Vesa Viitakoski

Date of Birth: Feb 13, 1971
Age: 55
Place of Birth: Lappeenranta, FIN
Nation: Finland
Youth Team: SaiPa
Position: LW
Height: 189 cm / 6'2"
Weight: 96 kg / 212 lbs
Shoots: L
Status: Retired

Vesa Viitakoski Facts

Player Type: Net-Front PresencePower ForwardWorkhorse
Drafted: 1990 round 2 #32 overall by Calgary Flames

Viitakoski was known as a big and strong winger. He was able to show up on the scoreboard even at an old age. He had a fine scoring touch, worked hard and was not easy to move in front of the net.

Son: Valtteri Viitakoski

Team Staff profile also available: Vesa Viitakoski

Vesa Viitakoski Statistics

S	Team	League	GP	G	A	TP	PIM	+/-	Post	GP	G	A	TP	PIM	+/-
1988-1989	SaiPa	SM-liiga	11	4	1	5	6	3
1988-1989	Finland U18	EJC-18	6	8	7	15	6	-
1989-1990	SaiPa	SM-liiga	44	24	10	34	8	-1
1989-1990	Finland U20	WJC-20	7	6	1	7	2	-
1990-1991	Tappara	SM-liiga	41	17	23	40	14	5	Playoffs	3	2	0	2	4	2
1990-1991	Finland	Goodwill Games	5	0	0	0	0	-
1990-1991	Finland U20 "C"	WJC-20	7	6	5	11	2	-
1991-1992	Tappara	SM-liiga	44	19	19	38	39	-6	Relegation	4	3	1	4	0	6
1991-1992	Finland	WC	8	2	3	5	6	3
1992-1993	Tappara	SM-liiga	48	27	27	54	28	14
1992-1993	Finland	WC	6	1	0	1	6	1
1992-1993	Finland (all)	International	21	4	4	8	8	-
1993-1994	Calgary Flames	NHL	8	1	2	3	0	0
1993-1994	Saint John Flames	AHL	67	28	39	67	24	-3	Playoffs	5	1	2	3	2	3
1994-1995	Calgary Flames	NHL	10	1	2	3	6	-1
1994-1995	Saint John Flames	AHL	56	17	26	43	8	-22	Playoffs	4	0	1	1	2	-5
1995-1996	Calgary Flames	NHL	5	0	0	0	2	-1
1995-1996	Saint John Flames	AHL	48	18	29	47	48	12
1995-1996	Cornwall Aces	AHL	10	7	6	13	4	3	Playoffs	8	1	3	4	2	-2
1996-1997	HV71	Elitserien	50	17	12	29	24	-	Playoffs	5	1	1	2	2	-
1997-1998	Ilves	SM-liiga	47	11	19	30	12	3	Playoffs	9	2	4	6	4	-1
1998-1999	Ilves	SM-liiga	53	17	5	22	18	6	Playoffs	4	2	1	3	2	2
1999-2000	Ilves	SM-liiga	53	20	20	40	28	2	Playoffs	3	1	0	1	4	-4
2000-2001	Ilves "A"	SM-liiga	55	27	20	47	10	8	Playoffs	9	3	3	6	6	0
2000-2001	Finland (all)	International	-	-	-	-	-	-
2001-2002	Ilves "A"	SM-liiga	56	34	26	60	12	10	Playoffs	3	0	0	0	0	-3
2001-2002	Finland	WC	9	1	1	2	2	-5
2001-2002	Finland (all)	International	16	2	1	3	4	-1
2002-2003	Ilves "A"	SM-liiga	53	18	12	30	22	-9
2003-2004	Ilves "A"	SM-liiga	56	21	15	36	14	11	Playoffs	7	2	2	4	2	2
2004-2005	Brynäs IF	Elitserien	47	12	10	22	14	-11	Kvalserien SHL	10	3	4	7	0	4
2005-2006	Brynäs IF	Elitserien	13	1	2	3	16	0
2005-2006	Ilves	SM-liiga	29	6	4	10	16	-2	Playoffs	4	0	1	1	2	-1
2006-2007	Ilves	SM-liiga	56	17	12	29	38	1	Playoffs	7	1	0	1	2	-3
2007-2008	Ilves "A"	SM-liiga	55	14	12	26	26	2	Playoffs	9	3	3	6	4	1
2008-2009	Kärpät	SM-liiga	50	11	9	20	49	-4	Playoffs	14	4	2	6	4	-2
2009-2010	Kärpät	SM-liiga	52	9	10	19	22	-10	Playoffs	10	2	0	2	0	-1

Vesa Viitakoski Tournament Statistics

S	Team	League	GP	G	A	TP	PIM	+/-	Post	GP	G	A	TP	PIM	+/-
1992-1993	Finland	Sauna Cup	3	0	0	0	0	-2
1997-1998	Ilves	Continental Cup	3	6	0	6	2	-1
1998-1999	Ilves	Euro HL	6	3	1	4	0	1	Playoffs	6	0	2	2	0	-1
2002-2003	Finland	EHT	4	0	0	0	0	-
2006-2007	Ilves	Continental Cup	2	1	0	1	2	-2
2008-2009	Kärpät	Champions HL	4	0	0	0	0	-3

Vesa Viitakoski Career Totals by League

League	Seasons	GP	G	A	TP	PPG	PIM	+/-	Seasons	GP	G	A	TP	PPG	PIM	+/-
AHL	3	181	70	100	170	0.94	84	-10	3	17	2	6	8	0.47	6	-4
Champions HL	1	4	0	0	0	0.00	0	-3	0
Continental Cup	2	5	7	0	7	1.40	4	-3	0
EHT	1	4	0	0	0	0.00	0	-	0
EJC-18	1	6	8	7	15	2.50	6	-	0
Elitserien (SHL)	3	110	30	24	54	0.49	54	-11*	2	15	4	5	9	0.60	2	4*
Euro HL	1	6	3	1	4	0.67	0	1	1	6	0	2	2	0.33	0	-1
Goodwill Games	1	5	0	0	0	0.00	0	-	0
International	3	37*	6*	5*	11*	0.30*	12*	-1*	0
NHL	3	23	2	4	6	0.26	8	-2	0
Sauna Cup	1	3	0	0	0	0.00	0	-2	0
SM-liiga (Liiga)	17	803	296	244	540	0.67	362	33	13	86	25	17	42	0.49	34	-2
WC	3	23	4	4	8	0.35	14	-1	0
WJC-20	2	14	12	6	18	1.29	4	-	0

* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Vesa Viitakoski Career Totals by Team

Team	Seasons	GP	G	A	TP	PPG	PIM	+/-	Seasons	GP	G	A	TP	PPG	PIM	+/-
Brynäs IF	2	60	13	12	25	0.42	30	-11	1	10	3	4	7	0.70	0	4
Calgary Flames	3	23	2	4	6	0.26	8	-2	0
Cornwall Aces	1	10	7	6	13	1.30	4	3	1	8	1	3	4	0.50	2	-2
Finland	3	23	4	4	8	0.35	14	-1	0
Finland (EHT)	1	4	0	0	0	0.00	0	-	0
Finland (Cup)	2	8	0	0	0	0.00	0	-2*	0
Finland (all)	3	37*	6*	5*	11*	0.30*	12*	-1*	0
Finland U18	1	6	8	7	15	2.50	6	-	0
Finland U20	2	14	12	6	18	1.29	4	-	0
HV71	1	50	17	12	29	0.58	24	-	1	5	1	1	2	0.40	2	-
Ilves	10	524	195	146	341	0.65	200	30	9	61	14	16	30	0.49	26	-8
Kärpät	2	106	20	19	39	0.37	71	-17	2	24	6	2	8	0.33	4	-3
Saint John Flames (AHL)	3	171	63	94	157	0.92	80	-13	2	9	1	3	4	0.44	4	-2
SaiPa	2	55	28	11	39	0.71	14	2	0
Tappara	3	133	63	69	132	0.99	81	13	2	7	5	1	6	0.86	4	8

* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Vesa Viitakoski Career Highlights

Season	Awards
1988-1989	U18 EJC Bronze Medal
1989-1990	SM-liiga Most Goals by Rookie (24) SM-liiga Most Points by Junior (34) SM-liiga Most Points by Rookie (34) SM-liiga Rookie of the Year
1990-1991	SM-liiga Most Points by Junior (40)
1991-1992	World Championship Silver Medal
1997-1998	SM-liiga Silver Medal
2000-2001	SM-liiga Bronze Medal Liiga Most Power Play Goals (11)
2001-2002	SM-liiga Gentleman of the Year SM-liiga Most Goals (Aarne Honkavaara Trophy) (34)
2006-2007	Liiga Most Shorthanded Goals (4)
2008-2009	SM-liiga Silver Medal

Transactions

Date	Status	From	To
09/24/2010	Confirmed	Kärpät	Retired
04/22/2009	Extension	Kärpät	Kärpät

Vesa Viitakoski Biography and Trivia

Cult/Star player for Cornwall Aces
Cult/Star player for Ilves
Cult/Star player for Saint John Flames
Cult/Star player for SaiPa