Saku Koivu
| Saku Koivu | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
November 23, 1974 Turku, Finland |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 181 lb (82 kg; 12 st 13 lb) | ||
| Position | Center | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
TPS Montreal Canadiens Anaheim Ducks |
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| National team |
 Finland
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| NHL Draft | 21st overall, 1993 Montreal Canadiens |
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| Playing career | 1992–2014 | ||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| Representing Finland
|
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| Olympic Games | ||
 |
2006 Turin | |
 |
1994 Lillehammer | |
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1998 Nagano | |
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2010 Vancouver | |
| World Championships | ||
 |
1995 Sweden | |
|
1994 Italy | |
|
1999 Norway | |
|
2008 Canada | |
| World Cup | ||
|
2004 World Cup of Hockey | |
Saku Antero Koivu (pronounced [ˈkoiʋu]; born November 23, 1974) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1995–96 after three seasons with TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga. Koivu served as the Canadiens' captain for ten of his 14 years with the club, which makes him the longest captaincy tenure in team history, tied with Jean Béliveau. Koivu was the first European player to captain the Montreal Canadiens.
Koivu began his professional ice hockey career playing for TPS in the Finnish SM-liiga, beginning in 1992–93. He posted ten points in his rookie season, including five points in the playoffs, to help TPS to a Kanada-malja championship. After improving to 53 points the following season, he put up a league-high 73 points in 1994–95. In addition to earning the Veli-Pekka Ketola trophy as league scoring champion, Koivu was awarded the Kultainen kypärä award as the players' choice for the best player and the Lasse Oksanen trophy as league MVP. He went on to record 17 points in 13 post-season games that year to earn the Jari Kurri trophy as playoff MVP and win his second Kanada-malja trophy in three years with TPS.
Koivu would return to the TPS squad during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, scoring eight goals and eight assists in 20 games.
Koivu was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, following his rookie season in the SM-liiga, as their first round selection, 21st overall. After two more seasons with TPS, Koivu moved to North America for the 1995–96 season to join the Canadiens. In his first season, Koivu ranked fourth in scoring amongst NHL rookies with 45 points in 82 games. The following season, he was amongst the NHL leading scorers (13 goals and 25 assists for 38 points) before suffering a knee injury on December 7, 1996, in a game against Chicago Blackhawks. He missed 32 games that season but returned to finish with 56 points in 50 games.
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