Kiekko-Espoo Naiset

Kiekko-Espoo players in 2021

Kiekko-Espoo Naiset is an ice hockey team in the Auroraliiga. They play in the Tapiola district of Espoo, Finland at the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Template:Lit) of the Tapiolan urheilupuisto.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The team was founded as Espoon Kiekkoseura (EKS) in 1989 and has also been known as Espoo Blues Naiset and Espoo United Naiset during its tenure in the Auroraliiga. Kiekko-Espoo have won the Aurora Borealis Cup as the Finnish Champions in women's ice hockey seventeen times, seven more wins than any other team in league history; at least one Finnish Championship medal (gold, silver, or bronze) was won under each of the four names.

The parent club, Kiekko-Espoo Oy, also has a representative men's ice hockey team in the Liiga, a representative ringette team in the Ringeten SM-sarja, and active sections in minor and junior ice hockey and youth ringette.

History

EKS, 1990–1992

The team entered Naisten SM-sarja (now Naisten Liiga) in the 1990–91 season under the name Espoon Kiekkoseura or EKS. The two seasons played as EKS were an impressive showing for the newcomers and each resulted in a bronze medal, one in the 1990–91 season after defeating Ässät and one in the 1991–92 season after defeating KalPa.

Several EKS players also played for the bronze medal winning Finnish women's national team at the 1992 IIHF World Championship including Liisa Karikoski, Katri-Helena Luomajoki, and Hanna Teerijoki.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Kiekko-Espoo, 1992–1998

In 1992 EKS was renamed Kiekko-Espoo, the same name as its brother-team in the Liiga. The team continued to be held to bronze or lower finishes, qualifying for five bronze medal series in six years and winning four of them (1993, 1994, 1997, 1998).

The Golden Age: Espoo Blues, 1998–2016

The team was renamed Espoo Blues in 1998, continuing the trend of sharing the name of its brother-team in the Liiga, which also renamed Espoo Blues in that year. The name change unwittingly marked the beginning of a "golden age" for the team. Starting with their first SM-sarja gold medal in 1999, after achieving victory over JYP Jyväskylä in the finals, they went on to win a staggering seven consecutive championships (1999–2005) and a total of thirteen championships in eighteen years. The Blues were kept off the SM-sarja medal podium only three times in the 1998–2016 span; in addition to their championship titles, they earned the team's first silver medal in 2009 and two more bronze medals in 2006 and 2016.

The Espoo Blues were also strong competitors at international tournaments in this period, earning medals at six IIHF European Women's Champions Cups: three silver medals (2005, 2007-08, 2009-10) and three bronze medals (2008-09, 2013–14, 2014–15).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Espoo United, 2016–17

In March 2016 Jääkiekko Espoo Oy, the parent club of both the Espoo Blues of the Naisten Liiga and Espoo Blues of the Liiga, declared bankruptcy with estimated liabilities of approximately €3 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In response, Jussi Salonoja, a Finnish millionaire and film director who had previously owned the Espoo Blues franchise from 2002–2012, created a new club and organization called Espoo United Oy,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> stating that he was "committed to supporting hockey in Espoo."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Espoo Blues men's and women's basketball and ice hockey teams would play for Espoo United.

For the 2016–17 season the Espoo United women's ice hockey team played in the Naisten SM-sarja and won silver in the 2017 Finnish Championship. The Espoo United men's team played in the Mestis, the league below the premier-level Liiga, where they won bronze in the playoffs.

On 15 August 2017 Salonoja announced that the Espoo United was abandoning its women's ice hockey and basketball teams for financial reasons.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> “The reason is twofold: the men's teams' budgets are far greater than those of women's teams, so their running is more demanding, but on the other hand, [the men's teams] are more interesting to sponsors and audiences,” Salonoja said.<ref name="oivio20170815">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The future of women's ice hockey team was left uncertain and many possible solutions were proposed, including being acquired by HIFK<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> or merging with Espoo Blues Juniorit (a junior club with strong ties to the franchise).<ref name="oivio20170815" />

Espoo Blues part 2, 2017–2019

In September 2017 the Finnish Ice Hockey Association announced that it had supported the creation of an independent association, Ysikoppi ry, to oversee the team and had given its approval for the team to compete in the upcoming 2017–18 season under the name Espoo Blues.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Season-by-season results

This is a partial list of the most recent seasons completed by the franchise. The team was called the “Espoo Blues” during the 2015–16, 2017–18, and 2018–19 seasons; “Espoo United” in the 2016–17 season, and “Kiekko-Espoo” from the 2019–20 season onward.

Note: Finish = Rank at end of regular season; GP = Games played; W = Wins (3 points); OTW = Overtime wins (2 points); OTL = Overtime losses (1 point); L = Losses (0 points); GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points

Season	League	Regular season										Post season results
		Finish	GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts	Top scorer
2015–16	Naisten SM-sarja	2nd	28	19	3	1	5	162	67	64	Template:Flagicon L. Välimäki 70 (31+39)	Template:Bronze3 Won bronze medal, 1–0 (Kärpät)
2016–17	Naisten SM-sarja	2nd	28	17	3	1	7	109	68	58	Template:Flagicon L. Välimäki 60 (29+31)	Template:Silver2 Lost final, 2–3 (Kärpät)
2017–18	Naisten Liiga	3rd	30	16	2	4	8	125	74	56	Template:Flagicon E. Rakkolainen 27 (16+11)	4th: Lost bronze medal, 0–1 (Kuortane)
2018–19	Naisten Liiga	1st	30	23	1	0	6	164	58	71	Template:Flagicon A. Rajahuhta 66 (36+30)	Template:Gold1 Won Championship, 3–0 (Ilves)
2019–20	Naisten Liiga	1st	30	20	3	2	5	145	60	68	Template:Flagicon E. Rakkolainen 42 (13+29)	Won semi-final, 3–0 (Team Kuortane); Finals cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21	Naisten Liiga	1st	27	21	1	0	5	124	46	65	Template:Flagicon N. Laitinen 37 (13+24)	Template:Gold1 Won Championship, 3–1 (KalPa)
2021–22	Naisten Liiga	1st	30	27	1	0	2	182	44	83	Template:Flagicon E. Holopainen 56 (29+27)	Template:Gold1 Won Championship, 3–2 (HIFK)
2022–23	Naisten Liiga	3rd	36	23	2	1	10	142	70	74	Template:Flagicon A. Montonen 42 (21+21)	Template:Silver2 Lost final, 0–3 (HIFK)
2023–24	Naisten Liiga	1st	32	24	2	3	3	168	66	79	Template:Flagicon E. Nuutinen 63 (28+35)	Template:Silver2 Lost final, 1–3 (HIFK)
2024–25	Auroraliiga	1st	32	26	3	0	3	168	56	84	Template:Flagicon E. Nuutinen 65 (27+38)	Template:Gold1 Won Championship, 4–1 (HPK)

Players and personnel

2025–26 roster

Template:Updated<ref name="ep_roster">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="leijonat_roster">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Ice hockey team roster

Template:Ice hockey team player Template:Table end Coaching staff and team personnel

• Head coach: Sami Haapanen
• Assistant coach: Casimir Öhman
• Assistant coach: Emmi Polviander (Template:Nee)
• Goaltending coach: Risto Jaakkola
• Conditioning coach: Minttu Tuominen
• Team manager: Niklas Ekroos
• Equipment manager: Marko Ahlroth

Team captaincy history

• Katri-Helena Luomajoki, 1997–98
• Essi Sievers, 2007–2009
• Emma Terho (Template:Nee), 2009–2011
• Essi Sievers, 2011–12
• Emma Terho, 2012–2014
• Minttu Tuominen, 2014–2016
• Linda Välimäki, 2016–17
• Minttu Tuominen, 2017–2020
• Annina Rajahuhta, 2020–21
• Minttu Tuominen, 2021–22
• Emmi Rakkolainen, 2022–23
• Reetta Valkjärvi, 2023–

Head coaches

• Johanna Ikonen, 1998–99
• Jari Kalho, 2000–01
• Hannu Saintula, 2001–02
• Jari Peltonen, 2002–2006
• Sami Haapanen, 2008–2011
• Kai Jansson, 2011–2013
• Sami Haapanen, 2013–

Team honours

Finnish Championship

• Template:Gold1 Aurora Borealis Cup (17): 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2025
• Template:Silver2 Runners-up (3): 2010, 2017, 2023, 2024
• Template:Bronze3 Third Place (8): 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2016

IIHF European Women's Champions Cup

• Template:Eur2 Silver (3): 2005, 2007–08, 2009–10
• Template:Eur3 Bronze (3): 2008–09, 2013–14, 2014–15

Franchise records and leaders

Players holding franchise records per documentation available from the 1992–93 Naisten SM-sarja season through the conclusion of the 2024–25 Auroraliiga season. Data from the 1990–91 and 1991–92 seasons is incomplete and has not been included. Template:Updated<ref name="ep_all-time">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="ep_per-season">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Single-season records

• Most goals: Karoliina Rantamäki, 39 goals (24 games; 2002–03)
• Most assists: Minttu Tuominen, 50 assists (30 games; 2018–19)
• Most points: Michelle Karvinen, 81 points (22 games; 2008–09)
• Most points, defenseman: Minttu Tuominen, 63 points (30 games; 2018–19)
• Most penalty minutes: Tea Villilä, 76 PIM (16 games; 2008–09)
• Best save percentage: Two goaltenders, .954 SVS%

• Noora Räty (19 games; 2006–07)
• Isabella Portnoj (19 games; 2013–14)

• Best goals against average: Minja Drufva, 1.20 GAA (12 games; 2021–22)
• Most shutouts: Jenna Silvonen, 6 shutouts (28 games; 2017–18)

Career records

Only skaters appearing in more than thirty games and goaltenders appearing in more than ten games with Kiekko-Espoo are included.

• Most goals: Karoliina Rantamäki, 368 goals (358 games; 1992–2007, 2024–25)
• Most assists: Petra Vaarakallio, 351 assists (286 games; 1992–1994, 1995–2006)
• Most points: Karoliina Rantamäki, 672 points (338 games; 1992–2007, 2024–25)
• Most points, defenseman: Minttu Tuominen, 409 points (271 games; 2006–2009, 2013–2016, 2017–2020, 2021–22, 2023–2025)
• Best points per game: Michelle Karvinen, 3.667 points per game (39 games; 2007–2009)
• Most career penalty minutes: Tea Villilä, 455 penalty minutes (261 games; 2008–2010, 2016–2025)
• Best save percentage: Isabella Portnoj, .938 SVS% (109 games; 2010–2017
• Best goals against average: Erika Jaskari, 1.66 (25 games; 2017–2021)

All-time scoring leaders

Points

Player	Pos	GP	G	A	Pts	P/G
Template:Sortname	F	358	368	304	672	1.88
Template:Sortname	F	286	280	351	631	2.21
Template:Sortname	F	232	192	234	426	1.84
Template:Sortname	D	271	130	279	409	1.51
Template:Sortname	F	151	174	186	360	2.38
Template:Sortname	F	153	140	165	305	1.99
Template:Sortname	F	223	119	143	262	1.17
Template:Sortname	F	195	101	138	239	1.23
Template:Sortname	F	223	122	114	236	1.06
Template:Sortname	D	262	54	173	227	0.87

Notable alumnae

Template:Main category Template:Small<ref name="ep_all-time" /> Template:Div col

• Kati Ahonen, 1996–1999
• Mira Huhta, 2013–2019
• Sanna Kanerva, 1998–2001
• Liisa Karikoski, 1990–1994
• Piia Kotikumpu (Template:Nee), 2000–2009 & 2011–12
• Nelli Laitinen, 2017–2022
• Linda Leppänen (Template:Nee), 2010–2017
• Pia Lund, 2006–2013
• Katri-Helena Luomajoki, 1990–1994 & 1995–2002
• Sari Marjamäki (Template:Nee), 2003–2007
• Terhi Mertanen, 2001–02, 2008–2011, 2012–13 & 2014–15
• Oona Parviainen, 1999–2010
• Annina Rajahuhta, 2008–09 & 2012–2021
• Tiia Reima, 2009–2011
• Meeri Räisänen, 2008–2011
• Noora Räty, 2005–2009
• Maria Saarni (Template:Nee), 1994–2000
• Essi Sievers, 2002–2010 & 2011–2014
• Jenna Silvonen, 2015–2019 & 2022–23
• Hanna Teerijoki, 1991–1994
• Emma Terho (Template:Nee), 1996–2000, 2004–2007 & 2008–2015
• Noora Tulus, 2013–2016
• Minttu Tuominen, 2006–2009, 2013–2016, 2017–2020, 2021–22 & 2023–2025
• Satu Tuominen, 2001–2009
• Petra Vaarakallio, 1992–2006
• Päivi Virta (previously Halonen), 1997–2006
• Marjo Voutilainen, 2004–2008
• Heidi Wiik, 1999–2005

International players

• Template:Flagicon Susanne Ceder, 1998–2000
• Template:Flagicon Minna Dunder, 1993–94
• Template:Flagicon Moeko Fujimoto, 2014–15
• Template:Flagicon Nikola Gápová, 2015–2018
• Template:Flagicon Sheila Gagnon, 2001–02 & 2008–09
• Template:Flagicon Jin Fengling, 2005–06
• Template:Flagicon Marianne Mattila, 1996–1998
• Template:Flagicon Danielle Rozon, 2017–18
• Template:Flagicon Sun Rui, 2005–06
• Template:Flagicon Julia Zielińska, 2019–2024
• Template:Flagicon Arina Zvezdina, 2011–12

External links

• Team information and statistics from EliteProspects.com and EuroHockey.com and HockeyArchives.info (in French)