Noora Räty Award

The Noora Räty Award (Finnish: Noora Räty -palkinto) is an ice hockey trophy awarded to the Rookie of the Year of the Naisten Liiga (previously the Naisten SM-sarja), as selected by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Rookie of the Year was first awarded in the 2005–06 Naisten SM-sarja season and the first recipient was Espoo Blues Naiset rookie goaltender Noora Räty. Since her rookie season, Räty has established herself as a top goaltender – considered by many to be one of the best women’s goaltenders in the world.^[1] The Naisten SM-sarja Rookie of the Year award was named after Räty in the 2010–11 season.^[2]

Noora Räty Award
Noora Räty -palkinto (Finnish)

Sport	Ice hockey
League	Naisten Liiga
Awarded for	Rookie of the Year
Presented by	Finnish Ice Hockey Association
History
First award	2006
First winner	Noora Räty
Most recent	Kerttu Kuja-Halkola (2024)

Eighteen players have received the award, five defencemen, eleven forwards, and two goaltenders. The current title holder is Kerttu Kuja-Halkola of Team Kuortane, who was recognized for her play in the 2023–24 Naisten Liiga season.

Award winners

Season	Player	Pos	Team
2005–06	Noora Räty	G	Espoo Blues
2006–07	Emmi Leinonen	F	Cats Jyväskylä
2007–08
2008–09	Tiina Saarimäki	D	Salo HT
2009–10	Karoliina Mäenpänen	D	APV Alavus
2010–11	Venla Kotkaslahti	F	Ilves Tampere
2011–12	Suvi Ollikainen	F	Team Oriflame Kuortane
2012–13	Emma Nuutinen	F	Espoo Blues
2013–14	Marjut Klemola	D	KJT Haukat
2014–15	Ella Välikangas	F	Kärpät Oulu
2015–16	Petra Nieminen	F	Team Kuortane
2016–17	Elvira Ylitalo	F	HPK Hämeenlinna
2017–18	Anna-Lotta Räsänen	D	Team Kuortane	[3]
2018–19	Ida Kuoppala	F	Sport Vaasa	[4]
2019–20	Krista Parkkonen	F	IFK Helsinki	[5]
2020–21	Anna-Kaisa Antti-Roiko	F	Kärpät Oulu	[6][7]
2021–22	Tuuli Tallinen	D	Team Kuortane	[8]
2022–23	Sanni Vanhanen	F	IFK Helsinki	[9]
2023–24	Kerttu Kuja-Halkola	G	Team Kuortane	[10]

Source: ^[11]