Finnish ice hockey

Milestones of Finnish Ice Hockey

1899

Suomen Urheilulehti (‘Finnish Sports Magazine’) publishes the first article of a game resembling ice hockey being played in Finland. The game that was played in Helsinki bore characteristics of both bandy and hockey.

1926

On Boxing Day, Mr. Yrjö Salminen, the Chairman of the Finnish Skating Association, carries a set of hockey sticks and some pucks on the ice of a lake near the city of Tampere and enunciates his famous coaching philosophy: “Get on and play, boys!”

1927

The Finnish Skating Association includes ice hockey in its programme.

1928

The first official match is played in Tampere on January 15, 1928 between Pyrintö Tampere and Palloilijat Tampere.

The Football Association of Finland includes ice hockey in its programme. The first Finnish Championships are organized the same winter. The title decided in cup competition is taken by Reipas Vyborg.

Team Finland play their first international match and are defeated by Sweden by 1:8 in Helsinki.

Represented by the Finnish Skating Association, Finland is admitted as a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation.

1929

The Finnish Ice Hockey Association is founded on the 20th of January in 1929. The Finnish Championship title is competed for by ten teams and won by HJK Helsinki.

1933

Team Finland play their first away game and lose to Sweden by 1:11 in Stockholm.

1934

For the first time, the Finnish Championship title is decided in a round-robin competition.

1937

The first victory in international matches. Team Finland beat Estonia by 2:1.

1939

Team Finland’s first participation in the World Championships in the Swiss Basel in 1939. The endeavour results in 5 losses and the 13th place.

1948

The Finnish heraldic lion was made the emblem of the National Team.

1949

The first wins in World Championships. Finland beat Norway by 7:3 and Belgium 17:2 in Stockholm.

1951

The Canada Cup is awarded to the Finnish Champions for the first time.

1952

The first participation in the Olympic Ice Hockey Tournament. In Oslo, Team Finland beat Germany and Norway and end up seventh.

1954

For the first time, Team Finland meet the Soviet Union who participate in the 25th Anniversary Tournament of FIHA. The Soviets win the match played in Tampere by 8:1.

1956

Finland’s first artificial rink is opened in Tampere.

1957

Team Finland places fourth in World Championships for the first time.

1959

The first draw game against Sweden in World Championships.

1962

The first championships medal: European Championships silver in Colorado Springs.

1964

The sixth place taken by Team Finland for the first time in the Olympic Games.

1965

Finland hosts ice hockey World Championships for the first time. The games are played in the country’s first ice arena, Hakametsä in Tampere.

1967

The first victory over the Great Ones in World Championships. Finland defeat Czechoslovakia in Vienna by 3:1.

1968

Team Finland beat Canada for the first time in a championship tournament. The score in the Olympic Games in Grenoble is 5:2.

1974

The first championship medals won by junior teams. The U19 team wins bronze in the European Championships and the U20 silver in the World Championships.

1975

The Finnish SM-liiga (Finnish Championship League) is founded.

1976

Matti Hagman is the first-ever Finnish player to enter the NHL.

1978

The U18 team wins the European Championship title with an overtime goal scored by Jari Kurri.

1982

Pekka Rautakallio is the first-ever Finnish player to play in the NHL All Stars Game.

1983

The official start of women’s league.

1987

The U20 team take home the first World Championship.

1988

The first olympic medal (silver) is won in Calgary.

1989

Women’s National Team conquer the title in the first European Championships for women.

1990

Women’s National Team win bronze in the first World Championships for women.

1991

Team Finland places third in Canada Cup.

1992

The first World Championships medal for men’s team: Silver in Prague.

1994

Olympic bronze in Lillehammer and World Championships silver in Milan. The country’s 100th ice hall is constructed.

1995

Team Finland win the World Championship in ice hockey in Globen Arena, Stockholm. In the final game, Sweden is defeated by 4:1.

1997

Finland wins the first 4-nation Euro Hockey Tour (Finland, Sweden, Russia and the Czech Republic).

1998

Both the men’s and the women’s teams win olympic bronze medals in Nagano. The women´s tournament is organized for the first time.

1999

The first U18 World Championships title is won by Team Finland in Füssen, Germany.

2000

Team Finland win the 4-nation Euro Hockey Tour for the second time. Alpo Suhonen is the first European ever to be appointed the Head Coach of an NHL team, Chicago Black Hawks.

2001

Medals keep rolling in for Team Finland who win silver at the World Championships in Hannover. The Czechs beat their Finnish opponents in overtime.

2002

Raimo Helminen makes Olympic history by participating in his sixth Games in Salt Lake City. He is the first hockey-player ever to do this.

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