Ilkka Sinisalo

Ilkka Antero Jouko Sinisalo (July 10, 1958 – April 5, 2017) was a Finnish professional ice hockey forward who played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers,[1] Minnesota North Stars and Los Angeles Kings. Later he was a scout for the Flyers.

Ilkka Sinisalo
Born	(1958-07-10)July 10, 1958 Valkeakoski, Finland
Died	April 5, 2017(2017-04-05) (aged 58) Finland
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	NHL Philadelphia Flyers Minnesota North Stars Los Angeles Kings SM-liiga HIFK HPK Ilves Kiekko-Espoo
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	1978–1996

Playing career

Sinisalo was originally a junior product of HIFK. He played in the NHL from 1981–1992, scoring 204 goals and 426 points, mostly with the Flyers. Sinisalo is ranked as the all-time leading goal scorer among European Philadelphia Flyers. He is also ranked the fourth-highest Finnish goal scorer in NHL history, and he was honored by induction to the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.[2]

When Sinisalo started his ice hockey career in the 1970s, NHL teams did not scout extensively in Finland. The first Finnish ice hockey player in NHL was Matti Hagman for the 1976–77 Boston Bruins. However, NHL scouts were so impressed by Sinisalo's talents that they made an exception by signing him as a free agent after his 1980–81 season with HIFK, where he scored 27 goals in 36 games. He signed his first NHL contract on February 17, 1981.[3] Sinisalo started his first season with the Flyers with his first NHL goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sinisalo became the first Flyer to score his first NHL goal on a penalty shot, and the third NHL player at that time.[2] During the 1984–85 season, Sinisalo scored 73 points in 70 games, with a +32 rating. The 1989–90 season was Sinisalo's last with the Flyers, after which he played one season for the Minnesota North Stars and two seasons for the Los Angeles Kings.[2]

Sinisalo retired from hockey in 1996, last playing for the Kiekko-Espoo in the SM-Liiga.

Career after retirement

After playing his last season of professional ice hockey for Kiekko-Espoo in 1995–96 in Finland he took a job as the general manager of the club. He served as Kiekko-Espoo GM until 1998–99. He was then hired by San Jose Sharks general manager Dean Lombardi on September 12, 1998 as a European-based scout for the Sharks. In July 2004, he was back in the Flyers organization as their European scout.[2]

Personal life

Sinisalo's son Tomas is a professional ice hockey player, primarily in Finland, having attended the Flyers' training camp in 2009.

Sinisalo died as a result of prostate cancer on April 5, 2017.[4][5]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1976–77	PiTa	FIN II		35	22	16	38	8		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	HIFK	SM-l		36	9	3	12	18		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	HIFK	SM-l		30	6	4	10	16		6	4	1	5	2
1979–80	HIFK	SM-l		35	16	9	25	16		7	1	3	4	4
1980–81	HIFK	SM-l		36	27	17	44	14		6	5	3	8	4
1981–82	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		66	15	22	37	22		4	0	2	2	0
1982–83	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		61	21	29	50	16		3	1	1	2	0
1983–84	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		73	29	17	46	29		2	2	0	2	0
1984–85	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		70	36	37	73	16		19	6	1	7	0
1985–86	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		74	39	37	76	31		5	2	2	4	2
1986–87	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		42	10	21	31	8		18	5	1	6	4
1987–88	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		68	25	17	42	30		7	4	2	6	0
1988–89	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		13	1	6	7	2		8	1	1	2	0
1989–90	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		59	23	23	46	26		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		46	5	12	17	24		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		7	0	0	0	2		2	0	1	1	0
1991–92	Los Angeles Kings	NHL		3	0	1	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Phoenix Roadrunners	IHL		42	19	21	40	32		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	HPK	SM-l		46	13	16	29	55		12	2	3	5	8
1993–94	Kärpät	FIN II		28	27	15	42	20		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Ilves	SM-l		12	1	6	7	10		4	1	0	1	6
1994–95	Ilves	SM-l		30	2	7	9	45		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Kiekko-Espoo	SM-l		16	7	7	14	6		4	0	3	3	4
1995–96	Kiekko-Espoo	SM-l		44	7	12	19	36		—	—	—	—	—
SM-l totals				285	88	81	169	216		39	13	13	26	28
NHL totals				582	204	222	426	208		68	21	11	32	6

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1978	Finland	WJC		6	1	7	8	4
1981	Finland	WC		5	0	1	1	4
1981	Finland	CC		5	1	0	1	6
1982	Finland	WC		5	1	1	2	6
1983	Finland	WC		8	0	2	2	4
Senior totals				23	2	4	6	20

References

1. "SPORTS PEOPLE; Flyers Sign Sinisalo". The New York Times. 21 May 1989. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
2. Meltzer, Bill (October 23, 2006). "Flyers Heroes of the Past: Ilkka Sinisalo". Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
3. "The Philadelphia Flyers signed left wing Ilkka Sinisalo, a..." UPI. February 17, 1981. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
4. "Ilkka Sinisalo, former Philadelphia Flyers forward, dies at 58". National Hockey League. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
5. "Ilkka Sinisalo on kuollut 58-vuotianna" [Ilkka Sinisalo dies at 58]. Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 5 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or Legends of Hockey, or The Internet Hockey Database