# Veli-Matti Savinainen

Veli-Matti Savinainen (born 5 January 1986) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward who currently plays for Tappara of the Liiga.

## Playing career

Savinainen has previously played for the Liiga clubs, Ässät and Tappara, and for HC Ugra, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Russian KHL, as well as Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He Joined Leksands IF on a one-year contract on 30 August 2014 after spending the 2013–14 season with Ugra.
After completing his second stint with HC Yugra following the 2017–18 season, posting 17 points in 50 games, Savinainen left as a free agent but opted to continue in the KHL, in joining Chinese outfit Kunlun Red Star on a one-year contract on May 2, 2018.
Following his lone season in China in the 2018–19 season, Savinainen returned to Finland to continue in the KHL, signing a two-year contract Jokerit on May 4, 2019.

## International play

Savinainen was named to the Finland men's national ice hockey team for competition at the 2014 IIHF World Championship.

## 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 |
| 2001–02 | Blues | FIN U16 | 12 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | FoPS | FIN.2 U20 | 28 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | FoPS | FIN.2 U20 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | FoPS | FIN.3 U20 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 32 |
| 2005–06 | FoPS | FIN.3 U20 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | FPS | Mestis | 35 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006–07 | FPS | Mestis | 44 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | Ässät | SM-l | 48 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | KooKoo | Mestis | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | Ässät | SM-l | 51 | 6 | 19 | 25 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | Ässät | SM-l | 50 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | Ässät | SM-l | 55 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 34 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2011–12 | Ässät | SM-l | 60 | 17 | 14 | 31 | 67 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2012–13 | Ässät | SM-l | 46 | 20 | 16 | 36 | 43 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 10 |
| 2013–14 | HC Yugra | KHL | 49 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Leksands IF | SHL | 24 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod | KHL | 25 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 2015–16 | Tappara | Liiga | 44 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 18 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 28 |
| 2016–17 | Tappara | Liiga | 55 | 30 | 26 | 56 | 36 | 17 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 30 |
| 2017–18 | HC Yugra | KHL | 50 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Kunlun Red Star | KHL | 37 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Jokerit | KHL | 44 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 27 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 2020–21 | Jokerit | KHL | 52 | 14 | 10 | 24 | 58 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2021–22 | Jokerit | KHL | 45 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Liiga totals | Liiga totals | Liiga totals | 409 | 99 | 117 | 216 | 316 | 61 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 70 |
| KHL totals | KHL totals | KHL totals | 302 | 63 | 56 | 119 | 225 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 18 |
| SHL totals | SHL totals | SHL totals | 24 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2013 | Finland | WC | 4th | 10 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 2014 | Finland | WC | | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2017 | Finland | WC | 4th | 10 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 |
| 2018 | Finland | OG | 6th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2018 | Finland | WC | 5th | 8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 |
| 2019 | Finland | WC | | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 50 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 18 |