Espoo Blues
| Espoo Blues | |
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| Greatest successes | |
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| Club information | |
| history |
Kiekko-Espoo (1984–1998) Espoo Blues (1998–2016) |
| Club colors | |
| league | Liiga |
| Venue | Barona Areena |
| capacity | 7,017 seats |
| executive Director | Jussi Salonoja |
| Head coach | Mikko Saarinen |
| captain | Kim Hirschovits |
| 2014/15 season | 5th place, playoff quarterfinals |
The Espoo Blues were a Finnish ice hockey club that played in Finland's highest ice hockey league , the Liiga .
history
The Espoo Blues were founded in 1984 and were still called Kiekko-Espoo ( Kiekko means puck ) at that time . From 1988 the club was called Espoo Blues, after the color of the city's coat of arms. The coat of arms was also changed and the crown initially disappeared from it.
In the first four years (1984–1988) the team played in Finland's third-highest ice hockey league. In the following four years (1988-1992) Kiekko-Espoo played in the second highest Finnish league, the Mestis . In 1992 they made it to the SM-liiga. In 1998, Kiekko-Espoo was renamed Espoo Blues but was simply called the Blues . During the 1998/99 season they moved from their old arena, the Matinkylän jäähalli , to the Espoo Metro Areena , where the Blues played until they went bankrupt.
Logo 1984 to 1998
Logo 1998 to 2003
Logo 2003 to 2005
Logo 2005 to 2009
Logo since 2009
The Blues have not yet won a season in the SM-liiga, but were able to qualify for the finals on April 3, 2008 and reached second place at the end of the season .
In the 2008/09 season, the Blues advanced to the semi-finals of the newly formed Champions Hockey League before they were eliminated by the ZSC Lions from Switzerland , who defeated Espoo Blues 6: 3 and 4: 1.
The first payment difficulties arose during the 2015/16 season, as the number of viewers and sponsorships had declined in previous years. In December 2015, the best players, including Kim Hirschovits , left the club. At the end of the season, the Blues finished last and then went bankrupt.
Team captains
- Jan Långbacka : 1992-1994
- Hannu Järvenpää : 1994
- Peter Ahola : 1994-1995
- Jarmo Muukkonen : 1995-1996
- Teemu Sillanpää : 1996-1997
- Juha Ikonen : 1997–1999
- Peter Ahola: 1999-2001
- Valeri Krykov : 2001-2002
- Juha Ylönen : 2002-2003
- Rami Alanko : 2003-2005
- Timo Hirvonen : 2005, resigned as captain in November 2005
- Markku Hurme : 2005-2006
- Joakim Eriksson : 2006
- Markku Hurme, Ville Viitaluoma , Erkki Rajamäki , Kent Manderville : 2006-07 (rotating)
- Rami Alanko : 2007-2009
- Toni Kähkönen : 2009–2012
- Arto Laatikainen : 2012–2013
- Kim Hirschovits : 2013–2015
Trainer (1992-2016)
- Martti Merra (1992 – January 1994)
- Hannu Saintula (1994)
- Harri Rindell (1994-1996)
- Håkan Nygren (1996 – February 1998)
- Hannu Saintula (February 1998 until the end of the season)
- Pekka Rautakallio (start of the season until November 1998)
- Hannu Saintula (November 1998 until the end of the season)
- Jukka Holtari (1999 – January 2000)
- Jari Härkälä (January 2000 until the end of the season)
- Timo Tuomi (2000 - September 2001)
- Hannu Kapanen (September 2001-2003)
- Ted Sator (start of the season – October 2003)
- Hannu Virta (October 2003 – October 2004)
- Pekka Rautakallio (2004-2005)
- Kari Heikkilä (2005-2007)
- Petri Matikainen (2007-2011)
- Lauri Marjamäki (2011-2013)
- Mikko Saarinen (2013)
- Jyrki Aho (2013-2016)
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.eurohockey.com/article/4655-hifk-plans-to-attack--liiga-preview.html
- ↑ http://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/thursdays_papers_cash_for_clunkers_controversy_asylum_seeker_age_probes_and_espoo_hockey_mess/8810534
- ↑ https://newtrendsinaccountingandfinance.wordpress.com/2016/03/30/what-does-the-future-hold-for-the-ice-hockey-team-espoo-blues/