KalPa_Naiset

KalPa Naiset

KalPa Naiset

Naisten Liiga ice hockey team in Kuopio, Finland

Kalevan Pallo Naiset (lit. 'Kaleva's Ball Women'), abbreviated as KalPa Naiset, are an ice hockey team in the Naisten Liiga (NSML). Founded in 1990, the team plays in Kuopio, the largest city in Finland's eastern-central province of North Savo, at the Kuopion jäähalli (unofficially known as Niiralan Monttu or Niirala); Lippumäen jäähalli serves as a secondary venue. The team won the Finnish Championship (SM) silver medal in 2021, and have won four SM bronze medals, in 1995, 1996, 2017, and 2023.

Quick Facts Kalevan Pallo Naiset, City ...

History

In 2020, the team qualified for the Aurora Borealis Cup playoff final and were set to face the reigning champions, Kiekko-Espoo, when the playoffs were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic before the first game of the finals. By making it to the playoff finals, KalPa was guaranteed at least a silver medal, which would have been the highest finish in team history to that point, but with the cancellation of the season no Finnish Championship (SM) medals were awarded.[1]

Season-by-season results

This is a partial list of the most recent seasons completed by KalPa Naiset.
Note: Finish = Rank at end of regular season; GP = Games played, W = Wins (3 points), OTW = Overtime wins (2 points), OTL = Overtime losses (1 point), L = Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points, Top scorer: Points (Goals+Assists)

More information Season, League ...

Players and personnel

2023–24 roster

As of 17 February 2023[2][3][4]
More information No., Nat ...

Coaching staff and team personnel

  • Head coach: Mika Väärälä
  • Assistant coach: Pekka Romppanen
  • Assistant coach: Jere Hakkarainen
  • Assistant coach: Benjamin Laurinkari
  • Team managers: Taina Lappi & Maarit Paroinen
  • Equipment managers: Lasse Herranen & Jari Hämäläinen
  • Physical therapist: Tarja Koski

Team captains

Head coaches

  • Mikko Miettinen, 0–2000
  • Seppo Tirronen, 2000–
  • Marjo Voutilainen, 2016–2022
  • Mika Väärälä, 2022[7]–

Awards and honours

Finnish Championship

Sources: [8][9][10]

Individual awards

  • 2020–21: Elisa Holopainen[11]
  • 2019–20: Tanja Niskanen
  • 2018–19: Elisa Holopainen
  • 2020–21: Elisa Holopainen
  • 2019–20: Elisa Holopainen
  • 2018–19: Elisa Holopainen
  • 2018–19: Elisa Holopainen
  • 2022–23: Elisa Holopainen
  • 2020–21: Matilda Nilsson
  • 2019–20: Elisa Holopainen
  • 2018–19: Elisa Holopainen
  • 2019–20: Matilda Nilsson
  • 2020–21: Johanna Juutilainen
  • 2016–17: Tanja Niskanen
  • 2019–20: Marjo Voutilainen

Player of the Month

  • November 2022: Elisa Holopainen[12]
  • September 2020: Elisa Holopainen[13]
  • September 2019: Matilda Nilsson[14]

All-Stars

First Team

  • 2020–21: Elisa Holopainen (W), Matilda Nilsson (W)
  • 2019–20: Elisa Holopainen (W), Tanja Niskanen (C), Matilda Nilsson (W)
  • 2018–19: Tanja Niskanen (C), Elisa Holopainen (W)
  • 2014–15: Matilda Nilsson (W)
  • 2013–14: Venla Hovi (W)

Second Team

  • 2020–21: Tiina Ranne (G)
  • 2019–20: Tiina Ranne (G)
  • 2018–19: Matilda Nilsson (W)
  • 2017–18: Matilda Nilsson (W), Elisa Holopainen (W)
  • 2016–17: Matilda Nilsson (W), Tanja Niskanen (C)

Team records

Various individual KalPa Naiset player records achieved through the end of the 2022–23 season.[15]

Single-season records

Career records

  • Most career goals: Tanja Niskanen, 257 goals (301 games; 2006–2022)
  • Most career assists: Johanna Juutilainen, 234 assists (301 games; 2009–2023)
  • Most career points: Tanja Niskanen, 488 points (301 games; 2006–2022)
  • Best career points per game, over 30 games played: Elisa Holopainen, 2.05 points per game (157 games; 2016–2023)
  • Most career points, defenceman: Tanja Koljonen, 103 points (137 games; 2016–2023)
  • Most career penalty minutes: Salla Rantanen, 322 PIM (272 games; 2012–2023)
  • Most games played, skater: Johanna Juutilainen, 316 games (2009–2023)
  • Most games played, goaltender: Jenna Juutilainen, 125 games (2009–2023)

All-time scoring leaders

The top regular season point scorers in KalPa Naiset history, as of April 2023.[15]

Note: Nat = Nationality; Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game;   = 2023–24 KalPa player

More information Nat, Player ...

Notable alumni

Main category: KalPa Naiset players

Years active with KalPa listed alongside player name.[16]

International player(s)

  • Japan Nozomi Kiribuchi, 2015–16

References

  1. [1]
    Pulkkinen, Aki-Petteri (27 May 2020). "Näkemys: Naiskiekolle ei jäänyt kaudesta mitään käteen − Korona ryösti vuoden työn". Jatkoaika.com (in Finnish). Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  2. [2]
    "Naisten Liiga (W) - KalPa, 2023-2024 Roster". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  3. [3]
    "2023-2024 Naisten Liiga – Kokoonpano KalPa". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). September 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  4. [4]
    "Naiset Liiga > Joukkue". Juniori KalPa (in Finnish). Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  5. [5]
    Foster, Meredith (30 November 2018). "Q&A with Tanja Niskanen". The Ice Garden. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  6. [6]
    "Naisten Liigan avausturnaus Kuopiossa - esittelyssä kauden 2019-2020 joukkue". Juniori-KalPa ry (in Finnish). 4 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  7. [7]
    Ruotsalainen, Annu (6 April 2022). "KalPa Naisten päävalmentaja vaihtuu – KMH Budapestin kanssa kolme mestaruutta voittanut valmentaja Mika Väärälä siirtyy Kuopioon". Jatkoaika (in Finnish). Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  8. [8]
    Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto; Liiga. Aaltonen, Juha (ed.). Jääkiekkokirja 2019–2020 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Uusi Suomi/Kiekkolehti. ISSN 0784-3321. OCLC 476321083.
  9. [9]
    "Juniori-KalPa ry - KalPan naisille SM-hopeaa". Juniori-KalPa ry (in Finnish). 26 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  10. [10]
    Löfman, Heikki (18 March 2023). "KalPa juhlii pronssia – HPK taipui Niiralassa". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  11. [11]
    Niemeläinen, Jonne (16 March 2020). "Huikeat tehot kerännyt 19-vuotias KalPa-hyökkääjä Elisa Holopainen palkittiin Naisten Liigan runkosarjan parhaana – huomenna edessä kauden tärkein peli". Yle (in Finnish). Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  12. [12]
    Mennander, Pasi (1 December 2022). "KalPan Elisa Holopainen Naisten Liigan marraskuun pelaaja". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  13. [13]
    Mennander, Pasi (1 October 2020). "KalPan Elisa Holopainen Naisten Liigan syyskuun pelaaja". leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  14. [14]
    Mennander, Pasi (2 October 2019). "KalPan Matilda Nilsson Naisten Liigan syyskuun pelaaja". leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  15. [15]
    "KalPa - All Time Regular Season Player Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  16. [16]
    "KalPa - All Time Overall Totals Player Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
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