Veli-Pekka Ketola
Veli -Pekka Ketola ( born March 28, 1948 in Pori ) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey player, coach and functionary, who in his active years from 1963 to 1983 among others for the Colorado Rockies in the National Hockey League, as well as the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Cowboys played in the World Hockey Association.
Career
Veli -Pekka Ketola began his career as a hockey player in his hometown at Porin Karhut, for by 1967 he was active from 1963 in the SM- sarja. Then the club was merged with the Rose Lewin Urheilijat -38 to Ässät Pori. For this he played in the following seven years, almost exclusively in the SM- sarja and in 1975 their successor SM- liiga competition. Only the season 1969/70 he spent at the capital club Jokerit Helsinki. With Ässät Pori he became Finnish Champion 1971. At times the SM- sarja the Center was one of the best players in the league and was called several times in the All-Star team in the league. From 1974 to 1977 he was in the World Hockey Association for the Winnipeg Jets on the ice, with whom he won the Avco World Trophy in the 1975/76 season. In March 1977, he was subsequently discharged with Ron Ward and his fellow countryman Heikki Riihiranta in exchange for Mike Ford and Danny Lawson to the WHA league rival Calgary Cowboys. For this he ran to the end of the 1976/77 season in 17 games and four goals were further six assists.
From 1977 to 1981 Ketola played after his return to his Finnish homeland for his former club Ässät Pori with which he for the second time champion and the 1979 and 1980 runner-up again in 1978. At European level, the two-time Olympian finished with his team in 1979 to third place in the European Cup. Due to its good performance in Ässät Pori he received on July 8, 1981 a contract as a free agent with the Colorado Rockies. In his only season in the National Hockey League, he scored in the 1981/82 season nine goals in 44 games and had five templates. Most recently, he played in the following game time once again for KalPa Kuopio in the SM- liiga, where he in 1983 at the age of 35 years, ended his active career.
From 1993 to September 1996, Ketola head coach at his former club Ässät Pori in the SM- liiga. He was then replaced by his compatriot Kari Makkonen at his position. From 1994 to 2000 Ketola was partially parallel to his coaching job as general manager for Ässät Pori active. During the season 1999/2000 Ketola jumped again as a head coach Ässäts. According to him, the Veli -Pekka Ketola trophy - received by the top scorer of the SM - liiga was named.
Internationally
For Ketola Finland took part in the World Championships in 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1977. In addition, he was in his country's squad at the 1968 Olympic Winter Games in Grenoble and 1972 in Sapporo, as well as 1976 and 1981, the Canada Cup. In official international matches in tournaments Ketola scored in 82 games 26 goals and gave 20 assists.