KalPa Naiset
Kalevan Pallo Naiset or KalPa Naiset are an ice hockey team in the Naisten Liiga (NSML), the premier women's ice hockey league in Finland. Founded in 1990, they play in Kuopio, the largest city in the eastern-central province of North Savo, at the Kuopion jäähalli (Niirala), and also use Lippumäen jäähalli as a secondary venue. The team has won one Finnish Championship silver medal, in 2021, and four bronze medals, in 1995, 1996, 2017, and 2023.
Kalevan Pallo Naiset | |
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City | Kuopio, Finland |
League | Naisten Liiga |
Founded | 1990 |
Home arena | Olvi Areena Lippumäen jäähalli |
Colours | Black, gold |
Owner(s) | Juniori-KalPa ry |
General manager | Jukka Koskinen |
Head coach | Mika Väärälä |
Captain | Johanna Juutilainen |
Affiliate | KalPa Akatemia |
Website | Official website |
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History
In 2020, the team qualified for the Aurora Borealis Cup playoff final and were set to face the reigning champions, Kiekko-Espoo, when the playoffs were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic before the first game of the finals. By making it to the playoff finals, KalPa was guaranteed at least a silver medal, which would have been the highest finish in team history to that point, but with the cancellation of the season no Finnish Championship (SM) medals were awarded.[1]
Season-by-season results
This is a partial list of the most recent seasons completed by KalPa Naiset.
Note: Finish = Rank at end of regular season; GP = Games played, W = Wins (3 points), OTW = Overtime wins (2 points), OTL = Overtime losses (1 point), L = Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points, Top scorer: Points (Goals+Assists)
Season | League | Preliminaries and regular season | Post season results | |||||||||
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Finish | GP | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | Pts | Top scorer | |||
2015–16 | Naisten SM-sarja | 6th | 28 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 47 | 124 | 24 | ![]() |
Lost quarterfinals, 0–2 (HPK) |
2016–17 | Naisten SM-sarja | 3rd | 28 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 100 | 72 | 57 | ![]() |
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2017–18 | Naisten Liiga | 6th | 30 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 112 | 92 | 47 | ![]() |
Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 (Blues) |
2018–19 | Naisten Liiga | 4th | 30 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 154 | 83 | 57 | ![]() |
Lost bronze medal, 0–1 (Kärpät) |
2019–20 | Naisten Liiga | 3rd | 30 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 124 | 64 | 61 | ![]() |
Won semifinals, 3–0 (Ilves) Finals cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
2020–21 | Naisten Liiga | 2nd | 25 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 121 | 51 | 56 | ![]() |
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2021–22 | Naisten Liiga | 8th | 30 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 70 | 96 | 32 | ![]() |
Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 (K-Espoo) |
2022–23 | Naisten Liiga | 2nd | 36 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 197 | 65 | 93 | ![]() |
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Players and personnel
2022–23 roster
Coaching staff and team personnel
- Head coach: Mika Väärälä
- Assistant coach: Pekka Romppanen
- Conditioning coach: Tarja Koski
- Team managers: Taina Lappi & Maarit Paroinen
- Equipment managers: Jari Hämäläinen, Irina Ivanoff, & Harri Mäkkeli
Team captains
- Johanna Juutilainen, 2010–11
- Isa Rahunen, 2011–12
- Marjo Voutilainen, 2012–13
- Venla Hovi & Anni Kettunen, 2013–14
- Johanna Juutilainen, 2015–2018
- Tanja Niskanen, 2018–19[5]
- Tiina Ranne & Emma Ritari, 2019–20[6]
- Emma Ritari, 2020–21
- Johanna Juutilainen, 2021–
Head coaches
- Mikko Miettinen, –2000
- Seppo Tirronen, 2000–
- Marjo Voutilainen, 2016–2022
- Mika Väärälä, 2022[7]–
Awards and honours
Finnish Championship
Aurora Borealis Cup Runners-up (1): 2021
Third Place (4) : 1995, 1996, 2017, 2023
Player awards
- Riikka Nieminen Award (Player of the Year)
- 2020–21: Elisa Holopainen[11]
- 2019–20: Tanja Niskanen
- 2018–19: Elisa Holopainen
- Katja Riipi Award (Best forward)
- 2020–21: Elisa Holopainen
- 2019–20: Elisa Holopainen
- 2018–19: Elisa Holopainen
- Marianne Ihalainen Award (Top point scorer)
- 2018–19: Elisa Holopainen
- Tiia Reima Award (Top goal scorer)
- 2022–23: Elisa Holopainen
- 2020–21: Matilda Nilsson
- 2019–20: Elisa Holopainen
- 2018–19: Elisa Holopainen
- Sari Fisk Award (Best plus/minus)
- 2019–20: Matilda Nilsson
- Emma Laaksonen Award (Fair-play player)
- 2020–21: Johanna Juutilainen
- 2016–17: Tanja Niskanen
- Hannu Saintula Award (Coach of the Year)
- 2019–20: Marjo Voutilainen
Player of the Month
All-Stars
First Team
- 2020–21: Elisa Holopainen (W), Matilda Nilsson (W)
- 2019–20: Elisa Holopainen (W), Tanja Niskanen (C), Matilda Nilsson (W)
- 2018–19: Tanja Niskanen (C), Elisa Holopainen (W)
- 2014–15: Matilda Nilsson (W)
- 2013–14: Venla Hovi (W)
Second Team
- 2020–21: Tiina Ranne (G)
- 2019–20: Tiina Ranne (G)
- 2018–19: Matilda Nilsson (W)
- 2017–18: Matilda Nilsson (W), Elisa Holopainen (W)
- 2016–17: Matilda Nilsson (W), Tanja Niskanen (C)
Team records
- As of 10 April 2022
Single-season records
- Most goals in a season: Elisa Holopainen, 39 goals (25 games; 2020–21) / Matilda Nilsson, 39 goals (30 games; 2018–19)
- Most assists in a season: Tanja Niskanen, 48 assists (29 games; 2018–19)
- Most points in a season: Tanja Niskanen, 79 points (29 games; 2018–19)
- Most points in a season, defenceman: Kirsi Hänninen, 30 points (23 games; 1995–96)
- Best points per game, over 10 games played: Marjo Voutilainen, 3.00 (14 games; 1997–98)
- Most penalty minutes in a season: Kirsi Hänninen, 66 PIM (23 games; 1995–96)
- Best save percentage in a season, over ten games played: Tiina Ranne, .942 SVS% (18 games; 2019–20)
- Best goals against average in a season, over ten games played: Tiina Ranne, 1.86 GAA (14 games; 2020–21)
Career records
- Most career goals: Tanja Niskanen, 257 goals (301 games; 2006–2022)
- Most career assists: Tanja Niskanen, 231 assists (301 games; 2006–2022)
- Most career points: Tanja Niskanen, 488 points (301 games; 2006–2022)
- Best career points per game, over 30 games played: Elisa Holopainen, 1.91 points per game (129 games; 2016–2021)
- Most career points, defenceman: Emma Ritari, 102 points (251 games; 2009–2021)
- Most career penalty minutes: Salla Rantanen, 306 PIM (236 games; 2012–2022)
- Most games played, skater: Tanja Niskanen, 301 games (2006–2022)
- Most games played, goaltender: Jenna Juutilainen, 115 games (2009–2022)
All-time scoring leaders
The top regular season point scorers in KalPa Naiset history.
- As of April 2021
Note: Nat = Nationality; Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game; = 2022–23 KalPa player
Nat | Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | P/G |
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Tanja Niskanen | F | 301 | 257 | 231 | 488 | 1.62 |
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Johanna Juutilainen | F | 280 | 128 | 198 | 326 | 1.16 |
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Matilda Nilsson | F | 189 | 164 | 140 | 304 | 1.61 |
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Elisa Holopainen | F | 129 | 133 | 114 | 247 | 1.91 |
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Marjo Voutilainen | F | 177 | 86 | 101 | 187 | 1.06 |
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Salla Rantanen | F | 236 | 87 | 91 | 178 | 0.75 |
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Kati Kovalainen | F | 70 | 72 | 35 | 107 | 1.53 |
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Emma Ritari | D | 251 | 34 | 68 | 102 | 0.41 |
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Tanja Koljonen | D | 112 | 17 | 70 | 87 | 0.78 |
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Eija Rahunen | F | 80 | 28 | 54 | 82 | 1.02 |
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Tiina Paananen | F | 58 | 46 | 35 | 81 | 1.40 |
Source(s): Elite Prospects[15]
Notable alumni
Years active with KalPa listed alongside players' names.[16]
- Venla Hovi, 2012–2014
- Kirsi Hänninen, 1995–96
- Kati Kovalainen, 1993–1996
- Rose Matilainen, 1993–1996
- Terhi Mertanen, 1999–2001
- Matilda Nilsson, 2014–2021
- Oona Parviainen, 1993–1999
- Tuula Puputti, 1992–1995
- Isa Rahunen, 2006–2013
- Saila Saari, 2020–21
- Riikka Sallinen, 1995–96
- Eve Savander, 2013–14
- Marjo Voutilainen, 1995–2001 & 2010–2014
International player(s)
Nozomi Kiribuchi, 2015–16
References
- Pulkkinen, Aki-Petteri (27 May 2020). "Näkemys: Naiskiekolle ei jäänyt kaudesta mitään käteen − Korona ryösti vuoden työn". Jatkoaika.com (in Finnish). Retrieved 30 August 2020.
- "Naisten Liiga (W) - KalPa, 2022-2023 Roster". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- "2022-2023 Naisten Liiga – Kokoonpano KalPa". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
- "Joukkue 2022-2023". KalPa Naiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 26 September 2022.
- Foster, Meredith (30 November 2018). "Q&A with Tanja Niskanen". The Ice Garden. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
- "Naisten Liigan avausturnaus Kuopiossa - esittelyssä kauden 2019-2020 joukkue". Juniori-KalPa ry (in Finnish). 4 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
- Ruotsalainen, Annu (6 April 2022). "KalPa Naisten päävalmentaja vaihtuu – KMH Budapestin kanssa kolme mestaruutta voittanut valmentaja Mika Väärälä siirtyy Kuopioon". Jatkoaika (in Finnish). Retrieved 21 May 2022.
- Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto; Liiga. Aaltonen, Juha (ed.). Jääkiekkokirja 2019–2020 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Uusi Suomi/Kiekkolehti. ISSN 0784-3321. OCLC 476321083.
- "Juniori-KalPa ry - KalPan naisille SM-hopeaa". Juniori-KalPa ry (in Finnish). 26 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Löfman, Heikki (18 March 2023). "KalPa juhlii pronssia – HPK taipui Niiralassa". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- Niemeläinen, Jonne (16 March 2020). "Huikeat tehot kerännyt 19-vuotias KalPa-hyökkääjä Elisa Holopainen palkittiin Naisten Liigan runkosarjan parhaana – huomenna edessä kauden tärkein peli". Yle (in Finnish). Retrieved 30 March 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Mennander, Pasi (1 December 2022). "KalPan Elisa Holopainen Naisten Liigan marraskuun pelaaja". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- Mennander, Pasi (1 October 2020). "KalPan Elisa Holopainen Naisten Liigan syyskuun pelaaja". leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - Mennander, Pasi (2 October 2019). "KalPan Matilda Nilsson Naisten Liigan syyskuun pelaaja". leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- "KalPa - All Time Regular Season Player Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - "KalPa - All Time Overall Totals Player Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
External links
- Team information and statistics from Eliteprospects.com and Eurohockey.com and Hockeyarchives.info (in French)
- KalPa Naiset on Facebook
- KalPa Naiset on Instagram