Team Kuortane

Team Kuortane is an ice hockey team in the Auroraliiga, the premier women's hockey league in Finland. They are based at the Kuortaneen urheilulukio in Kuortane, a small town in South Ostrobothnia, and play at the Kuortaneen jäähalli (lit. 'Kuortane Ice Hall'). The team was founded by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association in 2010 as part of its initiative to develop the ice hockey skills of young women in Finland.^[1] Since its creation, approximately half of all national under-18 team rosters have been filled by players from Team Kuortane.^[2][3][4] For sponsorship reasons, the team was called Team Oriflame Kuortane during 2010 to 2014.^[5]

Team Kuortane
City	Kuortane, Finland
League	Auroraliiga
Founded	2010 (2010)
Home arena	Kuortaneen jäähalli
Colours	White, blue
Owner(s)	Finnish Ice Hockey Association
Head coach	Juuso Nieminen
Captain	Kerttu Lehmus
Franchise history
2010–2014	Team Oriflame Kuortane
2014–present	Team Kuortane
Championships
U20 Finnish Championship	6 (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
Current season

Season-by-season results

List of all seasons completed by Team Kuortane.

Note: Finish = Rank at end of regular season; GP = Games played, W = Wins (3 points), OTW = Overtime wins (2 points), OTL = Overtime losses (1 point), L = Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points, Top scorer: Points (Goals+Assists)

Season	League	Preliminaries and regular season										Post season results
		Finish	GP	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts	Top scorer
2010–11	Naisten SM-sarja	9th	16	1	0	2	13	22	77	5	S. Valkama 12 (8+4)	Saved in relegation series
2011–12	Naisten SM-sarja	7th	16	6	1	0	9	54	45	20	S. Valkama 24 (17+7)	Saved in relegation series
2012–13	Naisten SM-sarja	5th	28	11	2	0	15	67	92	37	A. Kilponen 22 (12+10)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–3 (Kärpät)
2013–14	Naisten SM-sarja	7th	28	8	2	3	15	69	100	31	S. Valkama 23 (11+12)	Saved in relegation series
2014–15	Naisten SM-sarja	8th	28	3	2	2	21	37	99	15	S. Säkkinen 10 (4+6)	Saved in relegation series
2015–16	Naisten SM-sarja	5th	28	9	1	3	15	60	81	32	P. Nieminen 23 (15+8)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–2 (Kärpät)
2016–17	Naisten SM-sarja	4th	28	15	2	2	9	88	63	51	P. Nieminen 28 (15+13)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–2 (HPK)
2017–18	Naisten Liiga	5th	30	17	0	1	12	102	73	52	J. Nylund 58 (30+28)	Won bronze medal, 1–0 (Blues)
2018–19	Naisten Liiga	5th	30	11	1	0	18	111	136	35	V. Vainikka 41 (26+15)	Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 (KalPa)
2019–20	Naisten Liiga	5th	30	14	4	2	10	106	100	52	V. Vainikka 52 (28+24)	Lost semifinal, 0–3 (Blues); Bronze medal game cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21	Naisten Liiga	8th	27	14	1	1	11	83	69	45	S. Sundelin 35 (17+18)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–2 (K-Espoo)
2021–22	Naisten Liiga	6th	27	9	1	2	15	72	104	31	S. Sundelin 29 (16+13)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–3 (Kärpät)
2022–23	Naisten Liiga	6th	36	15	3	4	14	91	89	55	N. Tervonen 33 (13+20)	Lost quarterfinals, 1–3 (K-Espoo)
2023–24	Naisten Liiga	6th	32	9	2	3	18	65	99	34	R. Mustonen 15 (7+8)	Lost quarterfinals, 0–3 (HPK)
2024–25	Auroraliiga	3rd	32	19	3	2	8	115	67	65	S. Kari 34 (19+15)	Lost bronze medal game, 1–4 (Ilves)

Players and personnel

2024–25 roster

As of 22 February 2025^[6][7][8][9]

No.	Nat	Player	Pos	S/G	Age	Acquired	Birthplace
25		Abigail Byskata	F	R	18	2022	Cebu, Central Visayas, Philippines
3		Alva Eloluoma (L)	D	–	17	2023
18		Leni Granroth (L)	F	L	17	2023	Vantaa, Uusimaa, Finland
4		Sara Holopainen (L)	D	L	18	2023	Vantaa, Uusimaa, Finland
36		Lilia Huovinen	G	L	18	2022	Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
5		Oona Hӓmӓlӓinen	D	L	17	2024	Oulunsalo, North Ostrobothnia, Finland
15		Erika Kankkunen	F	L	18	2023	Järvenpää, Uusimaa, Finland
7		Sofia Kari (A)	F	R	20	2020	Alajärvi, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
30		Minttu Kataja (L)	G	–	15	2024
14		Neea Ketola	D	L	16	2024	Ylöjärvi, Pirkanmaa, Finland
22		Heidi Kokora	F	L	19	2021	Kiuruvesi, North Savo, Finland
19		Yenna Kolmonen	F	L	15	2024	Vaasa, Ostrobothnia, Finland
9		Aino Krook	D	L	20	2020	Karstula, Central Finland, Finland
32		Kerttu Kuja-Halkola	G	L	17	2023	Janakkala, Kanta-Häme, Finland
21		Kerttu Lehmus (C)	F	L	19	2020	Orivesi, Pirkanmaa, Finland
12		Raili Mustonen (A)	F	L	21	2020	Kalajoki, North Ostrobothnia, Finland
27		Jennika Ojala	D	L	19	2021	Soini, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
28		Jatta Ojala (L)	F	L	14	2024	Soini, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
26		Joanna Ojala	F	L	17	2023	Soini, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
23		Neea Pelkonen	F	L	20	2021	Kiukainen, Satakunta, Finland
24		Iina Seppӓnen (L)	F	L	16	2024
13		Eerika Siekkinen	F	L	19	2022	Pihtipudas, Central Finland, Finland
29		Senja Siivonen	F	L	17	2023	Uusikaupunki, Southwest Finland, Finland
6		Tuuli Tallinen	D	L	19	2021	Anjalankoski, Kymenlaakso, Finland
10		Hannele Tarkiainen	D	L	20	2020	Pieksämäki, South Savo, Finland
2		Sarah Tissarinen	D	L	18	2023

Coaching staff and team personnel

• Head coach: Juuso Nieminen
• Assistant coach: Alexi Salonen
• Goaltender coach: Aku Perälä
• Equipment manager: Janne Hautamaa & Tero Seppӓnen

Team captains

Team Kuortane logo used during 2014 to 2023

• Salla Tammisalo, 2010–11
• Christa Alanko, 2011–12
• Anna Kilponen, 2012–13
• Sara Säkkinen, 2015–2017
• Sini Karjalainen, 2017–18
• Kiia Nousiainen, 2018–19
• Emilia Vesa, 2019–20
• Anna-Lotta Räsänen, 2020–21
• Nea Tervonen, 2021–2023
• Jenniina Kuoppala, September–November 2023
• Peppi Virtanen, December 2023–March 2024
• Kerttu Lehmus, September 2024–

Head coaches

• Jari Risku, 2010–2018
• Arttu Sissala, 2018–19
• Mira Kuisma, 2019–2023
• Juuso Nieminen, 2023–

Team honours

Finnish Championship

• Aurora Borealis Cup Third Place (1): 2018

U20 SM-turnaus

The under-20 (U20) Finnish Championship (SM) tournament is a competition for the top women's under-20 ice hockey teams from across Finland. Team Kuortane has medaled at all but two tournaments since the team's founding in 2010. The championship was not held in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Finnish Champions (6): 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
• Runner-up (1): 2012, 2023, 2024
• Third Place (1): 2011

Notable alumnae

Years active with Team Kuortane listed alongside player name.^[10]

• Sini Karjalainen, 2015–2018
• Anni Keisala, 2013–2016
• Anna Kilponen, 2011–2014
• Niina Mäkinen, 2010–11
• Petra Nieminen, 2015–2018
• Jenniina Nylund, 2015–2018
• Suvi Ollikainen, 2011–2014
• Tiina Ranne, 2010–2014
• Sanni Rantala, 2017–2021
• Eve Savander, 2014–2018
• Sofianna Sundelin, 2018–2023
• Jenna Suokko, 2012–2014
• Eveliina Suonpää, 2011–2014
• Sara Säkkinen, 2014–2018
• Vilma Tanskanen, 2011–2014
• Viivi Vainikka, 2016–2020
• Saana Valkama, 2010–2014
• Emilia Vesa, 2016–2020
• Ella Viitasuo, 2012–2015
• Kiira Yrjänen, 2017–2021