Kai Suikkanen

Kai Petri Suikkanen (born June 29, 1959) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey left wing. Currently, he works as the head coach of HC Prešov of the slovak Tipsport Liga.

Playing career Suikkanen played in two games in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres, and spent most of his career in Finland's SM-liiga with Kärpät and TPS Turku. Two times Kanada-malja champion: 1980–81, 1990–91 Calder Cup champion, season 1982-83.

Coaching career Suikkanen Head coached Kajaanin Hokki as the champion of the Mestis (Second-highest league in Finland), during the season 2006–07. Suikkanen Head coached TPS as the champion of the SM-Liiga (top league in Finland), during the season 2009–10. Suikkanen worked as the head coach of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl during the 2010–11 KHL season. Suikkanen Head coached HC Bozen-Bolzano as the champion of the Austrian Hockey League (EBEL league), during the season 2017–18.

International Suikkanen won a silver medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary as a member of the Finland men's national ice hockey team.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1975–76 Kärpät FIN Jr. 34 28 7 35 46 — — — — — 1976–77 Kärpät FIN Jr. 9 7 4 11 15 — — — — — 1976–77 Kärpät FIN II 16 15 4 19 16 6 4 1 5 6 1977–78 Kärpät SM-l 35 21 6 27 19 — — — — — 1978–79 Kärpät SM-l 36 16 6 22 65 — — — — — 1979–80 Kärpät SM-l 36 21 17 38 18 6 0 3 3 6 1980–81 Kärpät SM-l 33 20 11 31 60 11 5 2 7 32 1981–82 Buffalo Sabres NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1981–82 Rochester Americans AHL 71 34 33 67 32 9 4 2 6 4 1982–83 Buffalo Sabres NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1982–83 Rochester Americans AHL 66 33 44 77 65 16 7 7 14 21 1983–84 Rochester Americans AHL 15 7 10 17 2 — — — — — 1983–84 Kärpät SM-l 23 9 4 13 20 10 6 4 10 8 1984–85 Kärpät SM-l 22 8 6 14 47 7 2 3 5 4 1985–86 Kärpät SM-l 33 26 10 36 24 4 0 0 0 24 1986–87 Kärpät SM-l 44 24 25 49 30 9 7 1 8 6 1987–88 Kärpät SM-l 26 17 14 31 25 — — — — — 1988–89 Kärpät SM-l 33 13 10 23 16 — — — — — 1989–90 Kärpät FIN II 35 17 24 41 31 — — — — — 1990–91 TPS SM-l 41 4 3 7 6 9 1 1 2 2 SM-l totals 362 179 112 291 330 56 21 14 35 82 AHL totals 152 74 87 161 99 25 11 9 20 25

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1978 Finland WJC 6 5 2 7 9 1979 Finland WJC 6 1 2 3 0 1986 Finland WC 10 0 3 3 4 1988 Finland OG 8 1 0 1 4 Junior totals 12 6 4 10 9 Senior totals 18 1 3 4 8