Erkka Westerlund
Erkka Westerlund ( born March 30, 1957 in Pernaja ) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey player and coach who played in the I divisioona for Jukurit Mikkeli and Jyp HT in its active from 1978 to 1981. Since 2013 he has been head coach of the Finnish national team.
Career
Erkka Westerlund, of the SM- sarja the Junior B game class for Lukko Rauma was active in 1973/74, denied only two seasons as a player in professional hockey. In the seasons 1978/79 and 1980/81 he was for one year at Jukurit Mikkeli and Jyp HT in the second class I divisioona on the ice.
As a coach Westerlund first took over his former club JYP HT, for which he already stood as a player on the ice. This he coached from 1985 to 1987, before he was in season 1989/90 main responsible for Lukko Rauma of the SM- liiga, for whom he had played at youth level itself. There was a long pause in which Westerlund no professional club supervised before 1997 he received the opportunity to train HIFK Helsinki. With his new team, he became Finnish Champion in the first year and received the Kalevi Numminen - Trophy as the best coach of the SM- liiga.
In the following season Westerlund led his team to the finals again the SM- liiga, where she was defeated, however, TPS Turku. The Finn then decided to change to a league rival Jokerit Helsinki, with whom he again defeated TPS Turku in the following season in the final. While it succeeded Westerlund his team in the 2000 /01 season to lead to the first place after the main round, but the early elimination in the playoff quarterfinals meant that he was replaced by Raimo Summanen against the placed on rank 8 Team Kärpät Oulu.
After a four year break Westerlund 2005 took over as coach of the Finnish national team, which he led in Turin at the Olympic Winter Games in 2006 for winning the silver medal, as well as a bronze medal at the A World Championship in 2006 and a silver medal at the 2007 World Cup. After the end of his Two year contract Wersterlund was replaced by Canadian Doug Shedden.
Between 2010 and 2012 he was responsible for Jokerit Helsinki again as head coach.
In May 2013 Westerlund was re- Finnish national coach and will look after the national team until early summer 2014.
Awards and achievements
Internationally
- 2006 Silver medal at the Winter Olympics with Finland
- 2006 bronze medal at the World Championships with Finland
- 2007 Silver medal at the World Championships with Finland
- 2014 bronze medal at the Winter Olympics with Finland