Ari Ahonen

Ari Ahonen (born February 6, 1981) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted in the first round, 27th overall, by the New Jersey Devils in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. Ahonen is the only goaltender in SM-liiga history to have represented all three teams in the greater Helsinki area: HIFK, Jokerit and Blues.

Ari Ahonen
Ahonen playing for the Albany River Rats in December 2003
Born	(1981-02-06) February 6, 1981 (age 44) Jyväskylä, Finland
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	187 lb (85 kg; 13 st 5 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	SM-liiga: JYP HIFK Espoo Blues Jokerit KalPa Ässät SHL: Frölunda HC AHL: Albany River Rats KHL: Metallurg Magnitogorsk Barys Astana Admiral Vladivostok
National team	Finland
NHL draft	27th overall, 1999 New Jersey Devils
Playing career	1998–2018

Medal record
Representing  Finland
World Junior Championships
	1999	Germany

Playing career

Ahonen in 2007

After playing three seasons in Finland's SM-liiga, representing JYP and HIFK, Ahonen joined the Devils' American Hockey League affiliate, the Albany River Rats. After five seasons with the River Rats, Ahonen returned to Finland in 2006 to represent Blues, but when he found himself serving as backup to Bernd Brückler, Ahonen signed with Jokerit when no less than three of their goaltenders were injured. With Jokerit Ahonen have won silver medals in 2007.

During the 2011–12 season Ahonen signed a two-year deal with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).

Ahonen later continued in the KHL, joining Kazakhstan based, Barys Astana, for the 2013–14 season.^[1]

Career statistics

Regular season

Season	Team	League	GP	W	L	OTL	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1998–99	JYP	SM-l	5
1999–00	HIFK	SM-l	38
2000–01	HIFK	SM-l	37	18	13	4	2101	97	2	2.77	.920
2001–02	Albany River Rats	AHL	36	6	22	6	2106	106	0	3.02	.914
2002–03	Albany River Rats	AHL	38	13	20	3	2171	110	1	3.04	.898
2003–04	Albany River Rats	AHL	50	13	30	6	3012	150	2	2.99	.902
2004–05	Albany River Rats	AHL	38	16	20	1	2195	114	4	3.12	.910
2005–06	Albany River Rats	AHL	16	3	13	0	949	63	0	3.98	.892
2006–07	Espoo Blues	SM-l	5	1	2	2	308.17	13	0	2.53	.922
2006–07	Jokerit	SM-l	20	9	6	5	1152.17	51	1	2.67	.914
2007–08	Frölunda HC	SHL	47	20	18	9	2737:27	116	4	2.47	.896
2008–09	Frölunda HC	SEL	14	4	4	0	503	24	1	2.86	.885
2009–10	KalPa	SM-l	43	21	10	9	2479:04	94	6	2.28	.903
2010–11	KalPa	SM-l	51	23	15	11	2986	106	5	2.13	.916
2011–12	KalPa	SM-l	18	13	2	3	1092:09	27	2	1.48	.945
2011–12	Metallurg Magnitogorsk	KHL	28	19	8	1	1581	57	3	2.16	.929
2012–13	Metallurg Magnitogorsk	KHL	40	20	13	6	2386	81	4	2.04	.924
2013–14	Barys Astana	KHL	36	19	12	5	2085	88	2	2.53	.914
2014–15	Admiral Vladivostok	KHL	5	1	4	0	254	21	0	4.96	.838
2015–16	Ässät	SM-I	21	8	8	3	1123	49	1	2.62	.906
2016–17	Ässät	SM-I	18	8	8	0	1005	41	1	2.45	.910
2017–18	Herning Blue Fox	Metal	32				1831			2.33	.911

Awards and honours

Award	Year
IIHF World U18 Championships All-Star Team	1999