# Ilves > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ilves > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ilves.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilves > Source revision: 1356791013 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) This article is about Finnish ice hockey club. For other uses, see [Ilves (disambiguation)](/source/Ilves_(disambiguation)). Ice hockey team in Tampere Tampereen Ilves City Tampere League Liiga Founded 1931 (1931) Home arena Nokia Arena (capacity: 13,455) Colours Green, yellow, black Owner Ilves-Hockey Oy General manager Risto Jalo Head coach Tommi Niemelä Captain Eemeli Suomi Affiliates KOOVEE Ilves Naiset Farm club Koovee Website ilves.com Championships Playoff championships 1936, 1937, 1938, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1972, 1985 Active departments of Ilves Floorball Football (Men's) Football (Women's) Futsal (Men's) Futsal (Women's) Ice hockey (Women's) Ringette Ice hockey (Men's) **Tampereen Ilves,** commonly known as **Ilves,** (pronounced [\[ˈilʋes\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Finnish); [Finnish](/source/Finnish_language) for "[Lynx](/source/Eurasian_lynx)") is a Finnish professional [ice hockey](/source/Ice_hockey) team based in [Tampere](/source/Tampere). They play in the [Liiga](/source/Liiga) at the [Nokia Arena](/source/Nokia_Arena_(Tampere)). The match between Ilves (yellow and green) and [Tappara](/source/Tappara) (blue and orange) on December 3, 2021 at [Nokia Arena](/source/Nokia_Arena_(Tampere)) in [Tampere](/source/Tampere), [Finland](/source/Finland) The colors of Ilves, green, yellow, and black, were taken from what was then the [coat of arms](/source/Coat_of_arms) of the city of Tampere. ## History With sixteen championships, Ilves is the second most successful hockey team in the Finnish championship league, the [Liiga](/source/Liiga), after their local rival [Tappara](/source/Tappara). The club was founded in the spring of 1931, and it played its first game against Tampereen Palloilijat the next winter. In the late 1930s, Ilves won three Finnish championship titles as the first Tampere-based hockey team.[1] After [World War II](/source/World_War_II), Ilves started playing its home games at the then new Koulukatu ice rink. It had another championship spree in 1945–1947 when it stayed undefeated for over four years (albeit playing only 36 games during that period).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In 1954, Ilves was for the first and so far only time [relegated](/source/Relegation) to the second highest level of Finnish hockey but managed to return to the top tier only one year later.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] The current logo was designed by Rauno Broms in 1963. In 1965, Ilves moved, along with its local rivals [Tappara](/source/Tappara) and [KooVee](/source/KOOVEE_(ice_hockey)), to the new [Hakametsä](/source/Tampere_Ice_Stadium) arena, where they played until 2021.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] The last Finnish Cup competition in hockey was held in 1971. Ilves won the title and has therefore been the reigning champion since. In 1972, it also won another league championship; its 15th championship in total.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] During the late 1970s, Ilves went through lean times. Finally, when Koovee, which was in no better condition, was relegated at the end of the 1979–80 season, the two clubs decided to sign an agreement of cooperation. The best players of Koovee moved to Ilves, the most notable of them being [Risto Jalo](/source/Risto_Jalo).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In 1985, Ilves claimed its 16th and most recent championship. Along with Risto Jalo, the key players of that team were [Raimo Helminen](/source/Raimo_Helminen), [Mikko Mäkelä](/source/Mikko_M%C3%A4kel%C3%A4_(ice_hockey)), [Ville Siren](/source/Ville_Siren), and [Jukka Tammi](/source/Jukka_Tammi). Repeating this success proved difficult, however, when in the following summer four players left the team to play in the [NHL](/source/NHL).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Ilves against [Blues](/source/Kiekko-Espoo) in 2008. [Raimo Helminen](/source/Raimo_Helminen) playing for Ilves in 2007. In the late 1980s, Ilves had another brief stint of moderate success when coached by [Sakari Pietilä](/source/Sakari_Pietil%C3%A4). It finished first after the regular season in 1988 but was eliminated in the first round of playoffs. The next year it came away with a bronze medal, and finally in 1990 it reached the finals, only to lose to [TPS](/source/TPS_(ice_hockey)).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Raimo Helminen facing off against Lukko player [Pekka Sarrenheimo](/source/Pekka_Saarenheimo) in 2008. For most of the 1990s, the club struggled with financial problems and unclear issues concerning ownership. In sports performance, the low point was in the spring of 1995, when Ilves finished last in the SM-liiga and had to fight the lower league teams [SaPKo](/source/SaPKo) and [SaiPa](/source/SaiPa) for their place among the elite for the next year.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Ilves managed to avoid relegation and was promptly reborn as a viable championship candidate, reaching the semifinals in 1997 and the finals a year after that.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] The 2000s were a fairly mediocre period in Ilves history. After their bronze medal win in 2001, Ilves lost in the first round of the playoffs in six of the next seven seasons and missing the playoffs altogether in 2003. They managed to avoid relegation in 2010, 2012 and 2013.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## Honors ### SM-sarja - [SM-sarja](/source/SM-sarja) [Aaro Kivilinna memorial award](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aaro_Kivilinna_memorial_award&action=edit&redlink=1): 1936, 1937, 1938, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1951, 1952[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] - SM-sarja [Kanada-malja](/source/Kanada-malja): 1957, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1972[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] - SM-sarja Aaro Kivilinna memorial award: 1935, 1948, 1949[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] - SM-sarja Kanada-malja: 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] - SM-sarja Aaro Kivilinna memorial award: 1934, 1939, 1941, 1943[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] - SM-sarja Kanada-malja: 1963, 1964, 1967, 1974, 1975[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ### SM-liiga - [SM-liiga](/source/SM-liiga) [Kanada-malja](/source/Kanada-malja): 1985 - SM-liiga Kanada-malja: 1990, 1998 - SM-liiga Kanada-malja: 1983, 1989, 2001, 2022, 2023 ## Players ### Current roster Updated 19 June 2025.[2] No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace 20 Kasper Björkqvist RW L 28 2024 Espoo, Finland 11 Erik Borg C L 29 2024 Gothenburg, Sweden 22 Teemu Engberg LW L 27 2025 Loviisa, Finland 25 Iivari Heikkinen RW L 22 2025 Oulu, Finland 9 Lukáš Jašek RW R 28 2025 Třinec, Czech Republic 23 Simon Johansson D R 27 2024 Stockholm, Sweden 48 Carl Klingberg RW R 35 2024 Gothenburg, Sweden 19 Ondřej Kos LW L 20 2024 Kuřim, Czech Republic 21 Radek Kučeřík D L 24 2025 Kyjov, Czech Republic 35 Jimi Kuivila G L 20 2025 Tampere, Finland 43 Otto Latvala D R 26 2022 Alajärvi, Finland 27 Eemil Laurell F R 21 2024 Tampere, Finland 29 Jens Lööke RW R 29 2024 Gävle, Sweden 12 Matias Mäntykivi C L 25 2021 Lappeenranta, Finland 28 John Nyberg D L 29 2024 Gothenburg, Sweden 86 Joonas Nättinen (A) C R 35 2024 Jämsä, Finland 57 Jarkko Parikka D L 28 2015 Imatra, Finland 39 Dominik Pavlát G L 26 2024 Tábor, Czech Republic 53 Arttu Pelli D R 29 2023 Kouvola, Finland 17 Samuli Ratinen LW L 28 2023 Saarijärvi, Finland 6 Sebastian Soini D R 20 2023 Tampere, Finland 72 Lukáš Švejkovský C R 24 2024 Tampa, Florida, United States 60 Roope Taponen G L 25 2025 Espoo, Finland 46 Matic Török F L 22 2025 Kranj, Slovenia 37 Toni Utunen D L 26 2024 Kokkola, Finland Banners commemorating championships and retired player numbers of Ilves in Tampereen jäähalli. ### Honored members Ilves 1960s jerseys Ilves jerseys at the club's 90th anniversary exhibition The first Ilves jersey from 1932 - **2** [Jarmo Wasama](/source/Jarmo_Wasama) - **7** [Aarne Honkavaara](/source/Aarne_Honkavaara) - **13** [Risto Jalo](/source/Risto_Jalo) - **14** [Lasse Oksanen](/source/Lasse_Oksanen) - **16** [Jorma Peltonen](/source/Jorma_Peltonen), [Marianne Ihalainen](/source/Marianne_Ihalainen)[3] - **30** [Jukka Tammi](/source/Jukka_Tammi) - **41** [Raimo Helminen](/source/Raimo_Helminen) Source: Ilves-Historia[4] Number **24** has not been officially retired, but is not in use. It was last worn by [Veikko Suominen](/source/Veikko_Suominen), who died during the 1978–79 season.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## Coaches ### Current staff [*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] - **Head Coach:** [Tommi Niemelä](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tommi_Niemel%C3%A4&action=edit&redlink=1) - **Assistant Coach:** [Joonas Tanska](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joonas_Tanska&action=edit&redlink=1) - **Assistant Coach:** [Pasi Saarinen](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pasi_Saarinen&action=edit&redlink=1) - **Assistant Coach:** [Jarkko Näppilä](/source/Jarkko_N%C3%A4ppil%C3%A4) - **Goaltending Coach:** [Markus Korhonen](/source/Markus_Korhonen) - **Team Manager:** [Timo Peltomaa](/source/Timo_Peltomaa) ### All-time head coaches [*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] - [Niilo Tammisalo](/source/Niilo_Tammisalo) 1931–37 - [Risto Lindroos](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Risto_Lindroos&action=edit&redlink=1) 1937–46, 1949–53 - [Aarne Honkavaara](/source/Aarne_Honkavaara) 1952–61, 1967–68 - [Henry Kvist](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henry_Kvist&action=edit&redlink=1) 1946–49 - [Seppo Helle](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Seppo_Helle&action=edit&redlink=1) 1961–64 - [Rauli Virtanen](/source/Rauli_Virtanen) 1964–65 - [Erkki Koiso](/source/Erkki_Koiso) 1965–66 - [Raimo Vasama](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Raimo_Vasama&action=edit&redlink=1) 1968–71, 1972–75 - [Juhani Ruusunen](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Juhani_Ruusunen&action=edit&redlink=1) 1971–72, 1976–80 - [Len Lunde](/source/Len_Lunde) 1972–73 - [Matti Reunamäki](/source/Matti_Reunam%C3%A4ki) 1974–75 - [Esko Mäkinen](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Esko_M%C3%A4kinen&action=edit&redlink=1) 1974–76 - [Raimo Määttänen](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Raimo_M%C3%A4%C3%A4tt%C3%A4nen&action=edit&redlink=1) 1980–82 - [Seppo Hiitelä](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Seppo_Hiitel%C3%A4&action=edit&redlink=1) 1982–87, 1990–91 - [Matti Kaario](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Matti_Kaario&action=edit&redlink=1) 1986–87, 1990–91, 1999* - [Sakari Pietilä](/source/Sakari_Pietil%C3%A4) 1987–90, 2006–2009 - [Anatoli Bogdanov](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anatoli_Bogdanov_(ice_hockey)&action=edit&redlink=1) 1991–93 - [Jukka Jalonen](/source/Jukka_Jalonen) 1992–95 - [Heikki Vesala](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Heikki_Vesala&action=edit&redlink=1) 1994–95 - [Vladimir Jursinov Jr.](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vladimir_Jursinov_Jr.&action=edit&redlink=1) 1995–99 - [Heikki Mälkiä](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Heikki_M%C3%A4lki%C3%A4&action=edit&redlink=1) 1999–2001, 2009–10* - [Ari-Pekka Selin](/source/Ari-Pekka_Selin) 2001–03 - [Teijo Räsänen](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Teijo_R%C3%A4s%C3%A4nen&action=edit&redlink=1) 2002–03 - [Vaclav Sykora](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vaclav_Sykora&action=edit&redlink=1) 2003–05 - [Curt Lindström](/source/Curt_Lindstr%C3%B6m) 2004–05 - [Kari Eloranta](/source/Kari_Eloranta) 2005–06 - [Petteri Hirvonen](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Petteri_Hirvonen&action=edit&redlink=1) 2006* - [Sakari Pietilä](/source/Sakari_Pietil%C3%A4) 2006–09 - [Juha Pajuoja](/source/Juha_Pajuoja) 2010–12* - [Seppo Hiitelä](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Seppo_Hiitel%C3%A4&action=edit&redlink=1) 2011–12 - [Raimo Helminen](/source/Raimo_Helminen) 2012–2013 - [Tuomas Tuokkola](/source/Tuomas_Tuokkola) 2013–2016 January - [Kari Heikkilä](/source/Kari_Heikkil%C3%A4) 2016 January–March - [Kari Kivi](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kari_Kivi&action=edit&redlink=1) 2017–2020 September - [Jouko Myrrä](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jouko_Myrr%C3%A4&action=edit&redlink=1) 2020 October–2022 October - [Antti Pennanen](/source/Antti_Pennanen) 2022 October–2024 March - [Tommi Niemelä](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tommi_Niemel%C3%A4&action=edit&redlink=1) 2024 May-present - (1938) - (1945) - (1946) - (1958) - (1960) - (1966) - (1972) - Ali Saadetdin, [Finnish Tatar](/source/Finnish_Tatars) - [Jorma Peltonen](/source/Jorma_Peltonen) - [Tero Leinonen](/source/Tero_Leinonen) - [Hannu Toivonen](/source/Hannu_Toivonen) - [Markus Korhonen](/source/Markus_Korhonen) - Niko Sulkanen - Mikko Patsi - [Pasi Häkkinen](/source/Pasi_H%C3%A4kkinen) - [Raimo Helminen](/source/Raimo_Helminen) - Mikko Peltola - [Matt Nickerson](/source/Matt_Nickerson) - [Marko Anttila](/source/Marko_Anttila) - [Sami Sandell](/source/Sami_Sandell) - Sami Torkki - [Mike Bishai](/source/Mike_Bishai) - [Arto Tukio](/source/Arto_Tukio) - [Cameron Mann](/source/Cameron_Mann) - [Eric Werner](/source/Eric_Werner) - [Mika Niskanen](/source/Mika_Niskanen) - [Jakub Koreis](/source/Jakub_Koreis) - [Jarkko Näppilä](/source/Jarkko_N%C3%A4ppil%C3%A4) - [Joonas Lehtivuori](/source/Joonas_Lehtivuori) - Teemu Jääskeläinen - [Turo Järvinen](/source/Turo_J%C3%A4rvinen) - [Toni Koivisto](/source/Toni_Koivisto) - [Jarkko Kauvosaari](/source/Jarkko_Kauvosaari) - Matti Uusivirta - [Mikko Kuukka](/source/Mikko_Kuukka) - [Toni Rajala](/source/Toni_Rajala) - Jani Keinänen - Jouni Aalto - [Joonas Rask](/source/Joonas_Rask) - [Masi Marjamäki](/source/Masi_Marjam%C3%A4ki) - [Jaakko Pellinen](/source/Jaakko_Pellinen) - [Colby Genoway](/source/Colby_Genoway) - [Toni Niemi](/source/Toni_Niemi) - [Markus Seikola](/source/Markus_Seikola) - [Antti Roppo](/source/Antti_Roppo) - [Dan Hacker](/source/Dan_Hacker) - Lassi Mattila - Pasi Järvinen - [Miikka Männikkö](/source/Miikka_M%C3%A4nnikk%C3%B6) - [Geoff Platt](/source/Geoff_Platt) - [Troy Milam](/source/Troy_Milam) - (2022) ## Other sports Further information: [Ilves (football)](/source/Ilves_(football)) In addition to hockey and football, Ilves has a [futsal](/source/Futsal) team in Finnish league which has won the Finnish championship five times (2004, 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2011) and the cup competition twice (2006, 2010), a [floorball](/source/Floorball) team at second highest level and a [ringette](/source/Ringette) team competing in the [SM Ringette](/source/Ringette_Finland#Semi-professional_league) league. It has numerous boys' and girls' junior teams in ice hockey, soccer, floorball (boys only), and ringette (girls only), making the organization the largest sports club in Finland.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In the past, Ilves has also competed in [American football](/source/American_football), [basketball](/source/Basketball), [bowling](/source/Bowling), [figure skating](/source/Figure_skating), [handball](/source/Team_handball), and [volleyball](/source/Volleyball). It has won a bronze medal in American football and a silver one in handball. Also, Ilves has won the Finnish Cup in handball.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## See also - [Tappara](/source/Tappara) - [Koovee](/source/Koovee_(ice_hockey)) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [22 great Tampere moments](https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2022/wm/news/33601/22_great_tampere_moments) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230405112706/https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2022/wm/news/33601/22_great_tampere_moments) 2023-04-05 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) – [IIHF](/source/IIHF) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Joukkue Tampereen Ilves"](https://www.ilves.com/joukkue/) (in Finnish). www.ilves.com. Retrieved 2024-09-21. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Marianne Ihalainen to be honoured"](https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2019/ww/news/9487/marianne-ihalainen-to-be-honoured). [IIHF](/source/International_Ice_Hockey_Federation). 2019-03-08. Retrieved 2020-02-26. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Ilves Hockey Legends"](https://www.ilveshistoria.com/ilves-hockey-legends/) (in Finnish). Ilves-Hockey Oy. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200226202943/https://www.ilveshistoria.com/ilves-hockey-legends/) from the original on 2020-02-26. Retrieved 2020-02-26. ## External links - [Official website](https://www.ilves.com) (in Finnish) v t e Liiga Seasons 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26 Current teams (2024–25) HIFK HPK Ilves Mikkelin Jukurit JYP Jyväskylä KalPa Kiekko-Espoo KooKoo Oulun Kärpät Lukko Lahti Pelicans SaiPa Vaasan Sport Tappara HC TPS Porin Ässät Former teams FPS Jokerit Jokipojat Koovee TUTO Hockey Trophies and awards Kanada-malja Kultainen kypärä Kalevi Numminen Jarmo Wasama memorial Matti Keinonen Raimo Kilpiö Urpo Ylönen Pekka Rautakallio Aarne Honkavaara Veli-Pekka Ketola Lasse Oksanen Jari Kurri Unto Wiitala Other Mestis Suomi-sarja 2. Divisioona 3. Divisioona Finland men's national ice hockey team SM-sarja (defunct) Auroraliiga Naisten Mestis Finland women's national ice hockey team U20 SM-sarja Finland men's national junior ice hockey team IIHF IIHF Continental Cup IIHF European Champions Cup --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ilves](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilves) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilves?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.