Kari Haakana

Kari Haakana
Born November 8, 1973
Outokumpu, FIN
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 227 lb (103 kg; 16 st 3 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
SM-Liiga team
Former teams 		Kärpät
Modo Hockey
NHL
Edmonton Oilers
SM-liiga
Espoo Blues
Jokerit
Lukko
DEL
Star Bulls Rosenheim
EV Duisburg
Skellefteå AIK
NHL Draft 248th overall, 2001
Edmonton Oilers
Playing career 1990–2010

Kari Haakana (born November 8, 1973 in Outokumpu, Finland) is a former ice hockey defenceman who spent the majority of his career in Scandinavia, with the exception of brief stints in Germany and in the Edmonton Oilers player development system in North America. The Oilers selected Haakana in the eight round (248th overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Haakana spent most of his years in Espoo, where he is well known. Haakana played in Kiekko-Espoo for several years and also in Espoo Blues.

Haakana entered the entry draft as an overaged player and came over to Canada the following year, briefly playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs. He spent 13 games in the Oilers lineup, playing safe defensive hockey, but showing little in the way of offensive ability, scoring no points and only recording two shots. He returned to Europe during the 2004–05 NHL lockout. Haakana played for Swedish Elitserien team, Skellefteå AIK from the beginning of the 2006 season to mid-January 2008 when he decided to cancel his contract and move back home to Finland to play for Kärpät.

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