SaiPa also played in a bronze medal game in the 1998–1999 and 2013–14 seasons, but lost the games to HPK (7–2) and Lukko (3–2).

SaiPa has participated twice in the Champions Hockey League. During the 2014-2015 season, the team survived the quarterfinals, where they lost the return match against Oulun Kärpät. During the 2016–17 season, SaiPa won their initial games by 11 points. Eisbären Berlin and Luleå HF were the runners-up.

SaiPa has produced seven players who have played in the National Hockey League (NHL): Antti Aalto, Jussi Markkanen, Petteri Nokelainen, Petri Skriko, Jussi Timonen, Vesa Viitakoski, and Niklas Bäckström. Jussi Markkanen is also a part owner of the club.

Honours

Domestic

SM-sarja

Pre-season

Finnish Cup

Players

Current roster

As of March 10, 2022. [1]

No. Nat Player Pos S/G AgeAcquiredBirthplace
60 Flag of Finland.svg Jaakko Haarti D R24 2022 Helsinki, Finland
2 Flag of Finland.svg Miika Herrala F L22 2021 Kotka, Finland
77 Flag of Finland.svg Henri Hietala D L22 2019 Hamina, Finland
57 Flag of Finland.svg Otto Hokkanen C L19 2021 Lappeenranta, Finland
4 Flag of Finland.svg Joona Huttula D L26 2021 Tampere, Finland
63 Flag of Finland.svg Mikko Juusola LW L25 2021 Kuusamo, Finland
11 Flag of Finland.svg Roni Karvinen F L21 2020 Vantaa, Finland
59 Flag of Finland.svg Niko Kautiainen F R22 2020 Helsinki, Finland
40 Flag of Finland.svg Jarno Koskiranta  ( C ) C L37 2020 Paimio, Finland
21 Flag of Finland.svg Elmeri Laakso D L19 2021 Joensuu, Finland
90 Flag of Finland.svg Valtteri Lipiäinen RW R26 2021 Lappeenranta, Finland
29 Flag of Finland.svg Veikko Loimaranta C L22 2019 Vantaa, Finland
18 Flag of Finland.svg Kalle Maalahti  ( A ) D L32 2021 Lappeenranta, Finland
25 Flag of Finland.svg Tino Metsävainio LW L27 2021 Haukipudas, Finland
74 Flag of Russia.svg Sergei Monakhov LW L32 2021 St. Petersburg, Russia
70 Flag of Finland.svg Janne Naukkarinen C L19 2021 Lappeenranta, Finland
39 Flag of Finland.svg Valtteri Ojantakanen LW R23 2019 Helsinki, Finland
6 Flag of Finland.svg Joel Olkkonen D R30 2019 Hyvinkää, Finland
23 Flag of Finland.svg Ville Petman C L23 2020 Lappeenranta, Finland
31 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Cody Porter G L26 2022 North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
38 Flag of Finland.svg Simo-Pekka Riikola D R31 2019 Joensuu, Finland
61 Flag of Finland.svg Hugo Rikkilä D L22 2019 Espoo, Finland
86 Flag of Finland.svg Aapo Sarell D L20 2020 Lappeenranta, Finland
82 Flag of Finland.svg Aleksi Sinkkonen F L21 2021 Imatra, Finland
80 Flag of Finland.svg Ville Vainikainen RW L29 2019 Kuopio, Finland
34 Flag of Finland.svg Nuutti Viitasalo D R24 2021 Raisio, Finland
53 Flag of Finland.svg Niclas Westerholm G L26 2017 Helsinki, Finland
50th anniversary of SaiPa's 1965-1966 bronze medal team 50th anniversary of SaiPa's 1965-1966 bronze medal 1.jpg
50th anniversary of SaiPa's 1965-1966 bronze medal team
Ville Hamalainen in 2012 Ville Hamalainen 2012.jpg
Ville Hämäläinen in 2012

Retired numbers

SaiPa retired numbers
No.PlayerPositionCareer
3 Lalli Partinen D 1959–1969
8 Ville Koho C 2001–2020
9 Petri Skriko LW 1979–1984
20 Heikki Mälkiä C 1975–1986
1988–1992

NHL alumni

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References

  1. "Team Roster / SaiPa". eliteprospects.com. 10 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.