Eliteprospects
Finland Vesa Viitakoski
#39 Kärpät / SM-liiga - 09/10
1-time World Championship Silver Medal 1
1-time U18 EJC Bronze Medal 1
1-time Liiga Rookie of the Year 1
Date of Birth
Feb 13, 1971
Position
LW
Age
53
Height
6'2" / 189 cm
Place of Birth
Lappeenranta, FIN
Weight
212 lbs / 96 kg
Nation
Finland
Shoots
L
Youth Team
SaiPa
Status
Retired
Drafted
1990 round 2 #32 overall by Calgary Flames

Viitakoski was known as a big and strong winger. He was able to show up on the scoreboard even at an old age. He had a fine scoring touch, worked hard and was not easy to move in front of the net.

Son: Valtteri Viitakoski

Team Staff profile of Vesa Viitakoski also available

© Photo: Timo Savela

Use/Embed statistics

Vesa Viitakoski Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
1988-89 SaiPa SM-liiga 11* 4* 1* 5* 6* 3* |
Finland U18 EJC-18 6* 8* 7* 15* 6* -* |
1989-90 SaiPa SM-liiga 44* 24* 10* 34* 8* -1* |
Finland U20 WJC-20 7* 6* 1* 7* 2* -* |
1990-91 Tappara SM-liiga 41* 17* 23* 40* 14* 5* | Playoffs 3 2 0 2 4 2
Finland Goodwill Games 5* 0* 0* 0* 0* -* |
Finland U20 “C” WJC-20 7* 6* 5* 11* 2* -* |
1991-92 Tappara SM-liiga 44* 19* 19* 38* 39* -6* | Relegation 4 3 1 4 0 6
Finland WC 8* 2* 3* 5* 6* 3* |
1992-93 Tappara SM-liiga 48* 27* 27* 54* 28* 14* |
Finland WC 6* 1* 0* 1* 6* 1* |
Finland (all) International 21* 4* 4* 8* 8* -* |
1993-94 Calgary Flames NHL 8* 1* 2* 3* 0* 0* |
Saint John Flames AHL 67* 28* 39* 67* 24* -3* | Playoffs 5 1 2 3 2 3
1994-95 Calgary Flames NHL 10* 1* 2* 3* 6* -1* |
Saint John Flames AHL 56* 17* 26* 43* 8* -22* | Playoffs 4 0 1 1 2 -5
1995-96 Calgary Flames NHL 5* 0* 0* 0* 2* -1* |
Saint John Flames AHL 48* 18* 29* 47* 48* 12* |
Cornwall Aces AHL 10* 7* 6* 13* 4* 3* | Playoffs 8 1 3 4 2 -2
1996-97 HV71 Elitserien 50* 17* 12* 29* 24* -* | Playoffs 5 1 1 2 2 -
1997-98 Ilves SM-liiga 47* 11* 19* 30* 12* 3* | Playoffs 9 2 4 6 4 -1
1998-99 Ilves SM-liiga 53* 17* 5* 22* 18* 6* | Playoffs 4 2 1 3 2 2
1999-00 Ilves SM-liiga 53* 20* 20* 40* 28* 2* | Playoffs 3 1 0 1 4 -4
2000-01 Ilves “A” SM-liiga 55* 27* 20* 47* 10* 8* | Playoffs 9 3 3 6 6 0
Finland (all) International -* -* -* -* -* -* |
2001-02 Ilves “A” SM-liiga 56* 34* 26* 60* 12* 10* | Playoffs 3 0 0 0 0 -3
Finland WC 9* 1* 1* 2* 2* -5* |
Finland (all) International 16* 2* 1* 3* 4* -1* |
2002-03 Ilves “A” SM-liiga 53* 18* 12* 30* 22* -9* |
2003-04 Ilves “A” SM-liiga 56* 21* 15* 36* 14* 11* | Playoffs 7 2 2 4 2 2
2004-05 Brynäs IF Elitserien 47* 12* 10* 22* 14* -11* | Kvalserien SHL 10 3 4 7 0 4
2005-06 Brynäs IF Elitserien 13* 1* 2* 3* 16* 0* |
Ilves SM-liiga 29* 6* 4* 10* 16* -2* | Playoffs 4 0 1 1 2 -1
2006-07 Ilves SM-liiga 56* 17* 12* 29* 38* 1* | Playoffs 7 1 0 1 2 -3
2007-08 Ilves “A” SM-liiga 55* 14* 12* 26* 26* 2* | Playoffs 9 3 3 6 4 1
2008-09 Kärpät SM-liiga 50* 11* 9* 20* 49* -4* | Playoffs 14 4 2 6 4 -2
2009-10 Kärpät SM-liiga 52* 9* 10* 19* 22* -10* | Playoffs 10 2 0 2 0 -1

Vesa Viitakoski Tournament Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
1992-93 Finland Sauna Cup 3* 0* 0* 0* 0* -2* |
1997-98 Ilves Continental Cup 3* 6* 0* 6* 2* -1* |
1998-99 Ilves Euro HL 6* 3* 1* 4* 0* 1* | Playoffs 6 0 2 2 0 -1
2002-03 Finland EHT 4* 0* 0* 0* 0* -* |
2006-07 Ilves Continental Cup 2* 1* 0* 1* 2* -2* |
2008-09 Kärpät Champions HL 4* 0* 0* 0* 0* -3* |

Vesa Viitakoski Career Totals

League Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/- | Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/-
AHL 3 181* 70* 100* 170* 0.94* 84* -10* | 3 17 2 * 6 * 8 * 0.47 * 6 * -4 *
Champions HL 1 4* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* -3* | 0 * * * * * *
Continental Cup 2 5* 7* 0* 7* 1.40* 4* -3* | 0 * * * * * *
EHT 1 4* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
EJC-18 1 6* 8* 7* 15* 2.50* 6* -* | 0 * * * * * *
Euro HL 1 6* 3* 1* 4* 0.67* 0* 1* | 1 6 0 * 2 * 2 * 0.33 * 0 * -1 *
Goodwill Games 1 5* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
International 3 37* 6* 5* 11* 0.30* 12* -1* | 0 * * * * * *
SM-liiga (Liiga) 17 803* 296* 244* 540* 0.67* 362* 33* | 13 86 25 * 17 * 42 * 0.49 * 34 * -2 *
NHL 3 23* 2* 4* 6* 0.26* 8* -2* | 0 * * * * * *
Sauna Cup 1 3* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* -2* | 0 * * * * * *
Elitserien (SHL) 3 110* 30* 24* 54* 0.49* 54* -11* | 2 15 4 * 5 * 9 * 0.60 * 2 * 4 *
WC 3 23* 4* 4* 8* 0.35* 14* -1* | 0 * * * * * *
WJC-20 2 14* 12* 6* 18* 1.29* 4* -* | 0 * * * * * *
* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Vesa Viitakoski Career Highlights

Season
Awards by season
Transactions
DATE STATUS FROM TO SOURCE
09/24/2010
09/24/2010 Confirmed Kärpät Retired
04/22/2009
04/22/2009 Extension Kärpät Kärpät
Player Biography and Trivia

Cult/Star player for Cornwall Aces

Cult/Star player for Ilves

Cult/Star player for Saint John Flames

Cult/Star player for SaiPa