# Olli Palola

Olli Palola (born 8 April 1988) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward who plays professionally for Timrå IK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

## Playing career

Palola saw his first action in the Finnish top-flight Liiga during the 2006–07 season, playing six contests for Ilves. He then spent four years with fellow Liiga team Lukko, helping the team to a third-place finish in 2010–11. After having transferred to Tappara, he made it to the 2013 and 2014 Liiga finals with the team. During the 2013-14 campaign, Palola scored 30 goals and dealt out 26 assists in 80 games and was presented with the Aarne Honkavaara Trophy as the league's best goalscorer. He won the award also the following season (2014–15) after tallying 40 goals and 25 assists in 80 games en route to another Liiga runner-up finish.
Palola then opted to continue his career in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), signing with HC Vityaz for the 2015–16 season. His number went down in Russia: He saw the ice in 27 KHL games, scoring one goal and dishing out four assists.
In May 2016, he signed a contract with the Växjö Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). After returning to the KHL the following season with Jokerit, Palola signed as a free agent a one-year contract with Chinese outfit Kunlun Red Star for the 2018–19 season on May 2, 2018.

## International play

Palola won his first caps for Finland's men's national team during the 2013–14 season: He played at the Euro Hockey Tour and won a silver medal with Team Finland at the 2014 IIHF World Championships in Minsk. Palola made ten appearances during the tournament, chipping in with four goals.

## 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 |
| 2005–06 | Ilves | Jr. A | 29 | 8 | 3 | 11 | 60 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 2006–07 | Ilves | Jr. A | 30 | 17 | 15 | 32 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2006–07 | Ilves | SM-l | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | Ilves | Jr. A | 41 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | Ilves | SM-l | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008–09 | Ilves | Jr. A | 35 | 21 | 36 | 57 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | Ilves | SM-l | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | Ilves | Jr. A | 4 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | Ilves | SM-l | 45 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010–11 | Ilves | SM-l | 41 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2010–11 | Hokki | Mestis | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | LeKi | Mestis | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | Tappara | SM-l | 45 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | Sport | Mestis | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | Tappara | SM-l | 36 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 33 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| 2012–13 | LeKi | Mestis | 18 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | Tappara | Liiga | 60 | 27 | 17 | 44 | 46 | 20 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 8 |
| 2014–15 | Tappara | Liiga | 60 | 29 | 20 | 49 | 42 | 20 | 11 | 5 | 16 | 12 |
| 2015–16 | HC Vityaz | KHL | 27 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Växjö Lakers | SHL | 52 | 21 | 27 | 48 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 2017–18 | Jokerit | KHL | 50 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 4 |
| 2018–19 | Kunlun Red Star | KHL | 61 | 19 | 6 | 25 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019–20 | Kunlun Red Star | KHL | 38 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Rögle BK | SHL | 43 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 26 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| 2021–22 | HIFK | Liiga | 37 | 14 | 12 | 26 | 28 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 2022–23 | HIFK | Liiga | 23 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Liiga totals | Liiga totals | Liiga totals | 366 | 87 | 70 | 157 | 211 | 75 | 21 | 16 | 37 | 30 |
| KHL totals | KHL totals | KHL totals | 176 | 32 | 30 | 62 | 54 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 4 |
| SHL totals | SHL totals | SHL totals | 95 | 33 | 41 | 74 | 44 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 6 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2014 | Finland | WC | | 10 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| 2018 | Finland | WC | 5th | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 16 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 8 |