Kiekko-Espoo

The club was established in February 1984 as Kiekko-Espoo and played their first season in 1984–85 in the Finnish Second Division. In 1988, they achieved promotion to the Finnish First Division and in 1992, they celebrated their promotion to the SM-liiga by beating Joensuun Kiekkopojat with a 3–2 series win in a best-of-five format. Tero Lehterä scored the winning goal and Jere Lehtinen assisted.

Kiekko-Espoo ended its first two seasons in SM-liiga in 11th place out of 12 teams. In the 1994–95 season, the team made the playoffs for the first time, losing to Lukko in quarter-finals. In 1997–98, Kiekko-Espoo caused a huge upset by beating regular season winner TPS in the quarter-finals. Kiekko-Espoo ended the season in fourth place.

File:Kärpät_vs_Blues.jpg

The following summer, the team name was changed to Espoo Blues. The name came from the dominant colour of their home jersey.

During the 1998–99 season, the team moved to its current home, LänsiAuto Areena (renamed in 2009 to Barona Areena due to sponsorship change). The first seasons in their new home were difficult despite the team signing many big names. The Blues missed the playoffs in 2001 and 2005. In 2002–03, the Blues had their best regular season, finishing in fourth place, only to lose against eventual champion Tappara in overtime of the seventh quarter-final.

The team took a step forward in 2006–07 when they reached the semi-finals for the first time, although they lost against Kärpät in three straight games, and lost the bronze medal game against HPK. During the 2007–08 season, the Blues set a new team record by winning 12 games in a row. They finally ended the regular season in second place and beat local rivals HIFK in the quarter-finals and other local rivals Jokerit in the semi-finals, proceeding to the finals and thus ensuring their first medal ever. The team eventually ended up second after losing in the finals to Kärpät.

In the next season, the team was again second after the regular season, but lost against Kärpät in the semi-finals, as well as the bronze medal game against KalPa. The season also included participation in the Champions Hockey League, where the Blues lost in the semi-finals against eventual champion ZSC Lions of Switzerland. The 2009–10 season was difficult for the team, and the Blues failed to reach the quarter-finals. In 2010–11, the team ended the regular season in ninth place and then beat eighth-placed Kärpät in the wild card round of the playoffs. The team then made history by becoming the first team in the SM-liiga to advance from the wild card round to the semi-finals, eventually beating Ässät in six games. In the semi-finals, the Blues continued their string of upsets and beat regular season winners JYP in five games. In the finals, HIFK swept the series in four games, and the Blues were awarded the silver medal for the second time in team history.

In the 2011–12 season, the Blues finished eighth in the regular season. After beating Lukko in the wild card round, the team faced KalPa in the quarter-finals. The Blues made history again, becoming the first team in SM-liiga history to win the series after being down 0–3. In the semi-finals, the Pelicans beat the Blues 4–1.

After declining ticket income and increasing expenses after a reacquisition by Jääkiekko Espoo Oy in 2012, the Blues were declared bankrupt in March 2016. Their final ranking in the 2015–2016 season was 15th, the lowest in the league.

After the collapse of the Espoo Blues and Espoo United, Kiekko-Espoo was established in 2018. The new Kiekko-Espoo played its first season in Suomi-sarja{{Cite web |last=Koivunen |first=Tommi |date=2018-05-26 |title=Kiekko-Espoo palaa kiekkokartalle – entinen SM-liigatähti aikoo pelata ja manageroida! |url=https://www.is.fi/jaakiekko/art-2000005695889.html |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=Ilta-Sanomat |language=fi}} from where it got promoted to Mestis.

Kiekko-Espoo made it to the Mestis finals in the 2021–22 season but lost to Imatran Ketterä in 5 games.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-04 |title=Imatran Ketterä on jälleen Mestiksen mestari – Kiekko-Espoo kaatui viidessä ottelussa |url=https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/imatran-kettera-on-jalleen-mestiksen-mestari-kiekko-espoo-kaatui-viidessa-ottelussa/8419320 |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=mtvuutiset.fi |language=fi}} The team made to the Metis finals again in the 2022–23, this time defeating Imatran Ketterä to become champions. Kiekko-Espoo will try to enter SM-liiga in the 2024–2025 season,{{Cite web |last=Kostiainen |first=Jari |date=2022-09-01 |title=SM-liigan uusi Jokerit-päätös selkeyttää Kiekko-Espoon tilannetta – "Espoo on tehnyt paljon työtä vuosien ajan", kommentoi liigapomo |url=https://www.lansivayla.fi/paikalliset/4826091 |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=Länsiväylä |language=fi}} and applied for the license on 30 October 2023.{{Cite web |title=Kiekko-Espoo otti askeleen lähemmäs SM-liigaa |url=https://www.iltalehti.fi/jaakiekko/a/f7539e36-e8ba-4ce8-88ad-701cbe568287 |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=www.iltalehti.fi |language=fi}} The license for the 2024–25 season got accepted on 20 December 2023.{{Cite web |title=Liiga tiedottaa: Kiekko-Espoolle on myönnetty ehdollinen Liiga-lisenssi kaudelle 2024–25 |url=https://liiga.fi/en/news/17250 |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=liiga.fi}} Kiekko-Espoo won the Mestis bronze medal in 2024.

File:Länsi auto areena - Espoo Blues.jpg{{Main|Espoo Metro Areena}}

Kiekko-Espoo plays their home games in the 1999 built Espoo Metro Areena located in the Tapiola sporting park in Espoo. The arena has a capacity of 6,982.

The 2018 established Kiekko-Espoo does not claim any achievements before the year 2018.

{{Gold1}} Aaro Kivilinna Memorial Trophy (7): 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

{{Silver2}} Kanada-malja: Finnish championship (2): 2008, 2011

• {{Gold1}} Winner (1) : 2022–23

• {{Silver2}} Runner-up (1) : 2021–22{{Cite web |title=Kiekko-Espoo at eliteprospects.com |url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/26157/kiekko-espoo |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=www.eliteprospects.com |language=en}}

• {{Bronze3}} Third place (1) : 2023–24

{{Gold1}} Winner (1): 2022
{{Silver2}} Runner-up (1): 2021

• A-juniors (20-year-olds) (4): 1989, 1990, 2009, 2014
• B-juniors (18-year-olds) (3): 1988, 1993, 2011
• C-juniors (16-year-olds) (3): 2011, 2012, 2014

{{Ice hockey team roster}}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Arvid | last = Degerstedt | dab = | num = 24 | pos = C | nat = Sweden | s/g = L | birthyear = 1999 | birthmonth = 5 | birthday = 22 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Norrköping, Sweden | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Marcus | last = Hellgren-Smed | dab = | num = 31 | pos = G | nat = Sweden | s/g = L | birthyear = 1994 | birthmonth = 3 | birthday = 5 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Mora, Sweden | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Cameron | last = Hillis | dab = | num = 8 | pos = C | nat = Canada | s/g = R | birthyear = 2000 | birthmonth = 6 | birthday = 24 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Oshawa, Ontario, Canada | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Janne | last = Hämäläinen | dab = | num = 28 | pos = LW | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 1998 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 12 | acq = 2022 | birthplace = Nurmijärvi, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Joni | last = Ikonen | dab = | num = 16 | pos = C | nat = Finland | s/g = R | birthyear = 1999 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 14 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Espoo, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Matti | last = Järvinen | dab = Matti Järvinen (ice hockey, born 1989) | num = 71 | pos = C | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 1989 | birthmonth = 10 | birthday = 14 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = London, England | inj = no | cap = A | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Anders | last = Koch | dab = | num = 46 | pos = D | nat = Denmark | s/g = L | birthyear = 1997 | birthmonth = 10 | birthday = 2 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Esbjerg, Denmark | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Juho | last = Koivusaari | dab = | num = 90 | pos = LW | nat = Finland | s/g = R | birthyear = 1998 | birthmonth = 7 | birthday = 16 | acq = 2022 | birthplace = Helsinki, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Kasper | last = Kotkansalo | dab = | num = 55 | pos = D | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 1998 | birthmonth = 11 | birthday = 16 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Espoo, Finland | inj = no | cap = A | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Kasper | last = Kulonummi | dab = | num = 26 | pos = D | nat = Finland | s/g = R | birthyear = 2004 | birthmonth = 3 | birthday = 1 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Helsinki, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Aleksi | last = Laakso | dab = | num = 34 | pos = D | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 1990 | birthmonth = 3 | birthday = 16 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Seinäjoki, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Ville | last = Lajunen | dab = | num = 47 | pos = D | nat = Finland | s/g = R | birthyear = 1988 | birthmonth = 3 | birthday = 8 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Helsinki, Finland | inj = no | cap = C | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Ottoville | last = Leppänen | dab = | num = 18 | pos = LW | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 1998 | birthmonth = 6 | birthday = 18 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Espoo, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Heikki | last = Liedes | dab = | num = 9 | pos = C | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 1993 | birthmonth = 1 | birthday = 12 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Helsinki, Finland | inj = no | cap = A | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Eelis | last = Marila | dab = | num = 7 | pos = D | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 2006 | birthmonth = 7 | birthday = 16 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Espoo, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Joni | last = Piipponen | dab = | num = 12 | pos = LW | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 1994 | birthmonth = 6 | birthday = 29 | acq = 2022 | birthplace = Nurmijärvi, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Peter | last = Quenneville | dab = | num = 89 | pos = C | nat = Canada | s/g = R | birthyear = 1994 | birthmonth = 3 | birthday = 9 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Petteri | last = Rimpinen | dab = | num = 30 | pos = G | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 2006 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 25 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Kirkkonummi, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Joachim | last = Rohdin | dab = | num = 30 | pos = RW | nat = Sweden | s/g = R | birthyear = 1991 | birthmonth = 10 | birthday = 3 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Gävle, Sweden | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Tomi | last = Sallinen | dab = | num = 41 | pos = C | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 1989 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 11 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Espoo, Finland | inj = no | cap = A | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Niko | last = Seppälä | dab = | num = 85 | pos = D | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 1998 | birthmonth = 9 | birthday = 9 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Helsinki, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Tuomas | last = Suoniemi | dab = | num = 29 | pos = C | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 2006 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 16 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Stavanger, Norway | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Rasmus | last = Toivainen | dab = | num = 21 | pos = LW | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 2004 | birthmonth = 7 | birthday = 21 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Espoo, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Venni | last = Tolppola | dab = | num = 82 | pos = C | nat = Finland | s/g = R | birthyear = 2004 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 22 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Nurmijärvi, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Arttu | last = Tuomaala | dab = | num = 78 | pos = C | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 2001 | birthmonth = 11 | birthday = 10 | acq = 2021 | birthplace = Oulu, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Santeri | last = Virtanen | dab = | num = 75 | pos = C | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 1999 | birthmonth = 5 | birthday = 11 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Kirkkonummi, Finland | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

|}

Updated 21 September 2024

List of retired numbers:

File:Stefan Öhman of the Espoo Blues - 20100302.jpg in 2010.]]

File:Myllyniemi Jere EspooBlues.jpg]]

{{div col|colwidth=18em}}

• {{flagicon|FIN}} Peter Ahola
• {{flagicon|USA}} Tyler Arnason
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Frank Banham
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Timo Blomqvist
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Scott Brower
• {{flagicon|AUT}} Bernd Brückler
• {{flagicon|CZE}} Jan Čaloun
• {{flagicon|POL}} Mariusz Czerkawski
• {{flagicon|SWE}} Johan Davidsson
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Tom Draper
• {{flagicon|USA}} Ben Eaves
• {{flagicon|SWE}} Nils Ekman
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Jere Elo
• {{flagicon|SWE}} Joakim Eriksson
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Kari Haakana
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Niklas Hagman
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Santeri Heiskanen
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Timo Hirvonen
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Juha Ikonen
• {{flagicon|CZE}} Otakar Janecký
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Joonas Jääskeläinen
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Jere Karalahti
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Martin Kariya
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Steve Kariya
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Ryan Keller
• {{flagicon|CZE}} Ladislav Kohn
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Krys Kolanos
• {{flagicon|SVK}} Ľubomír Kolník
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Arto Kuki
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Arto Laatikainen
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Jani Lajunen
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Tero Lehterä
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Jere Lehtinen
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Jan Långbacka
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Mikko Lehtonen
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Donald MacLean
• {{flagicon|USA}} Ryan Malone
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Kent Manderville
• {{flagicon|USA}} Shawn McEachern
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Kurtis McLean
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Dale McTavish
• {{flagicon|SVK}} Branislav Mezei
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Cory Murphy
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Jarmo Myllys
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Sami Nuutinen
• {{flagicon|SWE}}/{{flagicon|FIN}} Stefan Öhman
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Oskar Osala
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Antti Pihlström
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Esa Pirnes
• {{flagicon|RUS}} Sergei Pryakhin
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Erkki Rajamäki
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Mike Ribeiro
• {{flagicon|CAN}} Nathan Robinson
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Christian Ruuttu
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Ilkka Sinisalo
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Petri Skriko
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Iiro Tarkki
• {{flagicon|CZE}} Petr Ton
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Lauri Tukonen
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Antti Törmänen
• {{flagicon|CZE}} Jiří Vykoukal
• {{flagicon|USA}} Landon Wilson
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Juha Ylönen

{{div col end}}

File:Hirschovits Kim Blues 2013 1.jpg

File:Toni Kähkönen of the Espoo Blues - 20100302-02.jpg

;Kiekko-Espoo (1984–1998)

• {{flagicon|FIN}} Jan Långbacka (1992–1994)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Hannu Järvenpää (1994)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Peter Ahola (1994–95)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} {{ill|Jarmo Muukkonen|fi}} (1995–96)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Teemu Sillanpää (1996–97)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Juha Ikonen (1997–98)

;Espoo Blues

• {{flagicon|FIN}} Juha Ikonen (1998–99)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Peter Ahola (1999–2001)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} {{ill|Valeri Krykov|fi}} (2001–02)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Juha Ylönen (2002–03)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Rami Alanko (2003–2005)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Timo Hirvonen (2005, stepped down as captain in November 2005)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} {{ill|Markku Hurme|fi}} (2005–06, replaced Hirvonen as captain mid-season)
• {{flagicon|SWE}} Joakim Eriksson (2006)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Markku Hurme
  {{flagicon|FIN}} Ville Viitaluoma
  {{flagicon|FIN}} Erkki Rajamäki
  {{flagicon|CAN}} Kent Manderville (2006–07, rotating captaincy)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Rami Alanko (2007–2009)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Toni Kähkönen (2009–2012)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Arto Laatikainen (2012–13)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Kim Hirschovits (2013–2016)

;Kiekko-Espoo

• {{flagicon|FIN}} Nikke Kettukangas (2018–19)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Juuso Hämäläinen (2019–20)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Arto Laatikainen (2020–21)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Toni Kähkönen (2021–22)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Miro Keskitalo (2022–2024)

;Kiekko-Espoo (1984–1998)

• {{flagicon|FIN}} Martti Merra (1992–1994, replaced in January)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} {{ill|Hannu Saintula|fi}} (1994, mid-season replacement)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Harri Rindell (1994–1996)
• {{flagicon|SWE}} {{ill|Håkan Nygren|sv}} (1996–1998, replaced in February)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Hannu Saintula (1998, mid-season replacement)

;Espoo Blues

• {{flagicon|FIN}} Pekka Rautakallio (1998, replaced in November)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Hannu Saintula (1998–1999, mid-season replacement)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} {{ill|Jukka Holtari|fi}} (1999–2000, replaced in January)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} {{ill|Jari Härkälä|fi}} (2000, mid-season replacement)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} {{ill|Timo Tuomi|fi}} (2000–01, replaced in September of second season)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Hannu Kapanen (2001–2003, mid-season replacement, continued in the next season)
• {{flagicon|USA}} Ted Sator (2003, replaced in October)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Hannu Virta (2003–04, mid-season replacement, replaced in the October of second season)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Pekka Rautakallio (2004–05)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Kari Heikkilä (2005–2007)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Petri Matikainen (2007–2011)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Lauri Marjamäki (2011–2013, replaced in February)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} {{ill|Mikko Saarinen (ice hockey)|lt=Mikko Saarinen|fi|Mikko Saarinen}} (2013, mid-season replacement)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Jyrki Aho (2013–2016)

;Kiekko-Espoo

• {{flagicon|FIN}} Mikko Juutilainen (2018–19)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Kim Hirschovits (2019–20)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Janne Tuunanen (2020–21)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Kim Hirschovits (2021–22)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} {{ill|Tomas Westerlund|fi}} (2022–2024)
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Jyrki Aho (2024–{{0}})

File:Kiekko-Espoo_logo_1984–98.jpg|Logo used by Kiekko-Espoo 1984–98

File:Espoo_Blues_logo_1998–2003.png|Logo used by the Espoo Blues 1998–03

File:Espoo_Blues_logo_2003–05.png|Logo used by the Espoo Blues 2003–05

File:Espoo Blues 2005–09.png|Logo used by the Espoo Blues 2005–09

File:Espoo Blues logo 2009–2016.png|Logo used by the Espoo Blues 2009–16

File:Kiekko-Espoo logo 2021.png|Current Kiekko-Espoo logo 2018–

{{reflist}}

{{Mestis}}

Category:Sport in Espoo

Category:Liiga teams

Category:1984 establishments in Finland

Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 1984

Category:Ice hockey teams in Finland