Simo Saarinen

Simo Olavi Saarinen (born February 14, 1963, in Helsinki, Finland) is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman

Playing career Simo Saarinen started his career in his hometown team Helsingin IFK. Saarinen played once in the European Junior Ice Hockey Championships and twice in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was soon noticed by NHL scouts. Saarinen was drafted by New York Rangers in the 1982 NHL entry draft. After 1984 Olympic Ice Hockey tournament Saarinen went to NHL. Saarinen was injured during his debut season for New York Rangers. Due to the injuries Saarinen did not play in the 1985–86 season and returned to HIFK for 1986–87 season. Saarinen played for HIFK until 1996 when he finally retired from active playing.

After retirement After retiring in 1996 Saarinen started to referee ice hockey games in Finland. Saarinen refereed his first SM-liiga games in the 2001–2002 SM-Liiga season. Currently Saarinen referees hockey games in Helsinki and Southern Finland area.

International play

For Finland Saarinen played twice in Ice Hockey World Championships and three times in Olympic Hockey Tournament. Saarinen was part of the historic Ice Hockey at the 1988 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey Team which won Finland's first international tournament medal, a silver one.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1980–81 HIFK SM-l 20 1 0 1 4 2 0 0 0 0 1981–82 HIFK SM-l 36 5 10 15 20 8 1 3 4 6 1982–83 HIFK SM-l 36 9 6 15 24 9 0 1 1 14 1983–84 HIFK SM-l 36 7 7 14 32 2 0 0 0 0 1984–85 New York Rangers NHL 8 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1985–86 New Haven Nighthawks AHL 13 3 4 7 11 — — — — — 1986–87 HIFK SM-l 36 1 6 7 12 5 1 1 2 2 1987–88 HIFK SM-l 39 8 11 19 29 6 2 2 4 2 1988–89 HIFK SM-l 34 1 7 8 14 2 0 1 1 0 1989–90 HIFK SM-l 41 9 11 20 38 2 0 1 1 2 1990–91 HIFK SM-l 27 3 8 11 12 — — — — — 1991–92 HIFK SM-l 43 5 18 23 14 7 0 0 0 2 1992–93 HIFK SM-l 46 7 5 12 22 4 0 3 3 0 1993–94 HIFK SM-l 40 4 5 9 38 3 0 1 1 0 1994–95 HIFK SM-l 42 7 7 14 40 3 0 0 0 2 1995–96 HIFK SM-l 30 4 3 7 32 1 1 0 1 0 SM-l totals 506 71 104 175 331 54 5 13 18 30

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1981 Finland EJC 5 1 1 2 2 1982 Finland WJC 7 3 3 6 6 1983 Finland WJC 7 3 3 6 4 1984 Finland OG 6 1 0 1 14 1988 Finland OG 7 0 2 2 4 1989 Finland WC 5 0 0 0 2 1990 Finland WC 7 0 3 3 6 1992 Finland OG 5 0 1 1 6 Junior totals 19 7 7 14 12 Senior totals 30 1 6 7 34