KalPa Naiset

Naisten Liiga ice hockey team in Kuopio, Finland

Owner(s)Juniori-KalPa ryGeneral managerJukka KoskinenHead coachMika VääräläCaptainJohanna JuutilainenAffiliateKalPa AkatemiaWebsiteOfficial website

Current season

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.

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)

Season	League	Regular season										Post season results
Season	League	Finish	GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts	Top scorer	Post season results
2015–16	Naisten SM-sarja	6th	28	7	1	1	19	47	124	24	Jo. Juutilainen 32 (10+22)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–2 (HPK)
2016–17	Naisten SM-sarja	3rd	28	17	1	4	6	100	72	57	T. Niskanen 36 (15+21)	Won bronze medal, 1–0 (HPK)
2017–18	Naisten Liiga	6th	30	14	2	1	13	112	92	47	T. Niskanen 44 (20+24)	Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 (Blues)
2018–19	Naisten Liiga	4th	30	19	0	0	11	154	83	57	T. Niskanen 79 (31+48)	Lost bronze medal, 0–1 (Kärpät)
2019–20	Naisten Liiga	3rd	30	17	4	2	3	124	64	61	E. Holopainen 62 (37+25)	Won semifinals, 3–0 (Ilves) Finals cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21	Naisten Liiga	2nd	25	18	1	0	6	121	51	56	E. Holopainen 64 (39+25)	Lost finals, 1–3 (K-Espoo)
2021–22	Naisten Liiga	8th	30	8	3	2	17	70	96	32	Jo. Juutilainen 34 (9+25)	Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 (K-Espoo)
2022–23	Naisten Liiga	2nd	36	29	2	2	3	197	65	93	E. Holopainen 75 (41+34)	Won bronze medal, 1–0 (HPK)
2023–24	Naisten Liiga	4th	32	18	2	2	10	119	81	60	E. Holopainen 57 (32+25)	Won bronze medal, 3–1 (HPK)

Players and personnel

2023–24 roster

As of 17 February 2023^[2]^[3]^[4]


No.	Player	Pos	S/G	Age	Acquired	Birthplace
26	Jenna Hietala	F	L	20	2022	Oulainen, North Ostrobothnia, Finland
10	Elisa Holopainen (A)	F	L	22	2022	Tuusniemi, North Savo, Finland
37	Jenna Juutilainen	G	L	34	2020	Varkaus, North Savo, Finland
17	Johanna Juutilainen (C)	F	L	34	2020	Varkaus, North Savo, Finland
12	Liisa Kastikainen	F	L	23	2016	Outokumpu, North Karelia, Finland
2	Inka Katajisto	F	L	24	2018	Pyhäselkä, North Karelia, Finland
28	Mimmi Keinonen	D	L	20	2022
18	Tilli Keränen	F	L	19	2023	Vihti, Uusimaa, Finland
24	Mirka Kivi	G	L	21	2019	Valkeakoski, Pirkanmaa, Finland
16	Tanja Koljonen (A)	D	L	28	2020	Mikkeli, South Savo, Finland
21	Kaisla Kortelainen	F	L	22	2020
31	Aino Laitinen	G	L	21	2022	Sonkajärvi, North Savo, Finland
14	Ella Lappi	F	L	25	2014	Elimäki, Kymenlaakso, Finland
11	Adalmiina Makkonen	D	L	20	2022	Oulu, North Ostrobothnia, Finland
13	Alisa Makkonen	F	L	20	2022	Oulu, North Ostrobothnia, Finland
5	Elli Mäkelä (A)	D	L	23	2020	Kotka, Kymenlaakso, Finland
49	Veera Paroinen	F	L	19	2021
45	Veera Pohjala	D	L	22	2021
55	Tiina Ranne	G	L	29	2017	Harjavalta, Satakunta, Finland
7	Sanni Rantala	D	R	21	2022	Riihimäki, Kanta-Häme, Finland
19	Erika Rönkä	F	R	18	2021
27	Lunasa Sano	F	L	25	2023	Tokyo, Kantō, Japan
9	Vilma Sneck	F	L	22	2022
6	Anni Timonen	D	R	21	2023	Tarvasjoki, Southwest Finland, Finland
23	Emmi Tirkkonen	F	L	19	2020

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

Johanna Juutilainen, 2010–11
Isa Rahunen, 2011–12
Marjo Voutilainen, 2012–13
Venla Hovi & Anni Kettunen, 2013–14
Johanna Juutilainen, 2015–2018
Tanja Niskanen, 2018–19^[5]
Tiina Ranne & Emma Ritari, 2019–20^[6]
Emma Ritari, 2020–21
Johanna Juutilainen, 2021–

Head coaches

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

Awards and honours

Finnish Championship

Aurora Borealis Cup Runners-up (1): 2021
Third Place (4) : 1995, 1996, 2017, 2023. 2024

Sources: ^[8]^[9]^[10]

Individual awards

Riikka Nieminen Award (Player of the Year)

2020–21: Elisa Holopainen^[11]
2019–20: Tanja Niskanen
2018–19: Elisa Holopainen

Katja Riipi Award (Best forward)

2020–21: Elisa Holopainen
2019–20: Elisa Holopainen
2018–19: Elisa Holopainen

Marianne Ihalainen Award (Top point scorer)

2018–19: Elisa Holopainen

Tiia Reima Award (Top goal scorer)

2022–23: Elisa Holopainen
2020–21: Matilda Nilsson
2019–20: Elisa Holopainen
2018–19: Elisa Holopainen

Sari Fisk Award (Best plus/minus)

2019–20: Matilda Nilsson

Emma Laaksonen Award (Fair-play player)

2020–21: Johanna Juutilainen
2016–17: Tanja Niskanen

Hannu Saintula Award (Coach of the Year)

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

Most points in a season: Tanja Niskanen, 79 points (29 games; 2018–19)
Most points in a season, defenceman: Sanni Rantala, 39 points (30 games; 2022–23)
Most goals in a season: Elisa Holopainen, 41 goals (28 games; 2022–23)
Most assists in a season: Tanja Niskanen, 48 assists (29 games; 2018–19)
Best points per game, over 10 games played: Marjo Voutilainen, 3.00 (14 games; 1997–98)
Most penalty minutes in a season: Kirsi Hänninen, 66 PIM (23 games; 1995–96)
Best save percentage in a season, over ten games played: Tiina Ranne, .942 SVS% (18 games; 2019–20)
Best goals against average in a season, over ten games played: Tiina Ranne, 1.67 GAA (20 games; 2022–23)

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^[update].^[15]

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

Points
Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	P/G
Tanja Niskanen	F	301	257	231	488	1.62
Johanna Juutilainen	F	316	142	234	376	1.19
Elisa Holopainen	F	157	174	148	322	2.05
Matilda Nilsson	F	189	164	140	304	1.61
Salla Rantanen	F	272	97	112	209	0.77
Marjo Voutilainen	F	177	86	101	187	1.06
Kati Kovalainen	F	70	72	35	107	1.53
Tanja Koljonen	D	137	20	83	103	0.75
Emma Ritari	D	251	34	68	102	0.41
Liisa Kastikainen	F	171	48	51	99	0.58
Eija Rahunen	F	80	28	54	82	1.02
Tiina Paananen	F	58	46	35	81	1.40
Isa Rahunen	D	135	34	47	81	0.60
Venla Hovi	F	49	38	36	74	1.51
Anni Kettunen	D	174	23	42	65	0.37

Notable alumni

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

Venla Hovi, 2012–2014
Kirsi Hänninen, 1995–96
Kati Kovalainen, 1993–1996
Rose Matilainen, 1993–1996
Terhi Mertanen, 1999–2001
Matilda Nilsson, 2014–2021
Oona Parviainen, 1993–1999
Tuula Puputti, 1992–1995
Isa Rahunen, 2006–2013
Saila Saari, 2020–21
Riikka Sallinen, 1995–96
Eve Savander, 2013–14
Marjo Voutilainen, 1995–2001 & 2010–2014

International player(s)

Nozomi Kiribuchi, 2015–16

References

^ 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.
^ "Naisten Liiga (W) - KalPa, 2023-2024 Roster". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
^ "2023-2024 Naisten Liiga – Kokoonpano KalPa". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). September 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
^ "Naiset Liiga > Joukkue". Juniori KalPa (in Finnish). Retrieved 12 September 2023.
^ Foster, Meredith (30 November 2018). "Q&A with Tanja Niskanen". The Ice Garden. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
^ "Naisten Liigan avausturnaus Kuopiossa - esittelyssä kauden 2019-2020 joukkue". Juniori-KalPa ry (in Finnish). 4 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
^ 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.
^ Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto; Liiga. Aaltonen, Juha (ed.). Jääkiekkokirja 2019–2020 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Uusi Suomi/Kiekkolehti. ISSN 0784-3321. OCLC 476321083.
^ "Juniori-KalPa ry - KalPan naisille SM-hopeaa". Juniori-KalPa ry (in Finnish). 26 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
^ Löfman, Heikki (18 March 2023). "KalPa juhlii pronssia – HPK taipui Niiralassa". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 18 March 2023.
^ 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.
^ Mennander, Pasi (1 December 2022). "KalPan Elisa Holopainen Naisten Liigan marraskuun pelaaja". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 8 December 2022.
^ Mennander, Pasi (1 October 2020). "KalPan Elisa Holopainen Naisten Liigan syyskuun pelaaja". leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
^ Mennander, Pasi (2 October 2019). "KalPan Matilda Nilsson Naisten Liigan syyskuun pelaaja". leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
^ ^a ^b "KalPa - All Time Regular Season Player Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
^ "KalPa - All Time Overall Totals Player Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 30 March 2021.

External links

Team information and statistics from EliteProspects.com and EuroHockey.com and HockeyArchives.info (in French)
KalPa Naiset on Facebook
KalPa Naiset on Instagram