Juha Metsola Finnish goalkeeper Date of Birth: 24.02.1989 Country: Finland

1. Finnish goalkeeper, product of Ilves club
2. Success in junior and youth national teams
3. Return to Finland and success with HPK
4. Establishing himself as a starting goaltender
5. Great success with Tappara
6. Move to Amur Khabarovsk

Finnish goalkeeper, product of Ilves club

Juhani "Juha" Metsola, commonly known as Juha Metsola, is a Finnish ice hockey goaltender. He was born on January 24, 1989, in Tampere, Finland. Metsola began his professional career in the Finnish SM-liiga at the age of 16, playing for his hometown club, Ilves. He honed his skills as a goaltender and gained recognition for his impressive performances.

Success in junior and youth national teams

While Metsola did not win any medals, he was named the best goaltender of the tournament in two World Junior Championships based on his reliability coefficient. His exceptional abilities caught the attention of scouts from North America, leading him to join the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Western Hockey League (WHL) at the age of 17.

Return to Finland and success with HPK

After his stint in North America, Metsola returned to Finland and joined HPK as the backup goaltender for the 2009/10 season. Despite limited playing time, he was able to contribute to the team's success and helped them achieve a silver medal in the Finnish SM-liiga. However, the following season did not go as well for Metsola, as he spent most of it as a backup goaltender.

Establishing himself as a starting goaltender

In the 2011/12 season, Metsola transferred to Tappara and shared goaltending duties with Jani Nieminen. He proved himself to be the better goaltender and eventually became the team's starting goaltender after Nieminen's departure. Metsola showcased his exceptional skills in the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons, leading Tappara to the finals of the Finnish championship but ultimately falling short.

Great success with Tappara

The 2014/15 season was the highlight of Metsola's career. He became the undisputed starting goaltender for Tappara and achieved several individual accolades, including being named the best goaltender based on save percentage and earning the prestigious Urpo Ylönen Award. Despite personal success, Tappara once again fell short in the finals.

Move to Amur Khabarovsk

In July 2015, it was announced that Metsola would continue his career with Amur Khabarovsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He made his debut for the team in August 2015 and quickly established himself as a reliable goaltender, helping his team secure victories. Metsola signed a new contract with Amur in March 2016, extending his stay with the team for another year.