Kari Eloranta

Kari Pekka " Piri " Eloranta (* February 29, 1956 in Lahti ) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey and football player and current ice hockey coach, who in his active years from 1974 to 1997 among others for the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League has played.

  • 2.1 As a coach

Career

Kari Eloranta began his career as a hockey player in his hometown at Kiekko - Reipas, for the first team, he made his debut in the second class I divisioona in the 1975/76 season. This season he also went with his team in the SM- liiga on. After two years in the top Finnish league, played the defender from 1978 to 1981 for Leksand IF in the Swedish Elitserien. On September 15, 1981, he signed as a free agent contract with the Calgary Flames, where he had five assists in 19 games before he exits to the St. Louis Blues just before the trade deadline. For the team from Missouri, the Finn played only 17 games before he was bought back in the summer of the Calgary Flames. In the Canadians then in three years he had a regular place.

In the summer of 1985 Eloranta returned to Europe, where he worked for the HV 71 Jönköping spent two years playing in the Elitserien, before he stood from 1987 to 1990 when HC Lugano of the National League A under contract. With the Swiss, he won in 1988 and 1990 respectively the national championship. For the 1990/91 season the links Sagittarius returned to his home club hockey Reipas back to Finland. He spent the following season when Rögle BK in Division 1, the Swedish second division. With Rögle he immediately achieved promotion to the Elitserien. After four years at Rögle BK, the former Olympian came from 1995 to 1997 for the last time at Reipas who stayed in the meantime, in the second class I divisioona. The jersey number 17 has been banned after his retirement of the Pelicans and has since no longer awarded.

Following his playing career Eloranta worked from 1996 to 2002 as head coach for his former club Pelicans Lahti, with him in the season 1998/99 managed to return in the SM- liiga. Then he stood for three years as manager at the Rapperswil -Jona Lakers of the Swiss NLA behind the gang. After having worked in his native Finland for the season 2005/ 06 for Ilves Tampere, in 2007, he worked briefly again for Rapperswil in Switzerland. In relegation year of Mora IK of the Elitserien 2008, the Finn was also primarily responsible, then how in the 2008 /09 season at HeKi Heinola in the Mestis. In the season 2010/11 he will train the EHC Lustenau as head coach in the Austrian National League.

Internationally

For Finland Eloranta participated in the Junior World Championships in 1975 and 1976, as well as the World Championships in 1979, 1981, 1986 and 1989 in part. In addition, he was in the squad Finland at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, in Calgary in 1988 and 1992 in Albertville.

Awards and achievements

As a coach

NHL stats

Football

With Lahti Kuusysi Eloranta won in 1982 and 1986, the Finnish football championship.

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