Ilkka Sinisalo

Ilkka Antero Jouko Sinisalo (July 10, 1958 – April 5, 2017) was a Finnish professional ice hockey forward who played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers,[1] Minnesota North Stars and Los Angeles Kings. Later he was a scout for the Flyers.

Ilkka Sinisalo
Born (1958-07-10)July 10, 1958
Valkeakoski, Finland
Died April 5, 2017(2017-04-05) (aged 58)
Helsinki, Finland
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Left
Played for NHL
Philadelphia Flyers
Minnesota North Stars
Los Angeles Kings
SM-liiga
HIFK
HPK
Ilves
Kiekko-Espoo
National team  Finland
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 19781996

Playing career

Sinisalo was originally a junior product of HIFK. He played in the NHL from 1981–1992, scoring 204 goals and 426 points, mostly with the Flyers. Sinisalo is ranked as the all-time leading goal scorer among European Philadelphia Flyers. He is also ranked the fourth-highest Finnish goal scorer in NHL history, and he was honored by induction to the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.[2]

When Sinisalo started his ice hockey career in the 1970s, NHL teams did not scout extensively in Finland. The first Finnish ice hockey player in NHL was Matti Hagman for the 1976–77 Boston Bruins. However, NHL scouts were so impressed by Sinisalo's talents that they made an exception by signing him as a free agent after his 1980–81 season with HIFK, where he scored 27 goals in 36 games. He signed his first NHL contract on February 17, 1981.[3] Sinisalo started his first season with the Flyers with his first NHL goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sinisalo became the first Flyer to score his first NHL goal on a penalty shot, and the third NHL player at that time.[2] During the 1984–85 season, Sinisalo scored 73 points in 70 games, with a +32 rating. The 1989–90 season was Sinisalo's last with the Flyers, after which he played one season for the Minnesota North Stars and two seasons for the Los Angeles Kings.[2]

Sinisalo retired from hockey in 1996, last playing for the Kiekko-Espoo in the SM-Liiga.

Career after retirement

After playing his last season of professional ice hockey for Kiekko-Espoo in 1995–96 in Finland he took a job as the general manager of the club. He served as Kiekko-Espoo GM until 1998–99. He was then hired by San Jose Sharks general manager Dean Lombardi on September 12, 1998 as a European-based scout for the Sharks. In July 2004, he was back in the Flyers organization as their European scout.[2]

Personal life

Sinisalo's son Tomas is a professional ice hockey player, primarily in Finland, having attended the Flyers' training camp in 2009.

Sinisalo died as a result of prostate cancer on April 5, 2017.[4][5]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1976–77PiTaFIN II352216388
1977–78HIFKSM-l36931218
1978–79HIFKSM-l3064101664152
1979–80HIFKSM-l35169251671344
1980–81HIFKSM-l362717441465384
1981–82Philadelphia FlyersNHL661522372240220
1982–83Philadelphia FlyersNHL612129501631120
1983–84Philadelphia FlyersNHL732917462922020
1984–85Philadelphia FlyersNHL7036377316196170
1985–86Philadelphia FlyersNHL743937763152242
1986–87Philadelphia FlyersNHL421021318185164
1987–88Philadelphia FlyersNHL682517423074260
1988–89Philadelphia FlyersNHL13167281120
1989–90Philadelphia FlyersNHL5923234626
1990–91Minnesota North StarsNHL465121724
1990–91Los Angeles KingsNHL7000220110
1991–92Los Angeles KingsNHL30112
1991–92Phoenix RoadrunnersIHL4219214032
1992–93HPKSM-l4613162955122358
1993–94KärpätFIN II2827154220
1993–94IlvesSM-l121671041016
1994–95IlvesSM-l3027945
1994–95Kiekko-EspooSM-l167714640334
1995–96Kiekko-EspooSM-l447121936
SM-l totals28588811692163913132628
NHL totals582204222426208682111326

International

Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1978FinlandWJC61784
1981FinlandWC50114
1981FinlandCC51016
1982FinlandWC51126
1983FinlandWC80224
Senior totals2324620

References

  1. "SPORTS PEOPLE; Flyers Sign Sinisalo". The New York Times. 21 May 1989. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  2. Meltzer, Bill (October 23, 2006). "Flyers Heroes of the Past: Ilkka Sinisalo". Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
  3. "The Philadelphia Flyers signed left wing Ilkka Sinisalo, a..." UPI. February 17, 1981. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  4. "Ilkka Sinisalo, former Philadelphia Flyers forward, dies at 58". National Hockey League. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  5. "Ilkka Sinisalo on kuollut 58-vuotianna" [Ilkka Sinisalo dies at 58]. Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 5 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
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