Ville Nieminen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ville Nieminen |
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| Born | 6 April 1977 Tampere, Finland |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Left Wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Tappara Colorado Avalanche Pittsburgh Penguins Chicago Blackhawks Calgary Flames New York Rangers San Jose Sharks St. Louis Blues HC Sibir Novosibirsk Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk Dinamo Riga Lukko |
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| National team |  Finland |
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| NHL Draft | 78th overall, 1997 Colorado Avalanche |
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| Playing career | 1999–2015 | ||
Ville Juhani Nieminen (born April 6, 1977) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player. He played as a forward and spent more than 400 games in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Contents
Ville Nieminen's Hockey Journey
Ville Nieminen began his professional hockey career with Tappara in Finland during the 1994–95 season. The Colorado Avalanche chose him in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft as their 78th pick. Before joining the NHL, Nieminen played for three seasons in the AHL with the Hershey Bears.
Playing Style and Personality
Ville Nieminen was known for his energetic and aggressive playing style. He was often seen as a challenging opponent on the ice. Off the ice, he was known for being relaxed and having a unique sense of humor.
NHL Career Highlights
Nieminen played for several teams in the NHL. A major highlight of his career was winning the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. During that playoff run, he scored 10 points.
In the 2004–05 season, when the NHL had a lockout, he played for his home team, Tappara. He later joined the New York Rangers for the 2005–06 season. He was then traded to the San Jose Sharks in March 2006.
International Play and Commentary
Ville Nieminen also represented Finland in international games. He played in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. When he couldn't play in the 2005 IIHF World Championships, he became a commentator for Finnish television. People enjoyed his commentary because of his humor and deep knowledge of the game.
On February 27, 2007, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues. After his contract ended, he signed with the Malmö Redhawks in Sweden. After one season there, he returned to Finland to play for his original club, Tappara.
Later Career in Europe
On June 16, 2010, Nieminen signed a one-year contract with HC Sibir Novosibirsk in the KHL in Russia. He stayed in Russia for another year, signing with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. During the 2011–12 season, he played for Dinamo Riga and Örebro HK in Sweden.
Nieminen returned to Finland in 2012, rejoining Tappara for two years. In the 2012–13 season, he had a great year, leading his team with 22 goals and 50 points. He helped Tappara reach the playoffs, where they won a silver medal.
He played his final professional season in 2014–15 with Lukko, scoring 14 points in 50 games. After that, he decided to start a coaching career.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Ville Nieminen became a coach. Here are some of the teams he has coached:
- KeuPa HT (2015–2016) in Mestis
- Jukurit (2016–2018) in Liiga
- Lahti Pelicans (2018–2020) in Liiga
- Modo Hockey (2020–present) in HockeyAllsvenskan
Awards and Honours
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| NHL | ||
| Stanley Cup (Colorado Avalanche) | 2001 | |
| Liiga | ||
| Kanada-malja Runner-up | 2013, 2014 | |
See also
In Spanish: Ville Nieminen para niños
