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
CityKuortane, Finland
LeagueAuroraliiga
Founded2010 (2010)
Home arenaKuortaneen jäähalli
ColoursWhite, blue
   
Owner(s)Finnish Ice Hockey Association
Head coachJuuso Nieminen
CaptainKerttu Lehmus
Franchise history
2010–2014Team Oriflame Kuortane
2014–presentTeam Kuortane
Championships
U20 Finnish Championship6 (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
Current season

Season-by-season results

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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)

Players and personnel

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2024–25 roster

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As of 20 October 2024[6][7][8][9]
No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
25   Abigail Byskata F R 17 2022 Cebu, Central Visayas, Philippines
3   Alva Eloluoma D 17 2023
18   Leni Granroth F L 16 2023 Vantaa, Uusimaa, Finland
4   Sara Holopainen D L 17 2023 Vantaa, Uusimaa, Finland
36   Lilia Huovinen G L 18 2022 Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
5   Oona Hӓmӓlӓinen D L 16 2024 Oulunsalo, North Ostrobothnia, Finland
15   Erika Kankkunen F L 17 2023 Järvenpää, Uusimaa, Finland
7   Sofia Kari (A) F R 19 2020 Alajärvi, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
30   Minttu Kataja G 15 2024
14   Neea Ketola F 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 19 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 20 2020 Kalajoki, North Ostrobothnia, Finland
27   Jennika Ojala D L 18 2021 Soini, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
26   Joanna Ojala F L 16 2023 Soini, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
23   Neea Pelkonen F L 19 2021 Kiukainen, Satakunta, Finland
24   Iina Seppӓnen F L 15 2024
13   Eerika Siekkinen F L 18 2022 Pihtipudas, Central Finland, Finland
29   Senja Siivonen F L 16 2023 Uusikaupunki, Southwest Finland, Finland
6   Tuuli Tallinen D L 18 2021 Anjalankoski, Kymenlaakso, Finland
10   Hannele Tarkiainen D L 20 2020 Pieksämäki, South Savo, Finland
2   Sarah Tissarinen D L 17 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

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Team Kuortane logo used during 2014 to 2023

Head coaches

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Team honours

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Finnish Championship

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U20 SM-turnaus

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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

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

References

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  1. ^ "Sinille ja Saralle SM-kultaa – Team Kuortane voitti A-tyttöjen Suomen kiekkomestaruuden". Koillissanomat (in Finnish). 27 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  2. ^ Pakarinen, Risto (10 January 2023). "A view from the top". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  3. ^ Oliver, Nathaniel (18 January 2018). "Is Finland's Elli Mäkelä the Next Kimmo Timonen?". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Kuortaneen urheilulukio - Jääkiekko". kuortane.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Team Oriflame Kuortane nuorella joukkueella SM-sarjaan". leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. 10 September 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  6. ^ "2024-2025 Team Kuortane Roster & Staff". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Kokoonpano Kuortane, Harjoitusottelut Naisten Liiga". Finnish Ice Hockey Association. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  8. ^ "2023-2024, Naisten Liiga – Kookoonpano Kuortane". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  9. ^ "2024-2025 Auroraliiga – Kokoonpano Kuortane". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). September 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Team Kuortane - All Time Regular Season Player Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
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