Markus Mattsson
Markus Rainer Mattsson ( born July 30, 1957 in Suoniemi ) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender who played in his playing days from 1974 to 1987 among others for the Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota North Stars and Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League.
Career
Markus Mattsson began his career as a hockey player in the junior department of Ilves Tampere, for the first team, he made his debut in the SM- sarja in the season 1974/75. In its premiere season, the goalkeeper was able to convince with a catch rate of 90.5 percent in 15 games and received the Jarmo - Wasama Memorial Trophy as the best rookie in the league. In the following two years he was able to prevail as a goalkeeper for Ilves in the SM- liiga, the new highest Finnish league and has been in the NHL Amateur Draft 1977 in the fifth round as a total of 87 players from the New York Islanders, as well as in the WHA amateur Draft in 1977 in the sixth round as a total of 57 players selected by the Houston Aeros.
The transfer lessons to Mattsson finally secured the Houston Aeros, but the 1977/78 charges him before the start of the season to their league rivals Winnipeg Jets. From February to March 1978, the Finn was temporarily in the Nordiques de Québec between the posts, but then went back to Winnipeg. With the Jets, he won in 1977/ 78, the Avco World Trophy. After Winnipeg had been included in the National Hockey League, the Finnish national team goalkeeper has been an increase for Winnipeg's farm team, the Tulsa Oilers in the Central Hockey League, the use for which it ran aground in the season 1981/82 exclusively and for which he in 50 Play was on the ice.
On September 24, 1982 Mattsson signed a contract as a free agent with the Minnesota North Stars, for which he was then, however, only used twice in the NHL, where he succeeded in doing a shutout. In the rest of the season he came exclusively for Minnesota CHL farm team Birmingham South Stars used and was eventually released on February 1, 1983 in exchange for a third- round option for the NHL Entry Draft 1985 to the Los Angeles Kings. For this he graduated in the following year and a half 38 games in the NHL, was in the 1983/84 season mainly for the farm team of the Kings, the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League on the ice. He then returned to his native Finnish and played until his career end at the age of only 29 years after the 1986/87 season for Tappara Tampere. Tappara he led twice in a row to win the Finnish Championship title, and he was able to convince especially in the 1985/86 season, in which he was elected to the All-Star team of the SM- liiga.
Internationally
For Finland Mattsson took part in the Under-19 European Junior Championships in 1974 and 1976 at junior level. In the senior level, he stood in his country's squad at the World Championships in 1976 and 1976 and 1981 at the Canada Cup.