Oona Koukkula
{{short description|Finnish ice hockey player (born 2003)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox ice hockey biography
| image =
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|08|22|df=y}}
| birth_place = Riihimäki, Finland
| death_date =
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| height_cm = 165
| weight_kg = 63
| position = Defense
| shoots = Left
| league = SDHL
| team = Brynäs IF
| former_teams = {{ubl|HPK Hämeenlinna|Team Kuortane|KJT Hockey}}
| played_for =
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| sex = f
| ntl_team = FIN
| career_start = 2017
| career_end =
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| website =
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCompetition|World Championship}}
{{MedalBronze|2025 Czechia|}}
}}
Oona Koukkula (born 22 August 2003) is a Finnish ice hockey player for Brynäs IF of the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL) and member of the Finnish national ice hockey team.
Playing career
Koukkula began playing ice hockey at an ice hockey school in her hometown of Riihimäki around age nine. The following year, she joined the minor ice hockey department of the Riihimäki-based club {{Ill|Riihimäen Kiekko-Nikkarit|lt=Nikkarit|fi|Riihimäen Kiekko-Nikkarit}} and played with its boys teams, as there were no organized girls teams in the area at that time.{{cite web |last1=Viljanen |first1=Markus |title=Tyttöleijonien Oona Koukkula: ”Tasoni riittää nyt paremmin kansainvälisissä peleissä” |url=https://www.leijonat.fi/index.php/maajoukkueet/tyttoleijonat/2019-20/item/35707-tyttoleijonien-oona-koukkula-tasoni-riittaa-nyt-paremmin-kansainvalisissa-peleissa |website=Finnish Ice Hockey Association |access-date=2024-03-12 |language=fi-fi |date=2019-12-14}} During the 2016–17 season, she continued to play with Nikkarit boys teams and also played with a boys under-13 (U13) team of {{Ill|Hyvinkään Jää-Ahmat|lt=Jää-Ahmat|fi}} in Hyvinkää, a town about {{Convert|16|km|mi|abbr=on|sigfig=1}} south of Riihimäki.
At age fourteen, she made her debut in the Naisten Liiga (NSML; renamed Auroraliiga in 2024), the national championship women's ice hockey league in Finland, with KJT Hockey in the 2017–18 season. Across eighteen games with KJT that season, she scored one goal and accumulated four penalty minutes. During the 2017–18 campaign, Koukkula also played with the KJT U16 girls team and with various Jää-Ahmat boys teams at the U14 and U15 levels.{{sfn|Aalto|p=2017-2018}}
In 2018, Koukkula relocated to Kuortane, a village {{Convert|265|km|mi|abbr=on}} north of Riihimäki, to attend Kuortaneen urheilulukio and join Team Kuortane. The 2018–19 season marked her first season with Team Kuortane and her first full season played in the Naisten Liiga. She played with Team Kuortane through the 2021–22 season, steadily improving her offensive production from one point on one assist across thirty games in her first season to leading all team defensemen in scoring in her final season, with 3 goals and 14 assists for 17 points in 26 games. Her career with the team culminated in her selection to the Naisten Liiga All-Star second team in 2022.{{cite web |last1=Mennander |first1=Pasi |date=2022-06-13 |title=Naisten Liigan kauden 2021–22 palkitut pelaajat ja tähtikentät |url=https://www.leijonat.fi/index.php/sarjat/naisten-liiga/kausi-2021-22/item/43047-naisten-liigan-kauden-2021-22-palkitut-pelaajat-ja-taehtikentaet |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=Finnish Ice Hockey Association |language=fi-fi}}
Kuokkula's career with Team Kourtane came to an end upon the completion of her secondary school studies at Kuortaneen urheilulukio in 2022 and she elected to continue her NSML career with HPK in Hämeenlinna, the capital city of her home region of Kanta-Häme. She was named to the 2023–24 Naisten Liiga All-Star second team at the conclusion of her second season with the team.{{cite news |last1=Kennedy |first1=Ian |title=Naisten Liiga Names First and Second Team All-Stars |url=https://thehockeynews.com/womens/international/naisten-liiga-names-first-and-second-team-all-stars |access-date=12 March 2024 |work=The Hockey News |date=20 February 2024 |language=en}}
In April 2024, Koukkula signed with Brynäs IF in the SDHL on a contract through the 2025–26 season.{{cite news |last1=Eld |first1=Simon |title=Landslagsbacken, Oona Koukkula, flyttar till Brynäs |url=https://hockeysverige.se/overgangar/landslagsbacken-oona-koukkula-flyttar-till-brynas/ |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=HockeySverige |date=30 April 2024 |language=sv-SE}}{{cite web |title=Finsk back klar – välkommen Oona Koukkula |url=https://www.brynas.se/article/wpvascq-1ekad/view |website=Brynäs IF |access-date=31 March 2025 |language=sv |date=30 April 2024}}
International play
As a junior player with the Finnish national under-18 team, Koukkula was recognized by the team coaches as a standout defenseman and she participated in the 2020 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship in Bratislava, Slovakia.{{cite news |title=Nikkari-kasvatti Oona Koukkula tyttöjen Pohjola-leirin paras puolustaja |url=https://www.aamuposti.fi/urheilu/1305015 |access-date=12 March 2024 |work=Aamuposti |date=14 February 2019 |language=fi}}
Koukkula made her senior national team debut during pre-Olympic friendlies against {{Nwiht|Canada}} in late 2021.{{cite news |last1=Seppä |first1=Lassi |title=Nuori Oona Koukkula kasvoi Kuortaneella urheilijaksi ja teki debyyttinsä Naisleijonissa tällä kaudella − "Täytyy kehittyä nopeammassa eteenpäin pelaamisessa" |url=https://www.jatkoaika.com/Haastattelu/Nuori-Oona-Koukkula-kasvoi-Kuortaneella-urheilijaksi-ja-teki-debyyttinsä-Naisleijonissa-tällä-kaudella-%E2%88%92-Täytyy-kehittyä-nopeammassa-eteenpäin-pelaamisessa/239698 |access-date=12 March 2024 |work=Jatkoaika |date=11 March 2022 |language=fi}}{{cite web |title=2021-22 National Women's Team Centralization – Rosters: Finland |url=https://hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/team-canada/women/national/2021-22/centralization/stats/team-rosters?teamid=1008 |website=Hockey Canada |access-date=12 March 2024 |language=en-ca}} She participated in several events of the 2023–24 Women's Euro Hockey Tour, including the Three Nations Tournament in Vierumäki{{cite news |last1=Lainesalo |first1=Joonas |title=HPK:n Oona Koukkula ja Kiti Seikkula EHT-turnaukseen, Suomi kohtaa kotiturnauksessaan Ruotsin ja Tshekin |url=https://www.hameensanomat.fi/urheilu/6122682 |access-date=12 March 2024 |work=Hämeen Sanomat |date=7 August 2023 |language=fi}} and the Deutschland Cup, during which she earned her first national team point, the secondary assist on a Kiira Yrjänen goal against {{Nwiht|Germany}}.
After being officially named to the Finnish roster for the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship,{{cite news |last1=Kauhala |first1=Topias |title=HPK-puolustaja Oona Koukkula sai mieluisan kutsun Suomen MM-kisajoukkueeseen – "On se aika iso juttu, että pääsee vihdoin mukaan" |url=https://www.hameensanomat.fi/urheilu/6621111 |access-date=12 March 2024 |work=Hämeen Sanomat |date=11 March 2024 |language=fi}}{{cite web |last1=Podnieks |first1=Andrew |author1-link=Andrew Podnieks |title=Women's Worlds: Group A Preview |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2024/ww/news/59392/women_s_worlds_group_a_preview |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |access-date=31 March 2025 |language=en |date=1 April 2024}} Koukkula did not travel to Utica, New York, United States with the team and did not play in the tournament.
After appearing with the Finnish national team at multiple tournaments in the 2024–25 Women's Euro Hockey Tour,{{cite news |last1=Kennedy |first1=Ian |title=Finland Names Roster For First Stop Of Women's Euro Hockey Tour |url=https://thehockeynews.com/womens/tempest-thnwomens-ci02e5a98530002533 |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=The Hockey News |date=23 August 2024 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Kennedy |first1=Ian |title=Swedish Stop Of Euro Hockey Tour Will Be Final Tuneup For Many |url=https://thehockeynews.com/womens/tempest-thnwomens-ci02eb51a1c00024cc |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=The Hockey News |date=4 November 2024 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Rollins |first1=Laura |title=Finland Reveals Roster For Upcoming WEHT in Tampere - Strong Team Despite Big Omissions |url=https://thehockeynews.com/womens/international/finland-reveals-roster-for-upcoming-weht-in-tampere-strong-team-despite-big-omissions |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=The Hockey News |date=2 December 2024 |language=en}} Koukkula was named to the roster for the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship.{{cite web |date=26 March 2025 |title=Naisleijonat MM-kisoihin kokeneella joukkueella |url=https://www.leijonat.fi/index.php/maajoukkueet/naisleijonat/2024-25/mm2025/item/49005-naisleijonat-mm-kisoihin-kokeneella-joukkueella |access-date=26 March 2025 |website=Finnish Ice Hockey Association |language=fi-fi}}
Career statistics
= Regular season and playoffs =
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" width="75%" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! rowspan="98" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! colspan="5" |Regular season ! rowspan="98" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! colspan="5" |Playoffs | ||||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Season !! Team !! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | ||||||||||
| 2017-18 | KJT | NSML
| 18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2018-19 | Team Kuortane | NSML
| 30 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | Team Kuortane | NSML
| 28 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 14
| 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2020-21 | Team Kuortane | NSML
| 27 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 12
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | Team Kuortane | NSML
| 26 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 16
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2022-23 | HPK | NSML
| 26 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 16
| 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | HPK | NSML
| 32 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 2
| 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2024-25 | Brynäs IF | SDHL
| 35 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 4
| 9 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" |Naisten Liiga totals ! 187 !! 13 !! 55 !! 68 !! 78 ! 32 !! 1 !! 6 !! 7 !! 14 |
=International=
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em" | |||||||
| ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Year ! Team ! Event ! Result ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | ! GP ! G ! A ! Pts ! PIM | |||||||
| 2020 | Finland | U18 | 4th
| 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2025 | Finland | WC | {{bronze3}} | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="4"|Junior totals ! 6 ! 0 ! 0 ! 0 ! 2 | |||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="4"|Senior totals ! 6 ! 0 ! 0 ! 0 ! 2 |
{{small|Source: IIHF}}{{cite web |title=2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women's World Championship – Player Statistics by Team: FIN - Finland |url=https://www.iihf.com/pdf/886/ihw8860fin_83_6_0_fin |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |access-date=2024-03-12 |date=2020-01-02}}
Awards and honors
References
- {{Cite web |last=Aalto |first=Markku |title=Pelaaja: Oona Koukkula |url=https://www.leijonat.fi/index.php/pelaajat?lkq=110169613401600216935313 |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=Finnish Ice Hockey Association |language=fi-fi}}
=Notes=
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{ice hockey stats}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koukkula, Oona}}
Category:Brynäs IF (women) players
Category:Finnish expatriate ice hockey players in Sweden
Category:Finnish women's ice hockey defencemen
Category:HPK Kiekkonaiset players
Category:Ice hockey people from Kanta-Häme