SM-Liiga Team Profile: Kalpa

KUOPIO, FINLAND – Kalpa, the pride of Kuopio and the team that has brought some formidable NHL talents through its junior ranks. Kalpa has experienced somewhat of an upward yo-yo move in the last three seasons. In the past when you looked at SM-Liiga schedule, you always wanted your team play against Kalpa. Not because it would be a tight or a good game, but because it would be a high scoring event and you would see the Kalpa goalie Kimmo Kapanen (now retired) literally stand on his head to pull an amazing save. Those games were highlight reel stuff, for Kapanen and the team you supported, unless of course that team was Kalpa.
 
So what has changed the fortunes? Kalpa was actually relegated to the amateur levels and during the NHL lock out, part owners Kimmo Timonen (then with Nashville) and Sami Kapanen (then with Philadelphia) managed to attract big name players to play in the Finnish first division, Mestis, of all places. Players like Scott Hartnell and Shea Webber donned the Kalpa uniform during the lock out season, when the team won the division title and promotion back to the SM-Liiga.
 
Interestingly from those days, Hartnell is still a part owner in Kalpa, as is Timonen and Kapanen is a majority owner of the team. After Kalpa’s disappointing exit in the semi-final stage of the 2010 playoffs, Hartnell said that he still follows the team and its progress and looks after his investment in the team.
 
From the punch bag to contenders
As said at the start of the article, Kalpa’s history has been a far cry of success. Despite appearing in the finals in 1991, Kalpa disappeared off the SM-Liiga map in 1999, when the team went bankrupt. Since then the team had to reform and start a re-building process which saw them first compete in a largely semi professiona league Suomi Sarja (third tier in Finland) and through Mestis (second tier under SM-Liiga), where it won two titles in 2004 and 2005.
 
Despite the dark ages in early 2000 and the sub-par performances in the 1990s, Kalpa is now recognized as a formidable hockey team. Though the team faced teething problems in its return to the SM-Liiga level as it finished in the bottom in its first two years and second from bottom in the third year.
 
Return of Kapanen
The 2008-2009 season was a turning point for Kalpa when the NHL veteran Sami Kapanen announced that he would return to Finland and Kalpa. Many laughed at Kapanen and expected his team to fight for the last place again, but soon after Kapanen’s arrival, Kalpa announced a stack of formidable Finnish players to its roster. Players like Kalle Shalsted and Mika Stromberg brought both experience and poise to the team.   With new team together, Kalpa made its first playoff appearance in 2008-2009 season and finished third after beating Espoo Blues in the bronze final. 2009-2010 season saw Kalpa in the Playoffs again and as the year before, the team lost in the semi final stages to HPK and later lost the bronze final to JYP.   Retirements The 2010-2011 season will be challenging for Kalpa as its core players Kapanen, Shalsted and Stromberg all retired at the end of the season. Kapanen said in an interview that it was the right time, and revealed that he is still suffering from memory blanks suffered in the devastating hit by Tie Domi that left Kapanen with Bambi legs as he struggled to reach the Flyer’s bench. Kapanen has assumed a front office role at Kalpa and as far as the roster goes. The team has secured 1999 NHL first round draft pick, Ari Ahonen, as its number one goalie and a promising Aleksis Ahlqvist as the back up. Also added to the offensive line is Janne Laakkonen who returns from playing at HIFK last season.   Kalpa’s roster does look well rounded, but one can’t help but question: how big of a hole did Kapanen and Shalsted leave in the offence and who will step up to take Stromberg’s leadership qualities in defence?   City: Kuopio, Finland Founded: 1929 Home Arena and Capacity: Kuopion Jaahalli, 5,224 Colours: Yellow, Black Championships:  0 (1 times Silver, 1 times Bronze)   Notable Players: Sami Kapanen (retired. Former Philadelphia Fylers, Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes), Kimmo Timonen (Philadelphia Flyers), Olli Jokinen (Calgary Flames), Reijo Ruotsalainen (retired. Former Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils), Marko Jantunen (former Calgary Flames)   Contact Janne.Virtanen@prohockeynews.com