Ville Uusitalo

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Ville Uusitalo
Ville Uusitalo 2008.jpg
Uusitalo with HC Ässät in 2008
Born (1979-07-06) July 6, 1979 (age 45)
Espoo, Finland
Height 181 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 79 kg (174 lb; 12 st 6 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for HC Alleghe
Jokerit
Pelicans
HC Ässät
Playing career 2004–2016

Ville Aleksi Uusitalo (born 6 July 1979) is a retired Finnish ice hockey defenceman. He played a total of 578 regular season games in the Finnish Elite League, scoring 195 points and accumulating 441 penalty minutes, as well as 30 playoff games, scoring 11 points and 24 penalty minutes. Uusitalo served as the captain of the HC Ässät from 2011 to 2015 and led the team to the Finnish Championship in 2013. Additionally he represented Jokerit and the Pelicans in the Finnish Elite League. Uusitalo also played abroad in France, Sweden and Italy.

Contents

Career

Junior and semi-pro

He played as a junior for Jäähonka and Espoon Palloseura, whose men's team Uusitalo played for the first time in the third tier, the Suomi-sarja, in the 2000–01 season. EPS won silver at the end of the season, but failed to advance to the Mestis qualifiers. For the 2001–02 season, Uusitalo moved to the third highest league level in France, to Albatros de Brest in the FFHG Division 2. Brest won their league at the end of the season. In the 2002–03 season, Uusitalo continued his career in the third highest league level in Sweden, in the I-division for the IK Pantern. For the 2003–04 season, he returned to Finland and moved to the Mestis promoted team, HC Salamat. Salamat was founded a year earlier to replace the Espoon Palloseura representative team. [1] In his first season with Mestis, Uusitalo scored 18 points in 40 regular season games. Despite his position as a defenceman, he was Salamat's top scorer and led the Mestis defense in goal scoring.

Professional career

HC Alleghe, Jokerit and Pelicans (2004–2008)

Uusitalo moved to the Italian Serie A team Alleghe Hockey for the 2004–05 season. [2] He was the team's most effective defenseman with 12 points, along with Francesco De Biaso. Uusitalo returned to HC Salamat for the 2005–06 season, [3] where he scored 26 points in 26 regular season games and tied for fourth place in the Mestis defensemen's points total at the end of the season with KooKoo's Jukka-Pekka Holopainen. In January 2006, Uusitalo, who led the Mestis defensemen's points total, moved to the Finnish Elite League team Jokerit on a contract that covered the rest of the season. [4] [5] He made his league debut at the age of 26 on 7 January 2006 against Kalevan Pallo, and also received one assist in the game. [6] It remained Uusitalo's only highlight of the season in the Finnish Elite League, where he played 14 regular season games during the season.

Jokerit did not extend Uusitalo's contract and he signed a two-year deal with the Lahti Pelicans for the 2006–07 season. [7] Uusitalo was expected to take on a big role, but after some difficulties, he was moved to a smaller role. [8] In his first full SM-liiga season, Uusitalo scored eight points in 53 regular season games, but his plus-minus reading of +12 was the Pelicans' best. Uusitalo's season ended in the final rounds of the regular season due to a sprained thumb. [9] In the 2007–08 season, he scored his first goal in the Finnish Elite League and scored 15 points during the regular season.

HC Ässät (2008–2016)

Uusitalo joined HC Ässät on a two-year contract starting from the 2008–09 season. [10] He was the team's most effective defenseman with 24 points, which tied Uusitalo for eighth place in the Finnish Elite League defencemen's points total. In the 2009–10 season, he became the HC Ässät alternate captain and scored his personal Finnish Elite League single-season goal record of nine goals. He was the HC Ässät's highest-scoring defenceman. However, his season ended in February 2010 when an opponent's skate cut his ankle. [11] [12] In December 2009, he signed a three-year contract extension with HC Ässät. [13]

In the 2010–11 season, Uusitalo set his personal Finnish Elite League's single-season point record with 39 points and won the league's defensemen's point and assist totals. [14] On 26 February 2011, Uusitalo recorded his 29th assist of the season and became the defenseman with the most assists in a single regular season in the HC Ässät club history, surpassing Pekka Rautakallio, who scored 28 assists in the 1978–79 season. Rautakallio was the HC Ässät head coach when his record was broken. [15] Uusitalo won the HC Ässät plus-minus statistic with a score of +20. He was selected to the Finnish Elite League's All-Star team at the end of the season. [16] [17] At the end of the season, Uusitalo was nominated for the Pekka Rautakallio Trophy for best defender, but the award went to Sami Vatanen. [18] In August 2011, Uusitalo signed a five-year contract extension with HC Ässät until spring 2016. [19] [20]

In the 2011–12 season, Uusitalo became the HC Ässät captain. He was the team's most effective defender with 32 points, which tied Uusitalo for fourth place in the Finnish Elite League defenders' points total. He won the HC Ässät plus-minus statistic with a score of +23. Uusitalo was chosen as the Finnish Elite League player of the month in September 2011. [21] [22] At the end of the season, he was again nominated for the Pekka Rautakallio award for the best defender, [23] but the award was again given to Sami Vatanen. In the 2012–13 season, Uusitalo captained HC Ässät to their third Finnish Championship in club history. [24] [25]

Juha Kiilholma replaced Uusitalo as captain of HC Ässät in the 2015–16 season, his last with the team. However, Uusitalo was named captain of the HC Ässät's last match of the season on 10 March 2016 against Turun Palloseura. Correspondingly, Uusitalo's long-time defence pair Tapio Sammalkangas was named alternate captain for the match. [26] The team's coaching staff allowed the duo to do a lap of honour around their home rink after HC Ässät took a timeout in the last period. [27] After the season, Uusitalo still trained independently and waited for a good contract offer from Finland, but finally in late October 2016 he announced on his Instagram account that he had ended his playing career. [28] [29] [30]

After his playing career, Uusitalo has been a member of the Finnish Elite League's disciplinary delegation, which is in charge of suspending players. [31] [32]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1994–95Jäähonka U16U16 SM-sarja60112—————
1997–98EPS U20U20 I-Divisioona328142222—————
1998–99EPS U20U20 I-Divisioona1208816—————
1999–00EPS U20U20 I-Divisioona1145914—————
2000–01 EPS Suomi-sarja 34422263040442
2001–02 Brest Albatros Hockey France3 1418224016—————
2002–03 IK Pantern Division 1 5512162878—————
2003–04 HC Salamat Mestis 40126181630006
2004–05 HC Alleghe Italy 33391226—————
2005–06 HC SalamatMestis269172634—————
2005–06 Jokerit SM-liiga 140116—————
2006–07 Lahti Pelicans SM-liiga5308834—————
2007–08 Lahti PelicansSM-liiga5478157720002
2008–09 Porin Ässät SM-liiga577172462—————
2009–10 Porin ÄssätSM-liiga489112048—————
2010–11 Porin ÄssätSM-liiga597323928612312
2011–12 Porin ÄssätSM-liiga60626325040000
2012–13 Porin ÄssätSM-liiga591161720160888
2013–14 Porin ÄssätLiiga602141646—————
2014–15 Porin ÄssätLiiga60013134420002
2015–16 Porin ÄssätLiiga54191026—————
SM-liiga totals57840155195441301101124

References

  1. ↑ "HC Salamoille kolme uutta pelaajaa". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2003-06-05. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  2. ↑ "Uusitalo Kirkkonummelta Italiaan". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2004-07-23. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  3. ↑ "Paluumuuttajista Salamoiden selkäranka". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2005-05-17. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  4. ↑ "Jokerit purki Jantusen sopimuksen – Uusitalo sisään". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2006-01-07. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  5. ↑ "JÄÄKIEKKOILU | Ville Uusitalon hieno ensimmäinen työpäivä". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 2006-01-08. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  6. ↑ "Uusitalo debytoi onnistuneesti". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2006-01-07. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  7. ↑ "Ville Uusitalo Pelicansiin, Loppi jatkaa Lahdessa". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2006-03-30. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  8. ↑ "Pelicans pelaaja pelaajalta 2006−07". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2007-04-03. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  9. ↑ "Ville Uusitalo loppukaudeksi sivuun". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2007-03-01. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  10. ↑ "Ville Uusitalo Ässiin". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2008-04-02. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  11. ↑ "Ässien ykköspakki sivussa loppukauden". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  12. ↑ "Ässäkapteeni Kuparinen loukkaantunut". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2010-02-18. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  13. ↑ "Ässille tukku jatkosopimuksia". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2009-12-04. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  14. ↑ "Mestarijoukkueen kapteeni huolestui Ässien tarpomisesta – lähti Helsingistä Poriin kello 5.30 herättelemään joukkuetta". Satakunnan Kansa (in Finnish). 2018-11-02. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  15. ↑ "Uusitalosta tuli ennätysmies". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2011-02-26. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  16. ↑ "SM-liiga palkitsi parhaita". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2011-05-21. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  17. ↑ "Ässien luottopakille pitkä jatkosopimus". mtvuutiset.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  18. ↑ "Paras puolustaja 2011: Karalahti, Uusitalo vai Vatanen?". liiga.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  19. ↑ STT (2011-08-08). "SM-liigan pakkien pisteykköselle pitkä jatkosopimus". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  20. ↑ "Tehopakki Uusitalolle viiden vuoden sopimus". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2011-08-08. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  21. ↑ "Uusitalosta SM-liigan syyskuun pelaaja". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  22. ↑ "SM-liigan kuukauden pelaaja patapaidoista". mtvuutiset.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  23. ↑ "Söderholm, Vatanen vai Uusitalo?". liiga.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  24. ↑ "Mestaruus 2013 | Viinipullo tyhjeni ja paperilappu täyttyi Ruosniemen yössä kymmenen vuotta sitten – "Se on ikuisesti salainen"". Satakunnan Kansa (in Finnish). 2023-01-20. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  25. ↑ "Uusitalo: "Porin Ässillä ei ole mestaruuskrapulaa"". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish). 2013-09-08. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  26. ↑ "Viimeinen kuulutus ässämestarien lähtöön". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  27. ↑ "Ässäkonkarien jäähyväiset: "Muistot vilisivät silmissä"". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2016-03-10. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  28. ↑ "Ville Uusitalon ura ohi". Jatkoaika.com - Kaikki jääkiekosta (in Finnish). 2016-10-01. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  29. ↑ "Ässien mestarikapteeni lopettaa uransa". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish). 2016-10-01. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  30. ↑ "Ässien kapteeni ilmoitti lopettamisestaan tyylillä - upea kiitospuhe vaimolle koskettaa". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  31. ↑ Vilén, Jan (2024-09-06). "SM-liigakonkari siirtyi yllättävään tehtävään". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-03-25.
  32. ↑ "Liigan kurinpitodelegaatio vahvistuu kovaluisella ex-kapteenilla". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2025-03-25.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Porin Ässät captain
2011–15 		Succeeded by
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