Tommy Salo

Mikael Tomas "Tommy" Salo ( born February 1, 1971 in Surahammar ) is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey goaltender, who was active in the National Hockey League for the New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche. Since March 2009 he has been head coach of the IK Oskarshamn in the second Swedish league, the HockeyAllsvenskan.

Career

Tommy Salo was selected in the NHL Entry Draft in 1993 by the New York Islanders in the fifth round at position 118. Salo played at the time in the Swedish Elitserien for VIK Västerås HK. He was not yet equal to the NHL, but remained another year in Sweden. In February 1994, he experienced the first peak of his career when he won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics with the Swedish team.

In summer 1994, he moved to the New York Islanders in the NHL, completed in his first season but only six games and played mainly at farm team in the IHL with the Denver Grizzlies. In addition to winning the championship, he was there, received several awards. He got the Gatschene James Memorial Trophy as most valuable player of the season and the Garry F. Longman Memorial Trophy as the best young rider in the league. Added to this was the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the goalie with the fewest goals against. The following season were his appearances in the NHL still scarce, and so he continued to play at farm team, which had moved to Utah and now Utah Grizzlies called. Once again, the season was again very positive, because his team was able to defend the title. For the second time he got the James Norris Memorial Trophy, as he again conceded the fewest goals and received the Norman R. " Bud " Poile Trophy as most valuable player of the Play Offs.

But now was Tommy Salo's time ended in the IHL and he became the season 1996/97 goalkeeper of the New York Islanders in the NHL. Salo finally got the chance to compete in the world rankings, which he managed, but the mannschaftliche success with the Islanders failed to materialize. Not once did they could reach the playoffs. In 1998, he won the world title with the Swedish team. Towards the end of the 1998/99 season he was transferred to an exchange transaction to the Edmonton Oilers and played in the same season nor his first four playoff games, but he lost all.

But the move to Edmonton had a good effect on Tommy Salo, for not only the team played a successful but also Salo gave better performance, so that he pay for 2000 and 2002 was allowed to participate in the NHL All-Star Game. 2002 Salo played his third Olympic Winter Games. In the quarterfinals, but he had the goal at his cap assumed that led to the resignation against Belarus. During his time in Edmonton Salo reached always, with one exception, the playoffs. But never came out on the first round.

In March 2004, Salo was transferred to the Colorado Avalanche, where he was up for Goalie David Aebischer for the rest of the season and the playoffs the back. After this season, the lockout and the cancellation of the NHL season 2004/ 05 was followed. Salo had already signed a contract in the summer in the Swedish Elitserien with Modo Hockey, suggesting that Salo wanted to finish regardless of the season canceled his NHL career. After the season, almost all the NHL stars went back to North America, because the game operation should start up again in October 2005.

Tommy Salo decided to stay in Sweden and played with his new team Frölunda HC a very successful season and moved to the final one for the championship, was defeated there but Färjestad BK. After another season with Frölunda, he finished in the summer of 2007, his career and signed a two - year contract as coach of the Swedish third division Kungälvs IK. Since March 2009 he is the IK Oskarshamn as head coach under contract.

Awards and achievements

Gold medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics
All-Star Team at the 1994 Winter Olympics
Turner Cup in 1995 and 1996
James Gatschene Memorial Trophy 1995
Garry F. Longman Memorial Trophy 1995
James Norris Memorial Trophy in 1995 and 1996
Norman R. " Bud " Poile Trophy 1996
World Cup 1998
Bronze medal at the 1999 World Cup
Participate in the NHL All-Star Game: 2000 and 2002

Career Stats

( Key to the goalkeeper stats: GP or Sp = Total Games; W or W = Wins, L = Losses, or N, T or D = Draw or shootout defeat, min = minutes; SOG or ZAT = Shots on goal, GA or GT = Goals against; SO = shutouts, GAA or GTS = Gegentorschnitt; Sv % or SVS % = quota, EN = Empty Net Goal; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )

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