Ilves 730869 222025614 2008-06-27T05:37:34Z JAnDbot 1725149 robot Modifying: [[cs:Ilves-Hockey]], [[fi:Tampereen Ilves (jääkiekko)]] {{for|the Estonian politician|Toomas Hendrik Ilves}} {{SM-liiga Team |team_name = Ilves |bg_color = green |text_color = gold |logo_image = Ilves.png |league = [[SM-liiga]] |founded = [[1931]] |history = '''Ilves'''<br>[[1931]] - present |arena = [[Tampereen jäähalli]] (capacity 7,800) |city = [[Tampere]], [[Finland]] |colors = Green, yellow, black |generalmanager = [[Esa Honkalehto]] |headcoach = [[Sakari Pietilä]] |teamcaptain = [[Raimo Helminen]] }} '''Ilves''' is a Finnish sports club nowadays mostly known by their [[ice hockey]] team in the [[SM-liiga]]. They play in [[Tampere]], [[Finland]] at the [[Tampereen jäähalli]] in Hakametsä. Ilves is Finnish for [[lynx]]. The colors of Ilves, green, yellow and black, were taken from what was then the [[coat of arms]] the city of Tampere. ==History== With 16 championships, Ilves is the most successful team in the Finnish championship league, the SM-liiga. The club was founded in the spring of 1931 and they played their first game against Tampereen Palloilijat the next winter. In the late 1930's, Ilves won three Finnish championship titles. After the [[Second World War]], Ilves started playing their home games at the then new Koulukatu ice rink. They had another championship spree in 1945–47 when they stayed undefeated for over four years (albeit playing only 36 games during that period). In 1954 Ilves was for the first and so far only time [[relegation|relegated]] to the second highest level of Finnish hockey but managed to return to the top tier only one year later. The current logo was designed by Rauno Broms in 1963. In 1965 Ilves moved, along with their local rivals [[Tappara]] and [[Koo-Vee (ice hockey)|Koovee]], to the new Hakametsä arena where they still play. The last Finnish Cup competition in hockey was held in 1971. Ilves won the title and has therefore been the reigning champion since. In 1972 they also won another league championship, their 15th in total. During the late 1970's Ilves was going through lean times. Finally, when Koovee, which was in no better condition, was relegated in the end of the 1979–80 season, the two clubs decided to sign an agreement of co-operation. The best players of Koovee moved to Ilves, the most notable of them being [[Risto Jalo]]. [[Image: Ilves banners.jpg|thumb|200px|Banners commemorating championships and retired player numbers of Ilves in Tampereen jäähalli.]]In 1985, Ilves claimed their 16th and so far the last championship. Along with Risto Jalo, the key players of that team were [[Raimo Helminen]], [[Mikko Mäkelä]], [[Ville Siren]], and [[Jukka Tammi]]. Repeating this success proved difficult, however, when in the following summer four players left the team to play in the [[NHL]]. In the late 80's, Ilves had another brief stint of moderate success when coached by [[Sakari Pietilä]]. They finished first after the regular season in 1988 but were eliminated in the first round of playoffs. The next year they came away with a bronze medal, and finally in 1990 they reached the finals but only to lose to [[TPS]]. For most of the 1990's the club struggled with financial problems and unclear issues concerning ownership. In sports performance the low point was in the spring of 1995 when Ilves finished last in SM-liiga and had to fight the lower league teams [[Savonlinnan Pallokerho]] and [[Saimaan Pallo]] for their place among the elite for the next year. Ilves managed to avoid relegation and was promptly reborn as a viable championship candidate, reaching the semifinals in 1997 and the finals a year after that. No trophies were brought home, however, and the heavy financial investments proved not sound as the club was suddenly facing the risk of bankruptcy in the fall of 1999. By selling players and cutting the wages of the entire organization, Ilves was able to stay afloat. The 2000's have so far been a fairly mediocre period in Ilves history, the high point being a bronze medal won in 2001. In 2003 Ilves again finished last in the league but was in no risk of relegation as the league was at that time closed. After that the team has consistently finished in the middle of the standings, being eliminated in the first or second round of the playoffs. The financial situation, however, seems to be more secure than in the previous decades. ==Accomplishments== Ilves is the most decorated club in Finnish hockey. In addition to having won more men's championship titles than any other club, they also have that distinction in every junior level (with the exception of junior C (U-16) where [[Jokerit]] has one more), and also the most women's hockey championships. In total, Ilves has won 67 national championship titles which is 30 more than the second best has. In the SM-liiga (and the preceding SM-sarja), Ilves has won the following medals: * ''Gold (16 total):'' 1936, 1937, 1938, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1972, and 1985 * ''Silver (9 total):'' 1935, 1948, 1949, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1990, and 1998 * ''Bronze (12 total):'' 1934, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1974, 1975, 1983, 1989, and 2001 ==Current squad== ''As of [[January 21]], [[2008]]'' {| !colspan=7 |<big>Goalkeepers |- bgcolor="#dddddd" !width=5%|Number !width=5%| !!width=15%|Player !width=16%|Glove hand !width=9%|Contract !width=37%|Place of Birth |- |- bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''--''' |align=center|{{flagicon|FIN}} |[[Hannu Toivonen]] |align=center|L |align=center|2008 |[[Kalvola]], [[Finland]] |- bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''35''' |align=center|{{flagicon|FIN}} |[[Tero Leinonen]] |align=center|L |align=center|2008 |[[Mikkeli]], [[Finland]] |- bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''37''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Pasi Häkkinen]] |align=center|L |align=center|2008 |[[Lappeenranta]], [[Finland]] |- |} {| width=100% !colspan=6 |<big>Defenders |- bgcolor="#dddddd" !width=5%|Number !width=5%| !!width=14%|Player !width=16%|Lower hand !width=9%|Contract !width=37%|Place of Birth |- |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''3''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Toni Niemi]] |align=center|L |align=center|2008 |[[Pirkkala]], [[Finland]] <!-- |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''4''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Jyrki Lumme]] |align=center|L |align=center|2007 |[[Tampere]], [[Finland]]--> |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''6''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Joonas Lehtivuori]] |align=center|L |align=center|2009 |[[Pirkkala]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''8''' |align=center| {{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Teemu Jääskeläinen]] |align=center|L |align=center|2008 |[[Tampere]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''19''' |align=center| {{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Mikko Kuukka]] |align=center|L |align=center|2009 |[[Hämeenkyrö]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''23''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Jarkko Näppilä]] |align=center|L |align=center|2010 |[[Tampere]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''26''' |align=center| {{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Teppo Tuomanen]] |align=center|R |align=center|2008 |[[Hyvinkää]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''33''' |align=center| {{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Kevin Kantee]] |align=center|L |align=center|2009 |[[Idaho Falls]], [[USA]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''50''' |align=center|{{flagicon|USA}} |[[Matt Nickerson]] |align=center|R |align=center|[[2008]] |[[Old Lyme]], [[Connecticut]], [[USA]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''81''' |align=center| {{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Arto Tukio]] |align=center|L |align=center|2009 |[[Tampere]], [[Finland]] |} {| !colspan=7 |<big>Forwards |- bgcolor="#dddddd" !width=5%|Number !width=5%| !!width=15%|Player !width=7%|Lower hand !width=7%|Playing situation !width=9%|Contract !width=37%|Place of Birth |- |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''10''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Sami Sandell]] |align=center|L |align=center|W |align=center|2009 |[[Nokia, Finland|Nokia]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''11''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Miikka Männikkö]] |align=center|R |align=center|W |align=center|2009 |[[Tampere]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''18''' |align=center|{{flagicon|CAN}} |[[Cameron Mann]] |align=center|R |align=center|W |align=center|2008 |[[Thompson, Manitoba|Thompson, MB]], [[Canada]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''20''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Ville Korhonen]] |align=center|L |align=center|W |align=center|2008 |[[Tampere]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''21''' |align=center| {{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Niko Snellman]] |align=center|L |align=center|W |align=center|2008 |[[Tampere]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''27''' |align=center| {{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Sami Torkki]] |align=center|L |align=center|W |align=center|2008 |[[Rauma]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''36''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Lassi Mattila]] |align=center|L |align=center|C |align=center|2008 |[[Lempäälä]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''41''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Raimo Helminen]] |align=center|L |align=center|C |align=center|2008 |[[Tampere]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''42''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Juuso Antonen]] |align=center|L |align=center|LW |align=center|2009 |[[Tampere]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''51''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Pasi Määttänen]] |align=center|L |align=center|LW |align=center|2008 |[[Tampere]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''61''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Marko Anttila]] |align=center|R |align=center|RW |align=center|2008 |[[Lempäälä]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''79''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Canada}} |[[Mike Bishai]] |align=center|L |align=center|C |align=center|2008 |[[Edmonton, AB]], [[Canada]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''85''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Jaakko Pellinen]] |align=center|R |align=center|RW |align=center|2009 |[[Tampere]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''91''' |align=center|{{flagicon|Finland}} |[[Turo Järvinen]] |align=center|L |align=center|LW |align=center|2009 |[[Espoo]], [[Finland]] |-bgcolor="#eeeeee" |align=center|'''--''' |align=center|{{flagicon| Czech Republic}} |[[Jakub Koreis]] |align=center|L |align=center|LW |align=center|2009 |[[Plzen]], [[ Czech Republic]] |} jami nissinen ==Head Coaches== *[[Niilo Tammisalo]] 1931–37 *[[Risto Lindroos]] 1937–41, 1942–46, 1949–53 *[[Aarne Honkavaara]] 1952–61, 1967–68 *[[Henry Kvist]] 1946–49 *[[Seppo Helle]] 1961–64 *[[Rauli Virtanen]] 1964–65 *[[Erkki Koiso]] 1965–66 *[[Raimo Vasama]] 1968–71, 1972–75 *[[Juhani Ruusunen]] 1971–72, 1976–80 *[[Len Lunde]] 1972–73 *[[Matti Reunamäki]] 1974–75 *[[Esko Mäkinen]] 1974–76 *[[Raimo Määttänen]] 1980–82 *[[Seppo Hiitelä]] 1982–87, 1990–91 *[[Matti Kaario]] 1986–87, 1990–91, 1999* *'''[[Sakari Pietilä]] 1987–90, 2006–''' *[[Anatoli Bogdanov]] 1991–93 *[[Jukka Jalonen]] 1992–95 *[[Heikki Vesala]] 1994–95 *[[Vladimir Jursinov jr.]] 1995–99 *[[Heikki Mälkiä]] 1999–2001 *[[Ari-Pekka Selin]] 2001–03 *[[Teijo Räsänen]] 2002–03 *[[Vaclav Sykora]] 2003–05 *[[Curt Lindström]] 2004–05 *[[Kari Eloranta]] 2005–06 *[[Petteri Hirvonen]] 2006* The seasons 1939–40 and 1941–42 were cancelled because of the war. *) Interim coach == Notable Players == Here are some currently active players who have represented Ilves at some point in their career. ===Products of the Ilves Junior System=== *[[Raimo Helminen]] *[[Ville Koistinen]] *[[Tuukka Rask]] *[[Vesa Toskala]] ===Other Notable Players=== *[[Toni Dahlman]] *[[Ivan Majeský]] *[[Cory Murphy (ice hockey)|Cory Murphy]] ===Not to be Forgotten=== Retired players of Ilves fame. [[Image:Kerho-Ilves Lumme.jpg|thumb|200px|Jyrki Lumme playing for Ilves in March 2006.]] *[[Reijo Hakanen]] *[[Aarne Honkavaara]] *[[Pentti Isotalo]] *[[Risto Jalo]] *[[Raimo Kilpiö]] *[[Juhani Lahtinen]] *[[Jyrki Lumme]] *[[Markus Mattsson]] *[[Mikko Mäkelä]] *[[Mika Nieminen]] *[[Lasse Oksanen]] *[[Jorma Peltonen]] *[[Ville Sirén]] *[[Raimo Summanen]] *[[Jukka Tammi]] *[[Jarmo Wasama]] ===Retired Numbers=== *2 - [[Jarmo Wasama]] *7 - [[Aarne Honkavaara]] *13 - [[Risto Jalo]] *14 - [[Lasse Oksanen]] *16 - [[Jorma Peltonen]] Number 24 has not been retired officially but is not in use. It was last worn by [[Veikko Suominen]] who committed suicide during the 1978-79 season. ==Other Sports== Ilves also has a history in [[soccer]]. They won the Finnish league championship in 1983 and the Finnish Cup in 1979 and 1990. The soccer club got into financial troubles in the late nineties. However, Ilves is a predecessor of the successful [[Tampere United]]. Ilves was defunct in soccer (except juniors) from 1998 to 2007 but will return in 2008 and play in the 2nd division (3rd highest level) Ilves has, in addition to hockey and soccer, a [[futsal]] team in Finnish league which has won the Finnish championship three times (2004, 2005, 2007) and the cup competition once (2006), a [[floorball]] team at second highest level and a women's [[ringette]] team. They have numerous boys' and girls' junior teams in ice-hockey, soccer, floorball (boys only) and ringette (girls only) making the organization the largest sports club in Finland. In the past, Ilves has also competed in [[American football]], [[basketball]], [[bowling]], [[figure skating]], [[handball]], and [[volleyball]]. They have won a bronze medal in American football and a silver one in handball. Also Ilves has won the Finnish cup in handball. ==External links== *[http://www.ilves.fi Ilves (the whole sports organization) official web site] *[http://www.ilves.com Ilves (ice-hockey) official web site] {{SM-liiga}} [[Category:Tampere]] [[Category:SM-liiga teams]] [[cs:Ilves-Hockey]] [[de:Tampereen Ilves]] [[fr:Ilves Tampere]] [[pl:Ilves Tampere]] [[fi:Tampereen Ilves (jääkiekko)]] [[sv:Ilves]]