Olli Määttä facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Olli Määttä
Määttä with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017
Born	(1994-08-22) 22 August 1994 (age 31) Jyväskylä, Finland
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	206 lb (93 kg; 14 st 10 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Utah Mammoth Pittsburgh Penguins Chicago Blackhawks Los Angeles Kings Detroit Red Wings
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	22nd overall, 2012 Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career	2009–present

Olli Määttä (born August 22, 1994) is a professional ice hockey player from Finland. He plays as a defenceman for the Utah Mammoth in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Pittsburgh Penguins chose him as the 22nd player overall in the 2012 NHL entry draft. Olli has also played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings, and Detroit Red Wings.

Olli was the first player picked in the 2011 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft. He played for the Finnish junior team in several big tournaments. He is known for blocking shots and being very smart on the ice. At just 19 years old, Olli was chosen to play for Finland at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Olli's Hockey Journey

Starting in Junior Hockey

Olli Määttä started his hockey journey playing for his hometown team's under-16 program when he was just 14. He quickly showed how good he was, scoring many points and becoming a top player on his team. His strong play even earned him a chance to play for older teams, like the under-18 and under-20 teams.

Olli also played for Finland's national under-16 team, where he continued to score a lot of points. As he got older, he moved up to Finland's national under-18 and under-20 teams. He even became the youngest player ever to play for Finland's World Junior team at the time.

After playing well in Finland, Olli was chosen by the London Knights in the 2011 CHL Import Draft. He decided to move to Canada to play major junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

Playing for the London Knights

Olli joined the London Knights, a team that was ready to win big. The Knights had a fantastic season, finishing with the best record in the OHL. Olli was a key player on defense, leading his team's defencemen in scoring with 32 points. During this time, he also played for Finland at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. However, he got a concussion in the first game and missed the rest of the tournament.

Even with that setback, Olli continued to play strongly in the OHL playoffs. The Knights won their first championship since 2005, with Olli scoring 23 points in 19 playoff games.

After winning the OHL title, the London Knights played in the 2012 Memorial Cup. This is a tournament where the best junior teams in Canada compete. The Knights made it to the championship game but lost in overtime.

After this great season, Olli was picked by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the 2012 NHL entry draft. He then signed his first NHL contract with the Penguins.

Olli returned to the London Knights for the 2012–13 OHL season. The team had another amazing year, winning their second OHL title in a row. Olli played a big part in their success, especially in the playoffs. The Knights went back to the 2013 Memorial Cup, but they didn't make it to the final game this time.

Becoming a Professional Player

Time with the Pittsburgh Penguins

Olli Määttä impressed everyone at the Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp. He earned a spot on the team's NHL roster for the 2013–14 NHL season. He quickly started scoring points, getting his first two assists in October 2013. Soon after, he scored his first NHL goal.

Because other defencemen on the Penguins got injured, Olli's ice time increased a lot. He played a key role in the team's success, helping them win many games. In March 2014, he scored two goals in one game for the first time in his NHL career.

In the 2014–15 NHL season, Olli had a challenging time with his health. He had surgery to remove a tumor from his neck, which could have been a type of thyroid cancer. Luckily, the surgery was successful, and he returned to play just two weeks later. He also had a shoulder injury that needed surgery, which ended his season early. During this time, he was also diagnosed with the mumps.

Määttä won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017.

In November 2015, Olli suffered another injury when he was hit into the bench door. He missed several weeks because of this.

During the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Olli was hit illegally in the head by an opposing player. He returned a few games later and helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2016! This was a huge achievement for him and the team.

Määttä (right) races John Tavares for the puck in a game against the New York Islanders in 2017.

In the 2016–17 NHL season, Olli broke his hand and missed many games. But he came back for the last game of the regular season. The Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup again in 2017, giving Olli his second championship!

In the 2017–18 NHL season, Olli played in his 300th NHL game. He played in all 82 games that season and tied his career high with 29 points. In the 2018–19 NHL season, he continued to be a strong defensive player, blocking many shots and making hits.

Moving to Other Teams

On June 15, 2019, Olli was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. He played well for them, scoring 17 points in 65 games during the 2019–20 NHL season. He also played a big role in their playoff run.

On October 4, 2020, Olli was traded again, this time to the Los Angeles Kings. He played two seasons with the Kings.

On July 13, 2022, Olli signed a contract with the Detroit Red Wings. He played well enough that the Red Wings signed him to a two-year contract extension in February 2023.

In October 2024, Olli was traded to the Utah Hockey Club. He joined the team to help their defense, which had many injured players.

Playing for Finland

Medal record
Representing  Finland
Winter Olympics
Bronze	2014 Sochi
World Championships
Silver	2021 Latvia

Olli Määttä played for Finland in the IIHF World Junior Championships in 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2011, he became the youngest Finnish player to ever play in the under-20 tournament. He also played for Finland's under-18 team in 2011, where he was one of their top three players.

In 2014, Olli was chosen to play for the Finnish men's team at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. He was one of the team's best players, scoring five points in six games. He even scored Finland's final goal in the bronze medal game, helping them win a medal against the United States.

Olli also played for Team Finland in the World Cup of Hockey 2016. In 2021, he played in his first World Championship and helped Finland win a silver medal. He also played in the 2023 and 2024 World Championships. In 2024, Olli was selected to play for Team Finland in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.

Olli's Life Outside Hockey

Olli Määttä started playing hockey in 2000 because all his friends were playing, and he wanted to join them. He has two older brothers, Antti and Eero.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International Play

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011	Finland	WJC	6th		6	0	0	0	0
2011	Finland	U18	5th		6	1	3	4	0
2012	Finland	WJC	4th		1	0	0	0	0
2013	Finland	WJC	7th		5	1	2	3	2
2014	Finland	OG			6	3	2	5	0
2016	Finland	WCH	8th		3	0	0	0	0
2021	Finland	WC			10	0	2	2	0
2023	Finland	WC	7th		8	0	5	5	0
2024	Finland	WC	8th		8	1	2	3	2
2025	Finland	4NF	4th		3	0	2	2	2
Junior totals					18	2	5	7	2
Senior totals					38	4	13	17	4

Awards and Honors