Niko Kapanen

Finnish professional hockey player Niko Kapanen most recently played for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. On June 9, 2008, Kapanen signed a contract to play with the Aq Bars Kazan in Russia.¹

Fast Facts

1. Full name: Niko Klaus Petteri Kapanen
2. Born: April 29, 1978
3. Birthplace: Hattula, Finland
4. Height: 5' 8"
5. Weight: 180 lbs.
6. Position: Center
7. Shoots: Left
8. Draft year: 1998

NHL Career

Kapanen was drafted 173rd overall in the 1998 NHL draft by the Dallas Stars. He continued to play in Finland for three seasons after the draft before joining the Utah Grizzlies in the American Hockey League in 2001. Kapanen made his NHL debut with the Stars the same year and played with the franchise until the 2004-05 NHL lockout, when he played in Switzerland for the EV Zug. He returned to the Stars after the lockout and played one additional season before he was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers on June 24, 2006. Kapanen played just 19 games in Atlanta, then was waived and picked up by the Phoenix Coyotes on February 27, 2007.

Career Highlights

• 1998: World Ice Hockey Championships, silver medal
• 2000: World Ice Hockey Championships, bronze medal
• 2001: World Ice Hockey Championships, silver medal
• 2003: NHL YoungStars Game
• 2006: Winter Olympics, silver medal
• 2007: World Ice Hockey Championships, silver medal

Timeline

• 1995-00: HPK Hameenlinna, SM-liiga
• 1998: Drafted by the Dallas Stars
• 2001-01: TPS Turku, SM-Liiga
• 2001-02: Utah Grizzlies, AHL
• 2001-04: Dallas Stars
• 2004-05: EV Zug, Switzerland
• 2006-07: Atlanta Thrashers
• 2007-08: Phoenix Coyotes
• 2008-present: Aq Bars Kazan, Russia

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