Mikko Jokela (born March 4, 1980) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey defenceman. Jokela played one game in the National Hockey League for the Vancouver Canucks in 2003.

Mikko Jokela
Born (1980-03-04) March 4, 1980 (age 44)
Lappeenranta, Finland
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Right
Played for HIFK
SaiPa
Vancouver Canucks
HPK
Jokerit
HC Dinamo Minsk
Timrå IK
KalPa
EC VSV
KooKoo
National team  Finland
NHL draft 96th overall, 1998
New Jersey Devils
Playing career 1997–2017

Playing career

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Jokela started his ice hockey career with the KalPa junior team, and was selected 96th overall in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils He represented various SM-liiga teams before he signed with the Devils for the 2001–02 NHL season. Jokela spent the season with the AHL Albany River Rats, and after starting the next season in the AHL, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for Steve Kariya, where he played his only NHL game in the 2002–03 season.

After another year with the Canucks' AHL affiliate Manitoba Moose, Jokela returned to Finland and signed with HPK. He was made team captain for the 2005–06 season when the team won the SM-liiga championship. In April 2007, he signed a three-year contract with Jokerit. However, he moved to KHL team HC Dynamo Minsk after his second season with Jokerit. After spending the 2009–10 season with Minsk, he took his game to Sweden and joined SHL side Timrå IK for the 2010–11 campaign. In 2011, he embarked on a three-year stint with HIFK in the Finnish Liiga.

On March 21, 2014, Jokela left HIFK after three seasons and signed a two-year contract in returning to captain fellow Finnish Liiga club, KalPa.[1] He served as team captain both years and left for Austria when his contract was up, signing with EC VSV of the EBEL in May 2016.[2]

Midway through his season with VSV, Jokela opted to leave the club and return to Finland with KooKoo of the Liiga, where he opted to end his professional playing career after 20 years.[3]

International play

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Jokela made Finland's roster for the 2008 World Championships and also represented his country at the Euro Hockey Tour on several occasions.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1994–95 KalPa U16 FIN Jr-3 29 7 12 19 36
1995–96 KalPa U16 FIN Jr-3 23 10 19 29 103 6 3 5 8 4
1995–96 KalPa U18 FIN Jr-2 9 2 1 3 20 19 20 15 35 27
1995–96 KalPa U20 FIN Jr 2 0 0 0 0
1996–97 KalPa U18 FIN Jr-2 11 3 2 5 8 5 1 1 2 4
1996–97 KalPa U20 FIN Jr 22 2 4 6 4
1997–98 HIFK U18 FIN Jr-2 4 5 1 6 2
1997–98 HIFK U20 FIN Jr 22 2 5 7 14
1997–98 HIFK FIN 16 0 0 0 0
1997–98 Kokkolan Hermes FIN-2 6 0 1 1 2
1998–99 HIFK FIN 3 0 0 0 2
1998–99 HIFK U20 FIN Jr 1 1 0 1 2
1998–99 KalPa FIN 42 1 2 3 18
1999–00 SaiPa U20 FIN Jr 4 2 2 4 2 2 0 0 0 2
1999–00 SaiPa FIN 48 0 5 5 50
2000–01 SaiPa U20 FIN Jr 4 2 2 4 2 2 0 0 0 2
2000–01 SaiPa FIN 50 1 0 1 24
2000–01 KooKoo FIN-2 5 3 0 3 0
2001–02 Albany River Rats AHL 56 5 13 18 28
2002–03 Albany River Rats AHL 44 8 11 19 35
2002–03 Vancouver Canucks NHL 1 0 0 0 0
2002–03 Manitoba Moose AHL 32 3 7 10 17 14 1 4 5 2
2003–04 Manitoba Moose AHL 78 5 10 15 52
2004–05 HPK FIN 55 4 12 16 102 10 2 1 3 12
2005–06 HPK FIN 25 6 2 8 65 11 2 3 5 43
2006–07 HPK FIN 29 5 12 17 40 9 1 3 4 12
2007–08 Jokerit FIN 51 7 11 18 42 14 1 3 4 12
2008–09 Jokerit FIN 55 8 20 28 72 2 1 0 1 2
2009–10 Dinamo Minsk KHL 18 0 2 2 6
2010–11 Timrå SWE 44 1 10 11 56
2011–12 HIFK FIN 45 4 8 12 70 4 0 0 0 4
2012–13 HIFK FIN 56 3 11 14 88 8 0 1 1 4
2013–14 HIFK FIN 51 1 11 12 24 2 0 0 0 0
2014–15 KalPa FIN 53 3 6 9 40 6 0 0 0 2
2015–16 KalPa FIN 56 2 2 4 40 3 0 0 0 2
2016–17 Villach EBEL 15 2 3 5 16
2016–17 KooKoo FIN 24 3 2 5 30
NHL totals 1 0 0 0 0
KHL totals 18 0 2 2 6
FIN totals 659 48 104 152 707 75 7 11 18 95

International

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Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
1997 Finland U17 3 0 0 0 7
1997 Finland EJC 6 1 0 1 6
1998 Finland EJC 6 1 6 7 22
1999 Finland WJC 6 0 2 2 6
2000 Finland WJC 7 0 1 1 2
2008 Finland WC 9 0 0 0 6
Junior totals 28 2 9 1 43
Senior totals 9 0 0 0 6

References

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  1. ^ "Mikko Jokela brings leadership, experience to KalPa" (in Finnish). KalPa. March 21, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  2. ^ "VSV holt Abwehrrecken Mikko Jokela! | EC VSV - Der Adlerhorst im Internet". www.ecvsv.at. Archived from the original on May 19, 2016. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  3. ^ "Mikko Jokela ends his career" (in Finnish). KooKoo. August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
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