Esa Keskinen

Esa Juhani Keskinen (born 3 February 1965 in Ylöjärvi, Finland) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey forward.

Esa Keskinen
Born	(1965-02-03) 3 February 1965 (age 60) Ylöjärvi, Finland
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb)
Position	Center
Shot	Right
Played for	SM-liiga TPS Lukko 1. Divisioona FPS Elitserien HV71
National team	Finland
NHL draft	101st overall, 1985 Calgary Flames
Playing career	1983–2000

Olympic medal record
Men's Ice hockey
	1988 Calgary	Ice hockey
	1994 Lillehammer	Ice hockey

Playing career

Keskinen was drafted by the Calgary Flames as their fifth-round pick, 101st overall, in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, but never played in the NHL anytime in his active playing career.^[1]

Playing for HV71 in the Swedish Elitserien, he won the Swedish national championship during the 1994–95 season. During the 1995–96 season Keskinen formed with his fellow Finn Kai Nurminen a proficient goal-scoring duo, still playing for HV71.^[2] During his years in HV71 he was a popular player among the fans and drew by himself large crowds to the club's, at the time, arena Rosenlundshallen.^[3]

Keskinen recorded 658 points (215 goals, 443 assists) and 130 penalty minutes in 478 games in SM-liiga playing for TPS and Lukko. In Elitserien he totalled 203 games with 209 points (61 goals, 148 assists) and 148 penalty minutes playing for HV71. He has been noted for most points in SM-liiga in seasons 1987-88 (69 points), 1992–93 (59 points) and 1993-94 (70 points).^[1]

Awards

• Silver medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
• Awarded the Veli-Pekka Ketola trophy in 1988, 1993 and 1994.
• SM-liiga champion with TPS in 1993 and 2000.
• Awarded the Kultainen kypärä trophy in 1994.
• Awarded Lasse Oksanen trophy in 1994.
• SM-liiga Best Player of Regular Season 1993–94.
• Bronze medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics.
• Elitserien playoff winner with HV71 in 1995.
• Gold medal at the 1995 Ice Hockey World Championship.
• Awarded Guldhjälmen (Most Valuable Player) in 1996.

Records

• HV71's club record for assists in one season (41)
• HV71's club record for points in one season (59)

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1980–81	KOOVEE	FIN U20		32	46	20	66	35		—	—	—	—	—
1981–82	FoPS	FIN.2		27	14	18	32	8		—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	FoPS	FIN.2		15	5	14	19	8		—	—	—	—	—
1983–84	TPS	SM-l		31	10	25	35	0		5	0	0	0	0
1984–85	TPS	SM-l		35	11	22	33	6		10	2	3	5	0
1985–86	TPS	SM-l		36	18	28	46	4		7	2	0	2	0
1986–87	TPS	SM-l		44	25	36	61	4		5	1	1	2	0
1987–88	TPS	SM-l		44	14	55	69	14		—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	Lukko	SM-l		41	24	46	70	12		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Lukko	SM-l		44	25	26	51	16		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Lukko	SM-l		44	17	51	68	14		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	TPS	SM-l		44	24	45	69	12		3	1	1	2	0
1992–93	TPS	SM-l		44	16	43	59	12		12	1	6	7	4
1993–94	TPS	SM-l		47	23	47	70	28		11	5	4	9	4
1994–95	HV71	SEL		39	15	29	44	48		13	3	5	8	10
1995–96	HV71	SEL		39	18	41	59	18		4	0	5	5	2
1996–97	HV71	SEL		34	9	27	36	30		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	HV71	SEL		46	16	29	45	24		3	0	4	4	0
1998–99	HV71	SEL		45	3	22	25	28		—	—	—	—	—
1999–2000	TPS	SM-l		22	8	19	27	8		11	2	5	7	4
SM-l totals				478	215	443	658	130		64	14	20	34	12
SEL totals				203	61	148	209	148		20	3	14	17	12

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1981	Finland	EJC		5	1	2	3	19
1982	Finland	EJC		5	3	0	3	0
1983	Finland	EJC		5	5	2	7	2
1984	Finland	WJC		7	4	8	12	0
1985	Finland	WJC		7	6	14	20	2
1988	Finland	OG		8	1	1	2	2
1989	Finland	WC		10	1	8	9	2
1990	Finland	WC		10	0	4	4	8
1991	Finland	WC		10	2	5	7	4
1994	Finland	OG		8	2	4	6	6
1994	Finland	WC		7	2	3	5	2
1995	Finland	WC		8	1	5	6	6
1996	Finland	WC		6	1	3	4	2
Junior totals				29	19	26	45	23
Senior totals				67	10	33	43	32