Erkka Westerlund

{{short description|Finnish ice hockey player and coach}} {{Infobox ice hockey biography | name = Erkka Westerlund | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|03|30|df=yes}} | birth_place = Pernå, Finland | death_date = | death_place = | position = Forward | height_cm = | weight_kg = | played_for = Jukurit (1978-1979) JYP (1980-1981) | coached_for = JYP (1985-1988) Lukko (1989-1991) HIFK (1997–1999) Jokerit (1999–2001) | career_start_coach = | career_end_coach = | website = | medaltemplates = | show-medals = }} '''Erkka Westerlund''' (born 30 March 1957, in Pernå, Finland) was the head coach of the Finnish national men's ice hockey team. He was appointed head coach on November 1, 2004, and his contract ended in May 2007, after winning silver in Moscow's World Championship tournament. He followed Raimo Summanen as head coach of the national team.<ref name="HS">{{cite news|url=http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Sports+biologist+stays+on+for+another+year/1135219824905|title=Sports biologist stays on for another year|date=5 January 2006|work=Helsingin Sanomat|accessdate=18 June 2010}}</ref>

==Career== Westerlund has coached several Finnish ice hockey teams in the SM-Liiga: JYP<ref name="HS"/> (1985–1988), Lukko (1989–1991), HIFK (1997–1999) and Jokerit (1999–2001). During his coaching career Westerlund has won the Finnish Championship once: 1998, with HIFK and finished twice in the second place, in 1999 and 2000. Internationally Westerlund coached Finland in four tournaments, receiving medals in three of them. He has won one Olympic Silver medal (2006) in Turin, one World Championship Silver (2007) and one World Championship Bronze (2006).<ref name=applyingforthepres>{{cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000009956880.html|title=Erkka Westerlund hakee Jääkiekkoliiton puheenjohtajaksi|trans-title=Erkka Westerlund is applying for the presidency of the Ice Hockey League|publisher=Helsingin sanomata|date=2023-10-30|last=Oivio|first=Janne|access-date=2023-12-28|language=fi}}</ref>

As a player, Westerlund was a forward. He played in the 1978/1979 season for Jukurit, in 34 games he scored 7 goals and gave 10 assists. In the 1980/1981 season he played for JYP. Here he played 23 games, scoring 3 goals and 1 assist.{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}

Westerlund was a candidate in the 2023 election for Finnish Ice Hockey Association chairman but lost to Heikki Hietanen 26–6.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/erkka-westerlund-pettyi-jaakiekkoliiton-uusi-puheenjohtaja-sivaltaa-takaisin/8826676|title=Erkka Westerlund pettyi – Jääkiekkoliiton uusi puheenjohtaja sivaltaa takaisin|date=25 November 2023 |trans-title=Erkka Westerlund was disappointed - the new president of the Ice Hockey Association hits back|publisher=MTV Uutiset|access-date=2023-12-28|language=fi}}</ref> He told reporters afterwards that he felt he lost the election because he "represented change" and that the committee was not ready for a cultural upheaval within the organisation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20062098|title=Puheenjohtajavaalin hävinnyt Erkka Westerlund täräytti suorat sanat äänestystuloksesta: "Minä edustin muutosta" |trans-title=Erkka Westerlund, who lost the presidential election, shook the direct words about the voting result: "I represented change"|last1=Lappalainen|first1=Pertti|last2=Sirkki|first2=Sari|date=2023-11-25|publisher=YLE|access-date=2023-12-28|language=fi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.is.fi/jaakiekko/art-2000009959900.html|title=Erkka Westerlund haluaa jääkiekkoon radikaalin muutoksen|trans-title=Erkka Westerlund wants a radical change in hockey|last=Oivio|first=Janne|publisher=Ilta sanomat|date=2023-10-31|access-date=2023-12-28}}</ref>

His son Tomas coached Kiekko-Espoo in the 2022–23 season.<ref name=applyingforthepres/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{icehockeystats}}

{{S-start}} {{Succession box| before = first Head Coach | title = Head Coach of JyP HT | years = 1985-1987 | after = Antero Lehtonen}} {{Succession box| before = Matti Keinonen | title = Head Coach of Lukko | years = 1989-1990 | after = Matti Keinonen}} {{Succession box| before = Mike Eaves | title = Head Coach of HIFK | years = 1997-1999 | after = Ismo Lehkonen}} {{Succession box| before = Timo Lahtinen | title = Head Coach of Jokerit | years = 1999-2001 | after = Raimo Summanen}} {{Succession box| before = Raimo Summanen Jukka Jalonen | title = Finland national ice hockey team Head Coach | years = 2005-2007 2013–2014 | after = Doug Shedden Kari Jalonen}} {{Succession box| before = Hannu Kapanen | title = Winner of the Kalevi Numminen trophy | years = 1997-98 | after = Hannu Jortikka}} {{S-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Westerlund, Erkka}} Category:JYP Jyväskylä players Category:Mikkelin Jukurit players Category:Living people Category:Finnish ice hockey players Category:1957 births Category:Finland men's national ice hockey team coaches Category:Ice hockey coaches at the 2014 Winter Olympics Category:People from Pernå Category:Ice hockey people from Uusimaa Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Finland Category:Olympic medalists in ice hockey Category:Medalists at the 2014 Winter Olympics