Eliteprospects
Finland Anssi Salmela
#36 Ilves / Liiga - 20/21
1-time World Championship Gold Medal 1
1-time World Championship Silver Medal 1
1-time U20 WJC Bronze Medal 1
1-time World Championship Bronze Medal 1
Date of Birth
Aug 13, 1984
Position
D
Age
40
Height
6'0" / 182 cm
Place of Birth
Nokia, FIN
Weight
190 lbs / 86 kg
Nation
Finland
Shoots
L
Youth Team
Ilves
Status
Retired

Salmela is a defenseman with a great shot and offensive ability. Skates well and likes to hit. Sometimes plays risky defensively and gives away the puck. Can play on the powerplay as well as the penalty kill.
- Ulf Andersson, EP

Brother: Topi Salmela

© Photo: Andrea Branca - HeShootsHeScoores

Use/Embed statistics

Anssi Salmela Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
1999-00 Tappara U16 U16 SM-sarja 13* 15* 12* 27* 38* -* | Playoffs 3 0 4 4 4 -
2000-01 Tappara U18 U18 SM-sarja 32* 7* 3* 10* 24* -* | Playoffs 2 0 1 1 4 -
2001-02 Tappara U18 U18 SM-sarja 11* 6* 4* 10* 12* -* | Playoffs 2 2 1 3 0 -
Tappara U20 U20 SM-liiga 26* 3* 4* 7* 22* -* | Playoffs 2 2 1 3 0 -
2002-03 Tappara U20 U20 SM-liiga 23* 5* 9* 14* 22* 3* |
2003-04 Tappara U20 U20 SM-liiga 27* 10* 9* 19* 22* 15* | Playoffs 12 5 3 8 4 -1
Tappara SM-liiga 10* 0* 0* 0* 2* -1* | Playoffs 3 0 0 0 2 0
Suomi U20 Mestis 5* 2* 2* 4* 0* 0* |
Finland U20 WJC-20 7* 1* 2* 3* 6* 0* |
2004-05 Tappara U20 U20 SM-liiga 10* 2* 4* 6* 6* 7* | Playoffs 1 0 0 0 0 -1
Tappara SM-liiga 48* 1* 5* 6* 49* -7* | Playoffs 8 0 0 0 0 -3
2005-06 Tappara SM-liiga 8* 0* 1* 1* 0* 2* |
Pelicans SM-liiga 48* 8* 8* 16* 59* 4* |
2006-07 Pelicans SM-liiga 56* 11* 12* 23* 58* -13* | Playoffs 6 1 1 2 4 3
2007-08 Tappara SM-liiga 56* 16* 16* 32* 40* 5* | Playoffs 11 0 6 6 14 -6
Finland WC 8* 0* 0* 0* 37* 3* |
2008-09 New Jersey Devils NHL 17* 0* 3* 3* 6* 1* |
Atlanta Thrashers NHL 9* 1* 2* 3* 2* 0* |
Lowell Devils AHL 38* 8* 16* 24* 41* -6* |
Chicago Wolves AHL 2* 0* 0* 0* 0* -2* |
Finland WC 7* 1* 0* 1* 2* -1* |
2009-10 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 29* 1* 4* 5* 22* 4* |
New Jersey Devils NHL 9* 1* 2* 3* 0* -5* |
2010-11 New Jersey Devils NHL 48* 1* 6* 7* 14* -11* |
Albany Devils AHL 2* 0* 0* 0* 0* -3* |
Finland WC 9* 1* 2* 3* 4* 5* |
2011-12 Avangard Omsk KHL 22* 6* 4* 10* 14* 5* | Playoffs 21 1 3 4 16 5
Finland WC 7* 0* 2* 2* 25* 0* |
2012-13 Avangard Omsk KHL 37* 2* 12* 14* 37* 3* | Playoffs 11 0 1 1 6 0
2013-14 MODO Hockey SHL 8* 2* 4* 6* 20* 4* |
HV71 SHL 36* 7* 14* 21* 64* 7* | Playoffs 5 1 1 2 2 -1
Finland (all) International 3* 0* 1* 1* 2* 0* |
2014-15 Färjestad BK SHL 42* 6* 17* 23* 28* 4* | Playoffs 3 1 2 3 4 0
Finland WC 8* 0* 2* 2* 4* 5* |
Finland (all) International 19* 1* 4* 5* 24* 5* |
2015-16 Brynäs IF SHL 24* 4* 11* 15* 47* 5* | Playoffs 3 0 1 1 4 -2
Finland WC 5* 0* 1* 1* 2* 6* |
Finland (all) International 15* 1* 4* 5* 6* 10* |
2016-17 Kunlun Red Star KHL 10* 3* 2* 5* 8* -1* |
Linköping HC SHL 32* 4* 14* 18* 28* 0* | Playoffs 6 0 2 2 2 -1
Finland (all) International 3* 0* 1* 1* 2* 0* |
2017-18 Dinamo Riga KHL 33* 5* 12* 17* 18* -5* |
2018-19 EHC Biel-Bienne NL 49* 10* 11* 21* 28* -3* | Playoffs 12 0 5 5 6 5
2019-20 EHC Biel-Bienne NL 37* 5* 11* 16* 10* -12* |
2020-21 Ilves Liiga 23* 3* 5* 8* 24* 0* | Playoffs 5 0 0 0 4 -1

Anssi Salmela Tournament Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2006-07 Finland EHT 3* 0* 0* 0* 2* 1* |
2007-08 Finland EHT 6* 0* 2* 2* 18* 2* |
2009-10 Finland EHT 1* 1* 0* 1* 0* 1* |
2010-11 Finland EHT 2* 1* 0* 1* 0* -1* |
2013-14 Finland EHT 3* 0* 1* 1* 2* 0* |
2014-15 Finland EHT 7* 1* 1* 2* 20* 0* |
2015-16 Finland EHT 6* 0* 0* 0* 0* -2* |
2016-17 Linköping HC Champions HL 2* 0* 1* 1* 0* 0* |
2017-18 Dinamo Riga “A” Spengler Cup 3* 0* 0* 0* 0* -3* |
2018-19 EHC Biel-Bienne Swiss Cup 1* 0* 1* 1* 0* -* |
2019-20 EHC Biel-Bienne Champions HL 10* 1* 3* 4* 0* 0* |
EHC Biel-Bienne Swiss Cup 2* 1* 0* 1* 0* -* |

Anssi Salmela Career Totals

League Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/- | Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/-
AHL 2 42* 8* 16* 24* 0.57* 41* -11* | 0 * * * * * *
Champions HL 2 12* 1* 4* 5* 0.42* 0* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
EHT 7 28* 3* 4* 7* 0.25* 42* 1* | 0 * * * * * *
International 4 40* 2* 10* 12* 0.30* 34* 15* | 0 * * * * * *
KHL 4 102* 16* 30* 46* 0.45* 77* 2* | 2 32 1 * 4 * 5 * 0.16 * 22 * 5 *
Liiga (SM-liiga) 6 249* 39* 47* 86* 0.35* 232* -10* | 5 33 1 * 7 * 8 * 0.24 * 24 * -7 *
Mestis 1 5* 2* 2* 4* 0.80* 0* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
NHL 3 112* 4* 17* 21* 0.19* 44* -11* | 0 * * * * * *
NL 2 86* 15* 22* 37* 0.43* 38* -15* | 1 12 0 * 5 * 5 * 0.42 * 6 * 5 *
SHL 4 142* 23* 60* 83* 0.58* 187* 20* | 4 17 2 * 6 * 8 * 0.47 * 12 * -4 *
Spengler Cup 1 3* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* -3* | 0 * * * * * *
Swiss Cup 2 3* 1* 1* 2* 0.67* 0* -* | 0 * * * * * *
U16 SM-sarja 1 13* 15* 12* 27* 2.08* 38* -* | 1 3 0 * 4 * 4 * 1.33 * 4 * - *
U18 SM-sarja 2 43* 13* 7* 20* 0.47* 36* -* | 2 4 2 * 2 * 4 * 1.00 * 4 * - *
U20 SM-liiga (U20 SM-sarja) 4 86* 20* 26* 46* 0.53* 72* 25* | 3 15 7 * 4 * 11 * 0.73 * 4 * -2 *
WC 6 44* 2* 7* 9* 0.20* 74* 18* | 0 * * * * * *
WJC-20 1 7* 1* 2* 3* 0.43* 6* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Anssi Salmela Career Highlights

Season
Awards by season
Transactions
DATE STATUS FROM TO SOURCE
02/26/2021
02/26/2021 Extension Ilves Ilves
01/27/2021
01/27/2021 Confirmed No team Ilves
12/04/2018
12/04/2018 Extension EHC Biel-Bienne EHC Biel-Bienne
06/05/2018
06/05/2018 Confirmed Dinamo Riga EHC Biel-Bienne
09/24/2017
09/24/2017 Confirmed Linköping HC Dinamo Riga
11/14/2016
11/14/2016 Confirmed Kunlun Red Star Linköping HC
07/05/2016
07/05/2016 Confirmed Brynäs IF Kunlun Red Star
09/07/2015
09/07/2015 Confirmed Färjestad BK Brynäs IF
10/18/2014
10/18/2014 Confirmed HV71 Färjestad BK
10/20/2013
10/20/2013 Confirmed MODO Hockey HV71
09/27/2013
09/27/2013 Confirmed Donbass Donetsk MODO Hockey
09/04/2013
09/04/2013 Confirmed Donbass Donetsk Unknown
05/01/2013
05/01/2013 Confirmed Avangard Omsk Donbass Donetsk
07/15/2011
07/15/2011 Confirmed New Jersey Devils Avangard Omsk
02/04/2010
02/04/2010 Confirmed Atlanta Thrashers New Jersey Devils
Player Biography and Trivia

Cult/Star player for EHC Biel-Bienne

Cult/Star player for Lowell Devils

Career transactions
- 2010-02-04 • Traded to New Jersey Devils with Ilya Kovalchuk & a 2010 2nd round pick for Johnny Oduya, Niclas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier, a 2010 1st round pick & a 2010 2nd round pick
- 2009-03-02 • Traded to the Atlanta Thrashers for Niclas Hävelid & Myles Stoesz
- 2009-06-04 • Re-signed to a two-year contract by the Atlanta Thrashers
- 2008-05-30 • Signed to a one-year contract by the New Jersey Devils