Veli-Pekka Ketola
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Veli-Pekka Ketola was born on 28 March, 1948 in Pori, Finland. He is a retired professional ice hockey player and coach.
- Position: Centre
- Shoots: Left
- Height: 6 ft 2 in
- Weight: 178 lb
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[edit] Playing career
Veli-Pekka Ketola played in the Finnish League, World Hockey Association, and National Hockey League. While Ketola was playing for the Ässät of the Finnish League, he won the league scoring twice in 1971 and 1979 and was a six-time all-star.
In 1974, Ketola came to North America to play for the Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association. He played just over two and a half seasons, from 1974-75 to 1976-77, for the Jets and he played the last 17 games of the 1976-77 WHA season for the Calgary Cowboys. After those three years in the WHA, he went back to Finland to once again play for the Ässät Pori. Despite being signed by the Vancouver Canucks on 06 March, 1979, he didn't play for a North American team again until he played 44 games for the Colorado Rockies of the NHL during the 1981-82 season.
[edit] Coaching career
Veli-Pekka Ketola coached two seasons for the Ässät Pori of the Finnish League in 1993-94 and 1996-97.
[edit] Honours and accolades
- Six-time all-star in Finland.
- Elected to the Finnish Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1990 as a player.
- Won the Best Hockey Player of Finland Trophy in 1974 and 1978.
- Won the Matti Keinonen Trophy in 1978-79.
- His number 13 was retired by Assat Pori.
- He won the Veli-Pekka Ketola Trophy the year it was introduced (1978).
- Led the Finnish League in scoring in 1971.
