Marko Kiprusoff

Marko Kristian Kiprusoff (born June 6, 1972) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently an assistant junior coach in Finnish hockey club TPS.

Draft He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens as their third-round pick, 70th overall, in the 1994 NHL entry draft.

Playing career

SM-liiga Career Marko Kiprusoff started his hockey career with TPS. Kiprusoff also had a three-game visit to HPK during his earlier seasons in the SM-liiga. Kiprusoff earned a reputation as a solid offensive defenceman at TPS and after his successful performances for the Finnish National team and TPS, Kiprusoff was contracted by the Montreal Canadiens.

Kiprusoff won the SM-liiga championship twice, in 1993 and 1995. Kiprusoff also captured the European Championship with TPS in 1994.

First NHL visit Kiprusoff spent the 1995–96 season with the Montreal Canadiens but he didn't make much of an impact in the NHL. Kiprusoff played 24 games for the Canadiens and 28 more for Montreal's AHL-affiliate, the Fredericton Canadiens.

Return to Europe After his initial season in the NHL, Kiprusoff played two seasons in the Swedish Elitserien for Malmö IF, after which he returned to TPS in 1998. Kiprusoff won two more SM-liiga championships with TPS, making him a four-time SM-liiga champion. Kiprusoff then played the 2001–02 with the New York Islanders and played after that for EHC Kloten in Switzerland.

In 2004 Kiprusoff returned again to TPS, where he played until the end of the 2008-09 season. On 21 May 2009 he signed a contract with French team Ducs d'Angers of the Ligue Magnus. Kiprusoff made a two-year player/coach-contract with the Kuusamon Pallo-Karhut in June 2011. He played in Kuusamo in January 2011, one game, making two points.

International play

Kiprusoff was a mainstay on the Finnish national team during most of the '90s. Kiprusoff played 198 National Team games and was on the Finnish national team when they won Finland's first Ice Hockey World Championships gold medal in 1995.

Kiprusoff's last international tournament callup was during the 2003 World Championship Tournament.

Awards Pekka Rautakallio trophy for best defenceman in the SM-liiga - 1995 Raimo Kilpiö trophy for gentleman player in the SM-liiga - 1999

Personal life He is the older brother of Miikka Kiprusoff.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1988–89 TPS FIN U18 8 7 10 17 0 4 6 5 11 4 1988–89 TPS FIN U20 19 3 5 8 4 — — — — — 1989–90 TPS FIN U20 37 8 15 23 4 — — — — — 1990–91 TPS FIN U20 17 2 9 11 2 — — — — — 1990–91 TPS SM-l 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1990–91 TuTo FIN.2 22 4 8 12 0 — — — — — 1991–92 TPS SM-l 23 0 2 2 0 — — — — — 1991–92 Kiekko-67 FIN.2 4 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1991–92 HPK SM-l 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1991–92 HPK FIN U20 1 2 0 2 0 — — — — — 1992–93 Kiekko-67 FIN.2 1 0 1 1 2 — — — — — 1992–93 TPS SM-l 43 3 7 10 14 12 2 3 5 6 1993–94 TPS SM-l 48 5 19 24 8 11 0 6 6 4 1994–95 TPS SM-l 50 10 21 31 16 13 0 9 9 2 1995–96 Montreal Canadiens NHL 24 0 4 4 8 — — — — — 1995–96 Fredericton Canadiens AHL 28 4 10 14 2 10 2 5 7 2 1996–97 Malmö IF SEL 50 10 18 28 24 4 0 0 0 0 1997–98 Malmö IF SEL 46 7 16 23 16 — — — — — 1998–99 TPS SM-l 49 15 22 37 12 10 3 6 9 0 1999–2000 TPS SM-l 53 6 27 33 10 11 0 3 3 0 2000–01 Kloten Flyers NLA 43 6 20 26 10 9 2 7 9 2 2001–02 New York Islanders NHL 27 0 6 6 4 — — — — — 2001–02 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 9 0 2 2 0 — — — — — 2001–02 TPS SM-l 11 0 2 2 4 6 1 0 1 2 2002–03 Kloten Flyers NLA 39 7 12 19 20 5 0 1 1 0 2003–04 Kloten Flyers NLA 35 3 13 16 33 — — — — — 2004–05 TPS SM-l 50 11 26 37 28 — — — — — 2005–06 TPS SM-l 53 5 11 16 16 1 0 0 0 0 2006–07 TPS SM-l 55 4 25 29 22 2 0 0 0 0 2007–08 TPS SM-l 55 4 22 26 10 2 0 0 0 4 2008–09 TPS SM-l 34 0 10 10 20 8 0 2 2 4 SM-l totals 529 63 194 257 160 76 6 29 35 22 SEL totals 96 17 34 51 40 4 0 0 0 0 NLA totals 117 16 45 61 63 14 2 8 10 2

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1990 Finland EJC 6 0 2 2 8 1992 Finland WJC 7 2 2 4 2 1994 Finland OLY 8 3 3 6 4 1994 Finland WC 8 2 1 3 2 1995 Finland WC 8 0 3 3 0 1996 Finland WCH 4 0 1 1 0 1997 Finland WC 8 0 2 2 2 1998 Finland WC 10 2 1 3 4 1999 Finland WC 10 1 4 5 4 2001 Finland WC 9 1 1 2 4 2003 Finland WC 4 0 1 1 0 Junior totals 13 2 4 6 10 Senior totals 69 9 17 26 20