Current Big Red Cats
Photo from '95-96-season
#22 Mika Kortelainen
- great hard-working scorer, truly a warrior on the ice, team captain
Photo from '95-96-season
#35 Sakari Lindfors
- longtime #1 goalie of IFK, has also appeared 109 times in the national team of Finland, was Quebec's 9th choice in '88 draft
Left photo from '78-79-season and right one from '93-94-preseason
#23 Pertti Lehtonen
- living legend of finnish hockey, has played over 800 games in Finnish Elite League plus 134 international games, a solid defender with excellent shot, assistant captain of IFK shot
Photo from '95-96-season
#34 Peter Ahola
- strong offensive defender, has played 123 games in NHL with L.A., Pittsburgh, San Jose and Calgary, played three seasons in IFK, will play next season in TPS Turku
Photo from '93-94-preseason
#3 Jere Karalahti
- young, powerful defender, L.A. Kings' 7th pick in '93 draft, has also played in two international games for Finland, has had some problems in his personal life though
Photo from '96-97-season
#12 Olli Jokinen
- Finland's wonderkid, only 18-years old yet IFK's 3rd best scorer in 96-97-season, played superbly in WJC in Switzerland, also made his debut to finnish national team in Swedish Hockey Games-tournament, moved to IFK from KalPa Kuopio last summer with his elder brother Ville
Jokinen in World Championships '97
Jokinen finished his season superbly in World Championships in Helsinki. He was third in Team Finland's scoring with six points (4+2) in eight games. Although Finland was disappointingly fifth in the tournament, Olli's appearances was surely highlighted on NHL-scouts' notebooks.
Photos: NHL and ESPN
(on the right) O.J. shaking hands with Kings' head coach Larry Robinson
On June 21st Kings drafted Jokinen on first round (3rd overall). Kings' GM Dave Taylor believes Olli might be playing for Kings next season.
Now we just have to hold our breaths and hope OJ decides to play one more season in IFK
- Jokinen trying out Kings-uniform with GM Dave Taylor
#24 Toni Sihvonen, #27 Tom Laaksonen and #12 O.J.
- Sihvonen and Jokinen are trying to shake 200-pounder Tom "Bates" Laaksonen
Coaches Mike Eaves & Jari Kaarela
- Lookin' cool, eh?
GM Jarmo Kekäläinen
Photos from '90-91-season, '91 and '96
Jarmo played himself during his carreer in Finland, Sweden and North America. In NHL he spent three seasons ('89-91 and '93-94) scoring 13 point in 55 games with the Bruins and Senators. In Finland Kekäläinen played for Ilves prior to going to Clarkson college in '87. He came back to Finland in '92 for two seasons. Jarmo's teams were KalPa and Tappara. Kekäläinen played his last season for Västerås (SWE) in '94-95 after one season with Ottwas and P.E.I. Senators. He has played also 25 games in finnish national team.
Kekäläinen was selected as IFK's manager in early '96 and this season's team was the first one he has build.
