Sami Salo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sami Salo
Salo with the Tampa Bay Lightning in March 2014
Born	(1974-09-02) 2 September 1974 (age 50) Turku, Finland
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	212 lb (96 kg; 15 st 2 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Right
Played for	TPS Jokerit Ottawa Senators Vancouver Canucks Frölunda HC Tampa Bay Lightning
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	239th overall, 1996 Ottawa Senators
Playing career	1994–2015

Sami Sakari Salo (born 2 September 1974) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player. He played as a defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL). Sami started his career in Finland with TPS before being chosen by the Ottawa Senators in the 1996 NHL Draft.

He joined the Senators in 1998 and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. In 2002, he moved to the Vancouver Canucks, where he had several seasons with 30 or more points. Later, he played for the Tampa Bay Lightning. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Salo played in Sweden for Frölunda HC and helped them win the league championship.

Salo also played for Finland in many international tournaments. He won silver medals at the 2001 World Championships and the 2006 Winter Olympics. He also earned bronze medals at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.

Sami Salo was known for being a "two-way defenceman." This means he was good at both defending and scoring goals. He also had a very powerful slapshot. Throughout his career, he faced many injuries, but he always worked hard to come back and play.

Sami Salo's Hockey Journey

Early Career in Finland

Sami Salo grew up playing junior hockey in his hometown of Turku, Finland. He became a professional player with TPS in the 1994–95 season. In his first year, he scored one goal and had two assists in seven games. The next season, he had his best year in Finland, with 14 assists and 21 points in 47 games.

In 1996, the Ottawa Senators picked him in the NHL Draft. He was the 239th player chosen overall. Sami stayed in Finland for two more seasons. In 1997, he scored nine goals. The next year, he moved to Jokerit, another Finnish team. He played 35 games for them, scoring three goals and eight points.

Playing for the Ottawa Senators (1998–2002)

After playing four years in Finland, Salo joined the Ottawa Senators in 1998. He played his first three NHL games before being sent to the Detroit Vipers. This was Ottawa's minor league team. He was called back to the Senators later that year.

On 21 January 1999, Sami scored his first NHL goal. It was a game-winner against the Boston Bruins. He finished his first NHL season with seven goals and 19 points. Because of his great play, he was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.

In the next season, 1999–2000, Salo scored a hat trick (three goals in one game) against the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, his season was cut short to 37 games because of injuries. He still managed to get 14 points.

Salo continued to deal with injuries in the 2000–01 season. He had problems with his shoulder, foot, and knee. He also got the flu. In March 2001, he was hit in the face during a game, which caused broken teeth and a mild concussion. He ended that season with 18 points in 31 games.

Before the 2001–02 season, Salo hurt his groin during a practice game. He missed the first three games and later missed more games due to the flu, a broken finger, and back pain. He played 66 games and got 18 points. After the season, he had shoulder surgery. In September 2002, the Senators traded him to the Vancouver Canucks.

Time with the Vancouver Canucks (2002–2012)

Salo with the Canucks in October 2005

Salo quickly became an important defenceman for the Canucks. In his first season, he played 79 games, which was a career high for him. He scored nine goals and had 21 assists, totaling 30 points.

The Canucks signed him to a new contract in 2003. In the 2003–04 season, he played 74 games and recorded 26 points.

Because of the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Salo went to Sweden to play for Frölunda HC. He scored six goals and 14 points in 41 games. His team had the best record in the league. Frölunda then won the championship, called the Le Mat Trophy. Salo helped them win the final game by assisting on the winning goal in overtime.

When the NHL started playing again, Salo signed another contract with the Canucks. In the 2005–06 season, he played 59 games. He got a shoulder injury while playing for Finland at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Despite the injury, he scored 10 goals and 33 points for the Canucks.

In the 2006–07 season, Salo had more injuries, including a knee sprain and nerve damage in his shoulder. Even with these setbacks, he had his best season ever. He scored 14 goals, 23 assists, and 37 points. He was one of the top defencemen in the league for game-winning goals. The Canucks made the playoffs that year. Salo missed some playoff games due to the flu.

Salo spent the 2007 off-season recovering from many old injuries. He then broke his wrist during training camp before the 2007–08 season. Soon after returning, he was hit in the face by a puck from a teammate, breaking his nose. He missed 19 games. In 63 games, he had 25 points, leading all Canucks defencemen in scoring.

Salo practicing with the Canucks in March 2012

The 2008–09 season also started with injuries for Salo. He missed time with leg and shoulder problems. Later, he broke a rib after being hit into the boards. He played 60 games and scored five goals and 25 points. In the playoffs, Salo scored seven points in seven games. He even scored game-winning goals in the first two rounds. He injured a leg muscle during the playoffs but kept playing. The Canucks were eventually eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks.

In the 2009–10 season, Salo sprained his right knee. He missed more games throughout the season due to various injuries. He finished the season with nine goals and 19 assists for 28 points in 68 games. In the 2010 playoffs, Salo took a very hard hit during a game against the Chicago Blackhawks. He played through an injury in the next game, but the Canucks were eliminated.

In the 2010 off-season, Salo tore his achilles tendon while playing floorball. This is a serious injury, and he had surgery. He later said he thought his career might be over. He missed the first four months of the 2010–11 season. Before returning to the Canucks, he played a few games for their minor league team, the Manitoba Moose. He scored two goals in his first game for the Moose.

Salo played 27 games for the Canucks in 2010–11. He scored three goals and four assists. The Canucks had a great season, winning the Presidents' Trophy as the best regular season team. In the 2011 playoffs, Salo missed some games with a leg injury. The Canucks made it all the way to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. In one game, Salo scored two power play goals just 16 seconds apart, setting a Canucks playoff record. The Canucks lost the Stanley Cup Finals in seven games to the Boston Bruins.

In 2011, Salo signed a new one-year contract with the Canucks. In the 2011–12 season, he had a minor groin injury twice. On 7 January 2012, he got a concussion after a hit from a Boston Bruins player. Salo finished the season with nine goals, 16 assists, and 25 points in 69 games. The Canucks won their second straight Presidents' Trophy but were upset in the first round of the playoffs.

Final Years with the Tampa Bay Lightning (2012–2014)

Salo with the Lightning in October 2013

On 1 July 2012, Salo signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team's general manager, Steve Yzerman, said he expected Salo to bring veteran leadership to their younger players. Sami Salo officially retired from professional hockey on 13 August 2015.

International Play for Finland

Salo after receiving his bronze medal at the 2010 Olympics
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Ice hockey
Winter Olympics
Silver	2006 Turin
Bronze	2010 Vancouver
Bronze	2014 Sochi
World Cup
Silver	2004 Toronto
World Championships
Silver	2001 Germany

Salo first played for the Finnish national team at the 2001 World Championships. He had nine points in nine games, which was second among all defencemen in the tournament. Finland reached the gold medal game but lost to the Czech Republic, winning a silver medal.

In December 2001, Salo was chosen to play for Finland at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He played in four games but did not score any points. Finland lost to Canada in the quarterfinal.

Salo played in the 2004 World Championships and had three assists. Finland lost to Canada in the quarterfinal. A few months later, at the 2004 World Cup, Salo helped Finland reach the final game. Again, Finland lost to Canada, earning another silver medal.

He played in his second Olympics at the 2006 Games in Turin. He scored four points in six games. He got a shoulder injury during a game, which kept him from playing in the semifinal and gold medal game. Finland won the silver medal, losing to Sweden.

Four years later, Salo played for Finland at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He had two points in six games. He scored his only goal in the bronze-medal game against Slovakia, helping Finland win the bronze medal.

In 2014, Salo played in his fourth and final Olympic tournament at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Finland won the bronze medal again. Salo was the last player to play in the Olympics without a visor on his helmet.

Playing Style

Sami Salo was known as a "two-way defenceman." This means he was good at both stopping the other team from scoring and helping his own team score. He could play against the best players on the other team.

One of his most famous skills was his incredibly powerful slapshot. He often won "hardest shot" competitions with the Canucks. In 2012, one of his shots was measured at 102.7 miles per hour (163.5 km/h)! Because of his strong shot, he was often used on the powerplay. This is when his team has more players on the ice than the other team, giving him a chance to shoot from the point. Salo was also good at playing on the penalty kill, which is when his team has fewer players on the ice.

Personal Life

Salo is married to Johanna and they have three children: Peppi, Oliver, and Julia. Sami has spent time coaching his son, Oliver, in hockey.

When he was growing up in Turku, Finland, Salo dreamed of playing for the Finnish national team. He didn't know much about NHL stars. Instead, he looked up to Finnish players like Jari Kurri.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International Play Statistics

Awards and Achievements

Important Career Moves

• 22 June 1996 - Chosen by Ottawa Senators in the 9th round, 239th overall, in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.
• 31 July 2002 - Signed a one-year contract with the Ottawa Senators.
• 21 September 2002 - Traded to the Vancouver Canucks for Peter Schaefer.
• 17 July 2003 - Signed a two-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks.
• 15 September 2004 – Signed a one-year contract with Frölunda HC in Sweden.
• 14 August 2005 - Signed a two-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks.
• 29 March 2007 - Signed a four-year contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks.
• 1 July 2011 - Signed a one-year contract with the Canucks.
• 1 July 2012 - Signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.