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 Raimo Helminen
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 R25 2022 Helsinki, Finland
2 Flag of Finland.svg Miika Herrala F L23 2021 Kotka, Finland
77 Flag of Finland.svg Henri Hietala D L23 2019 Hamina, Finland
57 Flag of Finland.svg Otto Hokkanen C L20 2021 Lappeenranta, Finland
4 Flag of Finland.svg Joona Huttula D L27 2021 Tampere, Finland
63 Flag of Finland.svg Mikko Juusola LW L26 2021 Kuusamo, Finland
11 Flag of Finland.svg Roni Karvinen F L22 2020 Vantaa, Finland
59 Flag of Finland.svg Niko Kautiainen F R23 2020 Helsinki, Finland
40 Flag of Finland.svg Jarno Koskiranta  ( C ) C L37 2020 Paimio, Finland
21 Flag of Finland.svg Elmeri Laakso D L20 2021 Joensuu, Finland
90 Flag of Finland.svg Valtteri Lipiäinen RW R27 2021 Lappeenranta, Finland
29 Flag of Finland.svg Veikko Loimaranta C L23 2019 Vantaa, Finland
18 Flag of Finland.svg Kalle Maalahti  ( A ) D L33 2021 Lappeenranta, Finland
25 Flag of Finland.svg Tino Metsävainio LW L28 2021 Haukipudas, Finland
74 Flag of Russia.svg Sergei Monakhov LW L33 2021 St. Petersburg, Russia
70 Flag of Finland.svg Janne Naukkarinen C L20 2021 Lappeenranta, Finland
39 Flag of Finland.svg Valtteri Ojantakanen LW R24 2019 Helsinki, Finland
6 Flag of Finland.svg Joel Olkkonen D R31 2019 Hyvinkää, Finland
23 Flag of Finland.svg Ville Petman C L24 2020 Lappeenranta, Finland
31 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Cody Porter G L27 2022 North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
38 Flag of Finland.svg Simo-Pekka Riikola D R32 2019 Joensuu, Finland
61 Flag of Finland.svg Hugo Rikkilä D L23 2019 Espoo, Finland
86 Flag of Finland.svg Aapo Sarell D L21 2020 Lappeenranta, Finland
82 Flag of Finland.svg Aleksi Sinkkonen F L22 2021 Imatra, Finland
80 Flag of Finland.svg Ville Vainikainen RW L30 2019 Kuopio, Finland
34 Flag of Finland.svg Nuutti Viitasalo D R25 2021 Raisio, Finland
53 Flag of Finland.svg Niclas Westerholm G L27 2017 Helsinki, Finland
SaiPa's bronze medal team 1965-1966 SaiPan pronssimitalijoukkue 1965-1966.jpg
SaiPa's bronze medal team 1965–1966
Jarno Koskiranta playing for SaiPa in 2010 Jarno Koskiranta.jpg
Jarno Koskiranta playing for SaiPa in 2010

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.