Marko Kiprusoff

Marko Kiprusoff
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Born	(1972-06-06) June 6, 1972 Turku, FIN
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Right
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	70th overall, 1994 Montreal Canadiens
Playing career	1990–2014

Marko Kristian Kiprusoff (born June 6, 1972 in Turku, Finland) is a Finnish retired professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently an assistant junior coach in Finnish hockey club TPS.

Draft

He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens as their third-round pick, #70 overall, in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

SM-liiga Career

Marko Kiprusoff started his hockey career with TPS. Kiprusoff also had a three-game visit to HPK during his earlier seasons in the SM-liiga. Kiprusoff earned a reputation as a solid offensive defenceman at TPS and after his successful performances for the Finnish National team and TPS, Kiprusoff was contracted by the Montreal Canadiens.

Kiprusoff won the SM-liiga championship twice, in 1993 and 1995. Kiprusoff also captured the European Championship with TPS in 1994.

First NHL visit

Kiprusoff spent the 1995–96 season with the Montreal Canadiens but he didn't make much of an impact in the NHL. Kiprusoff played 24 games for the Canadiens and 28 more for Montreal's AHL-affiliate, the Fredericton Canadiens.

Return to Europe

After his initial season in the NHL, Kiprusoff played two seasons in the Swedish Elitserien for Malmö IF, after which he returned to TPS in 1998. Kiprusoff won two more SM-liiga championships with TPS, making him a four-time SM-liiga champion. Kiprusoff then played the 2001–02 with the New York Islanders and played after that for EHC Kloten in Switzerland.

In 2004 Kiprusoff returned again to TPS, where he played until the end of the 2008-09 season. On 21 May 2009 he signed a contract with French team Ducs d'Angers of the Ligue Magnus. Kiprusoff made a two-year player/coach-contract with the Kuusamon Pallo-Karhut in June 2011. He played in Kuusamo in January 2011, one game, making two points.

International play

Marko Kiprusoff

Medal record
Representing Finland
Men's ice hockey
Olympic Games
	1994 Lillehammer	Ice hockey
World Championships
	1994 Italy	Ice hockey
	1995 Sweden	Ice hockey
	1998 Switzerland	Ice hockey
	1999 Norway	Ice hockey
	2001 Germany	Ice hockey

Kiprusoff was a mainstay on the Finnish national team during the most of the '90s. Kiprusoff played 198 National Team games and was on the Finnish national team when they won Finland's first Ice Hockey World Championships gold medal in 1995.

Kiprusoff's last international tournament callup was during the 2003 World Championship Tournament.

Awards

• Pekka Rautakallio trophy for best defenceman in the SM-liiga - 1995
• Raimo Kilpiö trophy for gentleman player in the SM-liiga - 1999

Personal

He is the older brother of Miikka Kiprusoff.

External links

• Marko Kiprusoff on nhlfinns.com
• Marko Kiprusoff's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Kiprusoff assistant junior coach

Preceded by Petteri Nummelin	Winner of the Pekka Rautakallio trophy 1994–95	Succeeded by Mika Strömberg
Preceded by Kimmo Rintanen	Winner of the Raimo Kilpiö trophy 1998–99	Succeeded by Kimmo Rintanen