Mikko Mäkelä

Mikko Mäkelä
Born	February 28, 1965 Tampere, FIN
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	New York Islanders Los Angeles Kings Buffalo Sabres Boston Bruins
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	65th overall, 1983 New York Islanders
Playing career	1984–1999

Mikko Matti Mäkelä (born February 28, 1965 in Tampere, Finland) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey left wing. Known as the "Flying Finn", he was drafted in the fourth round, 65th overall, by the New York Islanders in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft.

Mäkelä made his NHL debut with the Islanders in the 1985–86 season. In four-plus seasons with the Islanders, Mäkelä scored 95 goals, including 37 in the 1987–88 season. The Islanders traded Mäkelä to the Los Angeles Kings during the 1989–90 season in exchange for Hubie McDonough and Ken Baumgartner.

After finishing the 1989–90 season with Los Angeles, Mäkelä was traded again before the 1990–91 season. This time, he went to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Mike Donnelly. After one season in Buffalo, Mäkelä returned to Europe, spending two-plus seasons playing in his native Finland and one in Sweden.

Mäkelä returned to the NHL following the 1994–95 NHL lockout, appearing in 11 games with the Boston Bruins during the shortened 1994–95 season. Mäkelä returned to Europe for the remainder of his career, playing two seasons in Germany's Deutsche Eishockey Liga before returning to Sweden and Finland for his final two seasons.

Mäkelä appeared in 423 NHL games in his career, scoring 118 goals and adding 147 assists. He also appeared in 18 Stanley Cup playoff games, scoring three goals and recording eight assists.

Since retiring from professional hockey, Mäkelä has moved to Lethbridge, Alberta, where he and his family currently reside. He currently works at the Warner Hockey School, a private girl's school located in Warner, Alberta where he serves as both Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations of the Warner Hockey School Warriors girls' hockey team of the Junior Women's Hockey League. .

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1982–83	Ilves Jr.	Fin-Jr.		23	29	11	40	28		4	2	5	7	2
1983–84	Ilves Jr.	Fin-Jr.		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1983–84	Ilves	SM-l		35	17	11	28	26		2	0	1	1	0
1984–85	Ilves	SM-l		36	34	25	59	24		9	4	7	11	10
1985–86	New York Islanders	NHL		58	16	20	36	28		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Springfield Indians	AHL		2	1	1	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	New York Islanders	NHL		80	24	33	57	24		11	2	4	6	8
1987–88	New York Islanders	NHL		73	36	40	76	22		6	1	4	5	6
1988–89	New York Islanders	NHL		76	17	28	45	22		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		45	7	14	21	16		1	0	0	0	0
1990–91	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		60	15	7	22	25		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	TPS	SM-l		44	25	45	70	38		3	2	3	5	0
1992–93	TPS	SM-l		38	17	27	44	22		11	4	8	12	0
1993–94	Malmö IF	SEL		37	15	21	36	20		11	4	7	11	2
1994–95	Boston Bruins	NHL		11	1	2	3	0		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Ilves	SM-l		18	3	11	14	4		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Providence Bruins	AHL		—	—	—	—	—		7	2	4	6	2
1995–96	Düsseldorfer EG	DEL		47	17	37	54	16		13	0	14	14	12
1996–97	Düsseldorfer EG	DEL		40	4	14	18	0		4	1	1	2	0
1997–98	Södertälje SK	SEL		25	2	11	13	14		—	—	—	—	—
1998–99	Tappara	SM-l		41	4	6	10	14		—	—	—	—	—
SM-l totals				212	100	125	225	128		25	10	19	29	10
NHL totals				423	118	147	265	139		18	3	8	11	14

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1982	Finland	EJC		5	3	0	3	4
1983	Finland	EJC		5	1	3	4	8
1984	Finland	WJC		7	1	2	3	0
1985	Finland	WJC		7	11	2	13	6
1985	Finland	WC		8	2	2	4	2
1987	Finland	CC		5	1	1	2	12
1992	Finland	OLY		5	3	3	6	0
1992	Finland	WC		8	2	8	10	0
1994	Finland	OLY		8	2	3	5	4
1994	Finland	WC		8	5	4	9	6
Junior totals				24	16	7	23	18
Senior totals				42	15	21	36	24

External links

• Mikko Mäkelä's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Warner Hockey School - Staff
• Junior Women's Hockey League - Warner School