Team Kuortane

Team Kuortane is an ice hockey team in the Naisten Liiga, the premier women's hockey league in Finland. They are based at the Kuortaneen urheilulukio in Kuortane, a small town in South Ostrobothnia, and play at the Kuortaneen jäähalli (lit. 'Kuortane Ice Hall'). The team was founded by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association in 2010 as part of its initiative to develop the ice hockey skills of young women in Finland.^[1] Since its creation, approximately half of all national under-18 team rosters have been filled by players from Team Kuortane.^[2][3][4] For sponsorship reasons, the team was called Team Oriflame Kuortane during 2010 to 2014.^[5]

Team Kuortane
City	Kuortane, Finland
League	Naisten Liiga
Founded	2010 (2010)
Home arena	Kuortaneen jäähalli
Colours	White, blue
Owner(s)	Finnish Ice Hockey Association
Head coach	Juuso Nieminen
Captain	Peppi Virtanen
Franchise history
2010–2014	Team Oriflame Kuortane
2014–present	Team Kuortane
Championships
U20 Finnish Championship	6 (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
Current season

Season-by-season results

List of all seasons completed by Team Kuortane.
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, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points, Top scorer: Points (Goals+Assists)

Season	League	Preliminaries and regular season										Post season results
		Finish	GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts	Top scorer
2010–11	Naisten SM-sarja	9th	16	1	0	2	13	22	77	5	S. Valkama 12 (8+4)	Saved in relegation series
2011–12	Naisten SM-sarja	7th	16	6	1	0	9	54	45	20	S. Valkama 24 (17+7)	Saved in relegation series
2012–13	Naisten SM-sarja	5th	28	11	2	0	15	67	92	37	A. Kilponen 22 (12+10)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–3 (Kärpät)
2013–14	Naisten SM-sarja	7th	28	8	2	3	15	69	100	31	S. Valkama 23 (11+12)	Saved in relegation series
2014–15	Naisten SM-sarja	8th	28	3	2	2	21	37	99	15	S. Säkkinen 10 (4+6)	Saved in relegation series
2015–16	Naisten SM-sarja	5th	28	9	1	3	15	60	81	32	P. Nieminen 23 (15+8)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–2 (Kärpät)
2016–17	Naisten SM-sarja	4th	28	15	2	2	9	88	63	51	P. Nieminen 28 (15+13)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–2 (HPK)
2017–18	Naisten Liiga	5th	30	17	0	1	12	102	73	52	J. Nylund 58 (30+28)	Won bronze medal, 1–0 (Blues)
2018–19	Naisten Liiga	5th	30	11	1	0	18	111	136	35	V. Vainikka 41 (26+15)	Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 (KalPa)
2019–20	Naisten Liiga	5th	30	14	4	2	10	106	100	52	V. Vainikka 52 (28+24)	Lost semifinal, 0–3 (Blues); Bronze medal game cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21	Naisten Liiga	8th	27	14	1	1	11	83	69	45	S. Sundelin 35 (17+18)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–2 (K-Espoo)
2021–22	Naisten Liiga	6th	27	9	1	2	15	72	104	31	S. Sundelin 29 (16+13)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–3 (Kärpät)
2022–23	Naisten Liiga	6th	36	15	3	4	14	91	89	55	N. Tervonen 33 (13+20)	Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 (K-Espoo)
2023–24	Naisten Liiga	6th	32	9	2	3	18	65	99	34	R. Mustonen 15 (7+8)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–3 (HPK)

Players and personnel

2023–24 roster

As of 16 February 2024^[6][7][8]

No.	Nat	Player	Pos	S/G	Age	Acquired	Birthplace
25		Abigail Byskata	F	R	16	2022	Teerijärvi, Ostrobothnia, Finland
3		Alva Eloluoma	D	–	16	2023
18		Leni Granroth	F	L	15	2023
4		Sara Holopainen	D	L	17	2023	Vantaa, Uusimaa, Finland
36		Lilia Huovinen	G	L	17	2022	Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
15		Erika Kankkunen	F	L	17	2023	Järvenpää, Uusimaa, Finland
7		Sofia Kari	F	R	19	2020	Alajärvi, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
22		Heidi Kokora	F	L	18	2021	Kiuruvesi, North Savo, Finland
14		Nella Korpela	F	L	19	2020	Soini, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
9		Aino Krook	D	L	18	2020	Karstula, Central Finland, Finland
32		Kerttu Kuja-Halkola	G	L	16	2023	Janakkala, Kanta-Häme, Finland
17		Jenniina Kuoppala	D	L	19	2020	Vaasa, Ostrobothnia, Finland
30		Emilia Kyrkkö	G	L	20	2020	Ylöjärvi, Pirkanmaa, Finland
19		Olivia Laitamäki	F	L	20	2020
21		Kerttu Lehmus (A)	F	L	18	2020	Orivesi, Pirkanmaa, Finland
12		Raili Mustonen (A)	F	L	20	2020	Kalajoki, North Ostrobothnia, Finland
27		Jennika Ojala	D	L	17	2021	Soini, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
26		Joanna Ojala	F	–	15	2023	Soini, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
23		Neea Pelkonen	F	L	18	2021	Kiukainen, Eura, Satakunta, Finland
13		Eerika Siekkinen	F	L	18	2022	Pihtipudas, Central Finland, Finland
29		Senja Siivonen	F	L	15	2023	Uusikaupunki, Southwest Finland, Finland
6		Tuuli Tallinen	D	L	17	2021	Anjalankoski, Kymenlaakso, Finland
10		Hannele Tarkiainen	D	L	19	2020	Pieksämäki, South Savo, Finland
2		Sarah Tissarinen	D	L	17	2023
1		Venla Varis	G	L	18	2021	Ii, North Ostrobothnia, Finland
5		Sinna Varjonen	D	L	18	2020	Paimio, Southwest Finland, Finland
20		Peppi Virtanen (C)	F	L	19	2020	Jyväskylä, Central Finland, Finland
8		Mikaela Wulff	D	–	17	2023

Coaching staff and team personnel

• Head coach: Juuso Nieminen
• Assistant coach: Mari Saarinen
• Goaltender coach: Aku Perälä
• Equipment manager: Janne Hautamaa & Yu Ho

Team captains

 

Team Kuortane logo used during 2014 to 2023

• Salla Tammisalo, 2010–11
• Christa Alanko, 2011–12
• Anna Kilponen, 2012–13
• Sara Säkkinen, 2015–2017
• Sini Karjalainen, 2017–18
• Kiia Nousiainen, 2018–19
• Emilia Vesa, 2019–20
• Anna-Lotta Räsänen, 2020–21
• Nea Tervonen, 2021–2023
• Jenniina Kuoppala, 2023
• Peppi Virtanen, 2024–

Head coaches

• Jari Risku, 2010–2018
• Arttu Sissala, 2018–19
• Mira Kuisma, 2019–2023
• Juuso Nieminen, 2023–

Team honours

Finnish Championship

•   Aurora Borealis Cup Third Place (1): 2018

U20 SM-turnaus

The under-20 (U20) Finnish Championship (SM) tournament is a competition for the top women's under-20 ice hockey teams from across Finland. Team Kuortane has medaled at all but one tournament since the team's founding in 2010. The championship was not held in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

•   Finnish Champions (6): 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
•   Runner-up (1): 2012
•   Third Place (1): 2011

Notable alumnae

Years active with Team Kuortane listed with players' names.

• Sini Karjalainen, 2015–2018
• Anni Keisala, 2013–2016
• Anna Kilponen, 2011–2014
• Niina Mäkinen, 2010–11
• Petra Nieminen, 2015–2018
• Jenniina Nylund, 2015–2018
• Suvi Ollikainen, 2011–2014
• Tiina Ranne, 2010–2014
• Sanni Rantala, 2017–2021
• Eve Savander, 2014–2018
• Sofianna Sundelin, 2018–2023
• Jenna Suokko, 2012–2014
• Eveliina Suonpää, 2011–2014
• Sara Säkkinen, 2014–2018
• Vilma Tanskanen, 2011–2014
• Viivi Vainikka, 2016–2020
• Saana Valkama, 2010–2014
• Emilia Vesa, 2016–2020
• Ella Viitasuo, 2012–2015
• Kiira Yrjänen, 2017–2021

References

1. "Sinille ja Saralle SM-kultaa – Team Kuortane voitti A-tyttöjen Suomen kiekkomestaruuden". Koillissanomat (in Finnish). 27 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
2. Pakarinen, Risto (10 January 2023). "A view from the top". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
3. Oliver, Nathaniel (18 January 2018). "Is Finland's Elli Mäkelä the Next Kimmo Timonen?". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
4. "Kuortaneen urheilulukio - Jääkiekko". kuortane.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 July 2019.
5. "Team Oriflame Kuortane nuorella joukkueella SM-sarjaan". leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. 10 September 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
6. "2023-2024, Naisten Liiga – Kookoonpano Kuortane". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 16 February 2024.
7. "2023-2024 Naisten Liiga, harjoitusottelut – Kokoonpano Kuortane". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 28 August 2023.
8. "Liiga (W) - Team Kuortane, 2023-2024 Roster". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 16 February 2024.

External links

• Team information and statistics from Eliteprospects.com and Eurohockey.com and Hockeyarchives.info (in French)
• Team Kuortane on Facebook   (in Finnish)
• Team Kuortane on Instagram   (in Finnish)
• Team Kuortane on Twitter   (in Finnish)