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FinlandNations in the NHL

Finnish NHL players 1981–82

14 Finnish players played in the NHL in 1981–82. Together they scored 470 points, the fourth most of any country, and Finland finished second of 5 in the nations league. Jari Kurri scored the most, 86 points.

14
NHL players
470
Points
2nd
Nations league
0
Goalie wins
1981–82Active season80/82 games
1980–811982–83

FINNISH LEADERS

In the nations league

2nd
of 5 ranked nations
18
league points
Rate1stTop trio3rdBlue line1stGoalies4thPer million3rd

Finland accounts for 2.1% of the NHL's players and 2.6% of its points.

The full nations league

Every Finnish player in the NHL, team by team

14 players across 8 teams.
CLRColorado Rockies3 players
Tapio LevoINACTIVE
D · 34 GP · 9G 13A22P
Veli-Pekka KetolaINACTIVE
C · 44 GP · 9G 5A14P
Jukka PorvariINACTIVE
RW · 31 GP · 2G 6A8P
EDMEdmonton Oilers3 players
Jari KurriINACTIVE
RW · 71 GP · 32G 54A86P
Risto SiltanenINACTIVE
D · 63 GP · 15G 48A63P
Matti HagmanINACTIVE
C · 72 GP · 21G 38A59P
BUFBuffalo Sabres2 players
Hannu VirtaINACTIVE
D · 3 GP · 0G 1A1P
Kai SuikkanenINACTIVE
D · 1 GP · 0G 0A0P
NYRNew York Rangers2 players
Reijo RuotsalainenINACTIVE
D · 78 GP · 18G 38A56P
Mikko LeinonenINACTIVE
LW · 53 GP · 11G 20A31P
CGYCalgary Flames1 player
Pekka RautakallioINACTIVE
D · 80 GP · 17G 51A68P
PHIPhiladelphia Flyers1 player
Ilkka SinisaloINACTIVE
RW · 66 GP · 15G 22A37P
STLSt. Louis Blues1 player
Kari ElorantaINACTIVE
D · 31 GP · 1G 12A13P
WSHWashington Capitals1 player
Timo BlomqvistINACTIVE
D · 44 GP · 1G 11A12P

Season by season

Finland had 11 players in the NHL in 1990–91 and 51 in 2025–26. The peak was 2021–22, with 61. Under each bar is the nations league placing, in gold for the 3 seasons Finland won.
6
6
3
311
394
6
7
6
626
499
6
5
6
639
505
2
6
4
430
110
3
3
3
738
515
5
1
2
158
520
6
5
5
851
825

In the NHL Draft

11 Finnish players were picked in the 2026 NHL Draft, three of them in the first round. Oscar Hemming went first, at number 14 to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Every pick in 2026 →The draft through the years →

Finnish NHL players all time

Regular season, whole careers. The record seasons count completed seasons only.

Finland against USA

The nations league's five categories plus raw points and player count. The higher value takes the round.
Finland
Finland
2nd in the league
3–4
USA
USA
5th in the league

USA wins 4–3 against Finland.

0.67Points per game0.52
217Best trio250
0.57Defencemen's points per game0.38
–Goalies' save percentage.867
2.5NHL players per million inhabitants0.2
470Total points1 449
14Players in the NHL71
Finland against USA season by season
Pick a rivalCanadaCanadaSwedenSwedenCzechiaCzechiaUSAUSA
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Continue reading

Top scorer
Jari Kurri
Finland's top scorer in 1981–82.
The team
Edmonton Oilers
Where Jari Kurri plays.
Nations in the NHL
Every nation in the NHL
How many players each country has in the NHL, with a page for each.
Nations league
NHL battle of the nations 1981–82
The countries compared per player rather than in raw totals.
Against Sweden
Sweden vs Finland
Seven rounds, season by season.
The Swedes
Every Swede in the NHL
Team by team, with position and stats.