# Karoliina Rantamäki Award

The Karoliina Rantamäki Award (Finnish: Karoliina Rantamäki -palkinto, lit. 'Karoliina Rantamäki trophy') is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association to the playoff MVP of the Naisten Liiga, called the Naisten SM-sarja during 1982 to 2017. The Naisten SM-sarja Playoff MVP trophy was first awarded in the 1999–2000 season and the first recipient was forward Kati Kovalainen of Espoo Blues Naiset.
The most Karoliina Rantamäki Awards won by a single player is three, a record fittingly held by HIFK Naiset captain Karoliina Rantamäki. Rantamäki was recognized as the Naisten SM-sarja Playoff MVP in 2001, 2005, and 2007, all while playing with the Espoo Blues. The award was named after Rantamäki in the 2010–11 season. Of the ten players with Naisten Liiga trophies named in their honor, Rantamäki is the only player to hold the most wins of her eponymous award; she also holds the record for most Marianne Ihalainen Awards, with six, and most Tiia Reima Awards, with eight.
The Karoliina Rantamäki Award correlates with post-retirement coaching positions more than any other Naisten Liiga award; of the nine retired players who won the award during their playing careers, six have held or currently hold coaching positions: Maija Hassinen-Sullanmaa (2006), Sanna Lankosaari (2002), Linda Leppänen (née Välimäki; 2010, 2014), Isabella Laiho (née Portnoj; 2015) in the Naisten Liiga, Riikka Sallinen (née Nieminen, previously Välilä; 2016) in the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL), and Mira Jalosuo (2017) in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).

## Award winners

| Year | Winner | Team | Pos. |
| 2000 | Kati Kovalainen | Blues | F |
| 2001 | Karoliina Rantamäki | Blues | F |
| 2002 | Sanna Lankosaari | IHK | F |
| 2003 | Heidi Wiik | Blues | G |
| 2004 | Heidi Wiik | Blues | G |
| 2005 | Karoliina Rantamäki | Blues | F |
| 2006 | Maija Hassinen | Ilves | G |
| 2007 | Karoliina Rantamäki | Blues | F |
| 2008 | Noora Räty | Blues | G |
| 2009 | Noora Räty | Blues | G |
| 2010 | Linda Välimäki | Ilves | F |
| 2011 | Annina Rajahuhta | HPK | F |
| 2012 | Susanna Airaksinen | Kärpät | G |
| 2013 | Emma Nuutinen | Blues | F |
| 2014 | Linda Välimäki | Blues | F |
| 2015 | Isabella Portnoj | Blues | G |
| 2016 | Riikka Välilä | JYP | F |
| 2017 | Mira Jalosuo | Kärpät | D |
| 2018 | Johanna Oksman | Kärpät | G |
| 2019 | Ida Kuoppala | Espoo (L) | F |
| 2020 | Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Tiia Pajarinen | K-Espoo | G |
| 2022 | Nelli Laitinen | K-Espoo | D |
| 2023 | Sanni Vanhanen | HIFK | F |
| 2024 | Clara Rozier | HIFK | F |
Source: Jääkiekkokirja 2021, Elite Prospects

## All time award recipients

| Player | Wins | Year(s) won |
| Karoliina Rantamäki | 3 | 2001, 2005, 2007 |
| Noora Räty | 2 | 2008, 2009 |
| Linda Välimäki | 2 | 2010, 2014 |
| Heidi Wiik | 2 | 2003, 2004 |
| Susanna Airaksinen | 1 | 2012 |
| Maija Hassinen | 1 | 2006 |
| Mira Jalosuo | 1 | 2017 |
| Kati Kovalainen | 1 | 2000 |
| Ida Kuoppala | 1 | 2019 |
| Nelli Laitinen | 1 | 2022 |
| Sanna Lankosaari | 1 | 2002 |
| Emma Nuutinen | 1 | 2013 |
| Johanna Oksman | 1 | 2018 |
| Tiia Pajarinen | 1 | 2021 |
| Isabella Portnoj | 1 | 2015 |
| Annina Rajahuhta | 1 | 2011 |
| Clara Rozier | 1 | 2024 |
| Sanni Vanhanen | 1 | 2023 |
| Riikka Välilä | 1 | 2016 |