# Kai Suikkanen

Kai Petri Suikkanen (born June 29, 1959) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey left wing. Currently, he works as the head coach of Augsburger Panther of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).

## Playing career

* Suikkanen played in two games in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres, and spent most of his career in Finland's SM-liiga with Kärpät and TPS Turku.
* Two times Kanada-malja champion: 1980–81, 1990–91
* Calder Cup champion, season 1982-83.

## Coaching career

* Suikkanen Head coached Kajaanin Hokki as the champion of the Mestis (Second-highest league in Finland), during the season 2006–07.
* Suikkanen Head coached TPS as the champion of the SM-Liiga (top league in Finland), during the season 2009–10.
* Suikkanen worked as the head coach of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl during the 2010–11 KHL season.
* Suikkanen Head coached HC Bozen-Bolzano as the champion of the Austrian Hockey League (EBEL league), during the season 2017–18.

## International

Suikkanen won a silver medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary as a member of the Finland men's national ice hockey team.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1975–76 | Kärpät | FIN Jr. | 34 | 28 | 7 | 35 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976–77 | Kärpät | FIN Jr. | 9 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976–77 | Kärpät | FIN II | 16 | 15 | 4 | 19 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| 1977–78 | Kärpät | SM-l | 35 | 21 | 6 | 27 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1978–79 | Kärpät | SM-l | 36 | 16 | 6 | 22 | 65 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Kärpät | SM-l | 36 | 21 | 17 | 38 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 1980–81 | Kärpät | SM-l | 33 | 20 | 11 | 31 | 60 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 32 |
| 1981–82 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1981–82 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 71 | 34 | 33 | 67 | 32 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| 1982–83 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982–83 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 66 | 33 | 44 | 77 | 65 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 21 |
| 1983–84 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 15 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1983–84 | Kärpät | SM-l | 23 | 9 | 4 | 13 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 8 |
| 1984–85 | Kärpät | SM-l | 22 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 47 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| 1985–86 | Kärpät | SM-l | 33 | 26 | 10 | 36 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| 1986–87 | Kärpät | SM-l | 44 | 24 | 25 | 49 | 30 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 6 |
| 1987–88 | Kärpät | SM-l | 26 | 17 | 14 | 31 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | Kärpät | SM-l | 33 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989–90 | Kärpät | FIN II | 35 | 17 | 24 | 41 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990–91 | TPS | SM-l | 41 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| SM-l totals | SM-l totals | SM-l totals | 362 | 179 | 112 | 291 | 330 | 56 | 21 | 14 | 35 | 82 |
| AHL totals | AHL totals | AHL totals | 152 | 74 | 87 | 161 | 99 | 25 | 11 | 9 | 20 | 25 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1978 | Finland | WJC | 6 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| 1979 | Finland | WJC | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1986 | Finland | WC | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 1988 | Finland | OG | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 12 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 9 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 18 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 |