Olli Jokinen

Olli Jokinen

Finnish ice hockey player, center forward
Date of Birth: 05.12.1978
Country: Finland

Content:
  1. Olli Jokinen: Finnish Hockey Player
  2. Early Life and Career
  3. NHL Career

Olli Jokinen: Finnish Hockey Player

Olli Jokinen, a Finnish hockey player, currently plays as a center forward for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was initially drafted in the first round, third overall, by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1997 NHL Draft, following Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Jokinen served as the captain of the Florida Panthers from 2003 to 2008. Later, he made a deal with the Phoenix Coyotes and joined the team for the 2008-2009 NHL season.

Olli Jokinen

Early Life and Career

Olli Jokinen was born on December 5, 1978, in Kuopio, Finland. He began his career with the KalPa club in his hometown, where he played his first season in the SM-League (Finnish Elite League) from 1995-1996. In his 15 games with the team, Jokinen scored only one goal and made one assist. His breakthrough came in his second season in the SM-League when he was traded to the HIFK club, one of the top competitors in the league. Under the coaching of American Mike Yves, Jokinen finished the 1996-1997 season with 41 points in 50 games.

Olli Jokinen

NHL Career

At the 1997 NHL Draft, Jokinen was selected by the Los Angeles Kings and signed a contract for the following season. However, his NHL debut was not successful as he played eight games without scoring any points. He returned to Finland during the 1997-1998 season and regained his form with HIFK, earning 39 points in 30 games. HIFK qualified for the playoffs and reached the final, where they competed against Ilves in the SM-League Championship. Jokinen scored the deciding goal in overtime in the third game, leading HIFK to victory. This victory ended a 15-year championship drought for the club.

Olli Jokinen

After a successful season in Finland, Jokinen returned to the Los Angeles Kings for the 1998-1999 season, scoring 21 points in 66 games. Following his second NHL season, he moved to the New York Islanders, and Ziggy Palffy took his place on the Kings' roster. Jokinen struggled with the Islanders, only scoring 21 points in 82 games but accumulating 80 penalty minutes throughout the season. Unsatisfied with his performance, Jokinen joined the Florida Panthers. In his first season with the team, he recorded 16 points and 106 penalty minutes in 76 games. He improved slightly in his second season, tallying 29 points in 80 games. His third season with the Panthers was even more productive, as he scored 36 goals and made 29 assists in 81 games.

Olli Jokinen

Continuing to strengthen his NHL career, Jokinen scored 58 points in 82 games in the next season. After the 2004-2005 lockout, he had a remarkable season in 2006-2007, scoring 91 points in 82 games and breaking Pavel Bure's previous Panthers' record. On February 10, 2008, Jokinen suffered a severe injury when he was hit and his femoral artery was sliced by Richard Zednik's skate, resulting in significant blood loss. The game against the Buffalo Sabres was postponed until it was announced that Zednik was in stable condition. When asked about his reaction to the incident in an interview, Jokinen responded with shock, stating that everyone was stunned by what had happened.

In the 2008 NHL Draft, Jokinen was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes and then moved to the Calgary Flames on March 4, 2009. Finally, on February 1, 2010, he joined his current team, the New York Rangers. Throughout his career, Jokinen has also represented the Finnish national team. He earned bronze medals at the World Championships in 2000, 2006, and 2008, as well as silver medals in 1998, 1999, and 2007. The Finnish team also won silver at the 2004 World Cup and finished second at the Olympic Games in Turin. Jokinen was a participant in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

© BIOGRAPHS