Petteri Nokelainen

Petteri Antti Nokelainen (born January 16, 1986) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey forward who played over 200 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). He concluded his professional career in returning to his original club, SaiPa of the Finnish Liiga.

Playing career Nokelainen was drafted by the New York Islanders as their first-round pick, 16th overall, in the 2004 NHL entry draft. He played in the SM-Liiga for SaiPa in his native Finland, before going to North America in 2005 to play for the New York Islanders. Prior to Saipa, he played in Imatran Ketterä.

Twelve games into the 2005–06 NHL season with the Islanders, during which he scored a goal and an assist, Petteri suffered a severe knee injury. Many thought that this injury would sideline him for the rest of the year, but the knee healed without surgery and Nokelainen returned to finish the rest of the season with the Islanders. His knee still required surgery, which he had performed after the season.

On September 11, 2007, Nokelainen was traded to Boston for Ben Walter and a conditional second round draft pick. On March 4, 2009, Nokelainen was traded by the Bruins to the Anaheim Ducks for Steve Montador.

On March 3, 2010, Nokelainen was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for a sixth round pick in the 2011 NHL entry draft. Helping the Coyotes qualify for the playoffs for the first time in 7 seasons, Petteri went scoreless in five postseason games against the Detroit Red Wings. On July 1, 2010, Nokelainen was bought out from the remaining year of his contract by the Coyotes, releasing him as a free agent. Later that summer, Nokelainen signed a two-year contract with Jokerit of the SM-liiga. Nokelainen's season ended with a trophy, as Finland won the 2011 IIHF World Championship in Slovakia with Nokelainen scoring the game-winning goal in the final against Sweden.

After one season with Jokerit, Nokelainen returned to the Phoenix Coyotes, signing a one-year contract on May 20, 2011.

On October 23, 2011, the Montreal Canadiens acquired Nokelainen and defenceman Garrett Stafford from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for forward Brock Trotter and a seventh-round pick in the 2012 NHL entry draft.

On August 16, 2013, Nokelainen returned to Europe as a free agent and signed a one-year contract with Swedish club, Brynäs IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2002–03 SaiPa FIN U18 10 3 8 11 18 — — — — — 2002–03 SaiPa FIN U20 28 7 4 11 28 3 1 0 1 4 2002–03 SaiPa SM-l 2 1 0 1 2 — — — — — 2003–04 SaiPa FIN U20 10 5 3 8 4 4 0 1 1 0 2003–04 SaiPa SM-l 40 4 4 8 16 — — — — — 2004–05 SaiPa SM-l 52 15 5 20 34 — — — — — 2005–06 New York Islanders NHL 15 1 1 2 4 — — — — — 2006–07 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 60 6 10 16 51 — — — — — 2007–08 Providence Bruins AHL 8 3 5 8 4 6 4 1 5 0 2007–08 Boston Bruins NHL 57 7 3 10 19 7 0 2 2 4 2008–09 Boston Bruins NHL 33 0 3 3 10 — — — — — 2008–09 Anaheim Ducks NHL 17 4 2 6 6 9 0 0 0 2 2009–10 Anaheim Ducks NHL 50 4 7 11 21 — — — — — 2009–10 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 17 1 1 2 6 5 0 0 0 2 2010–11 Jokerit SM-l 46 11 16 27 116 7 2 0 2 12 2011–12 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 5 0 1 1 0 — — — — — 2011–12 Montreal Canadiens NHL 51 3 3 6 37 — — — — — 2012–13 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 17 2 2 4 21 — — — — — 2013–14 Brynäs IF SHL 19 4 3 7 12 5 0 3 3 2 2014–15 Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod KHL 26 7 3 10 32 — — — — — 2015–16 SaiPa Liiga 10 4 4 8 6 — — — — — SM-l/Liiga totals 150 35 29 64 174 7 2 0 2 12 NHL totals 245 20 21 41 103 21 0 2 2 8

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2003 Finland WJC18 7th 6 1 0 1 6 2004 Finland WJC 7 1 0 1 0 2004 Finland WJC18 7th 6 5 6 11 16 2005 Finland WJC 5th 6 1 4 5 2 2011 Finland WC 9 1 1 2 8 Junior totals 25 8 10 18 24 Senior totals 9 1 1 2 8