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 was a defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL). Sami started his career with TPS in Finland. The Ottawa Senators picked him in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

He joined the Senators in the 1998–99 season. He was even chosen for the NHL All-Rookie Team. In 2002, he moved to the Vancouver Canucks. He played many seasons there, scoring over 30 points three times. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Sami played in Sweden for Frölunda HC. He helped them win their league championship.

Sami also played for Finland in many big tournaments. He played in two World Championships and three Winter Olympics. He won silver medals at the 2001 World Championships and the 2006 Winter Olympics. He also won a bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Sami Salo was known for getting injured often during his career. He had over 40 injuries! But even with injuries, he was a great player. He was known as a "two-way defenceman" and had a very powerful slapshot. He retired from hockey in 2015.

Playing Hockey

Starting in Finland

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

In 1996, the Ottawa Senators picked Sami in the NHL draft. He was the 239th player chosen. He 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.

Time with the Ottawa Senators (1998–2002)

Sami Salo joined the Senators in July 1998. He played his first NHL games in the 1998–99 season. He scored his first NHL goal in January 1999 against the Boston Bruins. It was a game-winning goal! 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, Sami scored three goals in one game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. This is called a hat trick. His season was shorter because of injuries. He only played 37 games and had 14 points. In 2000, he even missed games because of a snakebite!

Sami continued to have injuries in the 2000–01 season. He had problems with his shoulder, foot, and knee. He also got the flu. In March 2001, another player hit him in the face. This caused him to break some teeth and get a mild concussion. He played 31 games that season and had 18 points.

Before the 2001–02 season, Sami hurt his groin. He missed many games that year due to injuries and illness. He played 66 games and had 18 points. After the season, he had shoulder surgery. In September 2002, the Senators traded him to the Vancouver Canucks.

Playing for the Vancouver Canucks (2002–2012)

Salo with the Canucks in October 2005

With the Vancouver Canucks, Sami Salo became a key defenceman. In his first season with them, he played 79 games. This was the most games he had played in his career so far. He scored nine goals, 21 assists, and 30 points.

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

When the NHL had a lockout in 2004–05, Sami went to Sweden. He played for Frölunda HC in the Swedish Elite League. He scored six goals and 14 points in 41 games. His team had the best record and won the championship! Sami helped them win the Le Mat Trophy.

When the NHL started again, Sami 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. He still scored 10 goals and 33 points for the Canucks.

In the 2006–07 season, Sami had more injuries. He sprained his knee and had nerve damage in his shoulder. He also had a groin injury. Even with these injuries, 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 goals. He signed a new four-year contract with the Canucks.

The Canucks made the playoffs that year. They won their first series but lost in the second round. Sami missed some playoff games because he had the flu.

Sami continued to deal with injuries in the 2007–08 season. He broke his wrist before the season even started. Then, he broke his nose when a teammate's puck hit him in the face. He played 63 games and had 25 points. Even with his injuries, he was the top-scoring defenceman for the Canucks.

Salo practicing with the Canucks in March 2012

The 2008–09 season also started with injuries for Sami. He missed time with leg and shoulder problems. He also broke a rib after being hit into the boards. He played 60 games and had 25 points. In the playoffs, Sami scored seven points in seven games. He even scored game-winning goals in the first two rounds. He played through another injury in the playoffs, but the Canucks were eliminated.

In the 2009–10 season, Sami sprained his knee. He missed more games throughout the season due to various injuries. He finished the season with 28 points in 68 games. In the 2010 playoffs, Sami was hit by a hard shot in a sensitive area. He had to leave the game but played the next one. The Canucks lost that series.

In the 2010 off-season, Sami tore his achilles tendon while playing floorball. This was a very serious injury. He missed the first four months of the 2010–11 season. He even thought his career might be over. He played a few games in the minor league to get ready. He returned to the Canucks in February 2011. He played 27 games and had seven points. The Canucks had a great season and won the Presidents' Trophy.

In the 2011 playoffs, Sami missed some games with a leg injury. The Canucks made it all the way to the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. Sami scored two goals very quickly in one playoff game, setting a team record. The Canucks lost the Stanley Cup Finals in seven games.

Sami signed a new one-year contract with the Canucks in 2011. In the 2011–12 season, he had a minor groin injury twice. In January 2012, he got a concussion from a hit by an opposing player. He finished the season with 25 points in 69 games. The Canucks won the Presidents' Trophy again but lost in the first round of the playoffs.

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

Salo with the Lightning in October 2013

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

Playing 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

Sami Salo first played for the Finnish national team at the 2001 World Championships. He had a great tournament, scoring nine points in nine games. Finland won the silver medal, losing to the Czech Republic in the final game.

In 2002, Sami was chosen for the Finnish team at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Finland lost to Canada in the quarterfinals.

Sami played in the 2004 World Championships and the 2004 World Cup. Finland made it to the final of the World Cup but lost to Canada again.

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 the tournament and missed the final games. Finland won the silver medal.

Four years later, Sami played for Finland at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He scored a goal in the bronze-medal game, helping Finland win the bronze medal against Slovakia.

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

How Sami Salo Played

Sami Salo was known as a "two-way defenceman." This means he was good at both defending his own net and helping his team score goals. He could play against the other team's best players.

One of his best skills was his powerful slapshot. He often won contests for the hardest shot on his team. In 2012, one of his shots was measured at 102.7 miles per hour! Because of his strong shot, he often played on the powerplay. This is when the other team has fewer players on the ice. Sami also played on the penalty kill, helping his team when they had fewer players.

About Sami's Life

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

When he was growing up in Turku, Finland, Sami dreamed of playing for the Finnish national team. He looked up to Finnish hockey players like Jari Kurri. He knew more about Finnish stars than NHL stars when he was young.

Awards and Achievements