| Tuukka Mäntylä | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 25, 1981 Tampere, FIN |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Weight | 187 lb (85 kg; 13 st 5 lb) |
| Position | Defence |
| Shoots | Left |
| KHL team Former teams |
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk Tappara Tampere Luleå HF Frölunda Indians |
| National team | Finland |
| NHL Draft | 153rd overall, 2001 Los Angeles Kings |
| Playing career | 1999–present |
Tuukka Matias Mäntylä (born May 25, 1981) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays with HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the Kontinental Hockey League. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the 5th round (153rd overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
On April 7, 2009 he left Västra Frölunda of the Swedish Elite League and signed a contract in his homeland with Tappara, with whom he has spent most of his career.
In late October 2009, playing with Tampere Tappara, Mäntylä checked Helsinki IFK defenceman Mikko Kurvinen from behind into the boards, resulting in an injury that kept Kurvinen sidelined for six games. Mäntylä received a match penalty for the hit. In advance of Tappara's next visit to Helsinki on November 26, 2009, the IFK club ran a full-page ad in a Tampere newspaper that read: “Welcome to Helsinki, Tuukka”, and on the evening of the match between the two clubs the SM-liiga head office, which had previously approved the ad, announced it had given IFK a warning for “crossing the line of good taste”. Early in the first period of the November 26 game, with IFK head coach Kari Jalonen watching, IFK defenceman Ilari Melart mugged Mäntylä in the corner and a wrestling match ensued resulting in both players being ejected from the game.[1]