# Esa Keskinen

Esa Juhani Keskinen (born 3 February 1965 in Ylöjärvi, Finland) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey forward.

## Playing career

Keskinen was drafted by the Calgary Flames as their fifth-round pick, 101st overall, in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, but never played in the NHL anytime in his active playing career.
Playing for HV71 in the Swedish Elitserien, he won the Swedish national championship during the 1994–95 season. During the 1995–96 season Keskinen formed with his fellow Finn Kai Nurminen a proficient goal-scoring duo, still playing for HV71. During his years in HV71 he was a popular player among the fans and drew by himself large crowds to the club's, at the time, arena Rosenlundshallen.
Keskinen recorded 658 points (215 goals, 443 assists) and 130 penalty minutes in 478 games in SM-liiga playing for TPS and Lukko. In Elitserien he totalled 203 games with 209 points (61 goals, 148 assists) and 148 penalty minutes playing for HV71. He has been noted for most points in SM-liiga in seasons 1987-88 (69 points), 1992–93 (59 points) and 1993-94 (70 points).

## Awards

* Silver medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
* Awarded the Veli-Pekka Ketola trophy in 1988, 1993 and 1994.
* SM-liiga champion with TPS in 1993 and 2000.
* Awarded the Kultainen kypärä trophy in 1994.
* Awarded Lasse Oksanen trophy in 1994.
* SM-liiga Best Player of Regular Season 1993–94.
* Bronze medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics.
* Elitserien playoff winner with HV71 in 1995.
* Gold medal at the 1995 Ice Hockey World Championship.
* Awarded Guldhjälmen (Most Valuable Player) in 1996.

## Records

* HV71's club record for assists in one season (41)
* HV71's club record for points in one season (59)

## 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 |
| 1980–81 | KOOVEE | FIN U20 | 32 | 46 | 20 | 66 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1981–82 | FoPS | FIN.2 | 27 | 14 | 18 | 32 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982–83 | FoPS | FIN.2 | 15 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1983–84 | TPS | SM-l | 31 | 10 | 25 | 35 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984–85 | TPS | SM-l | 35 | 11 | 22 | 33 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| 1985–86 | TPS | SM-l | 36 | 18 | 28 | 46 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1986–87 | TPS | SM-l | 44 | 25 | 36 | 61 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1987–88 | TPS | SM-l | 44 | 14 | 55 | 69 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | Lukko | SM-l | 41 | 24 | 46 | 70 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989–90 | Lukko | SM-l | 44 | 25 | 26 | 51 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990–91 | Lukko | SM-l | 44 | 17 | 51 | 68 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | TPS | SM-l | 44 | 24 | 45 | 69 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992–93 | TPS | SM-l | 44 | 16 | 43 | 59 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 4 |
| 1993–94 | TPS | SM-l | 47 | 23 | 47 | 70 | 28 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 4 |
| 1994–95 | HV71 | SEL | 39 | 15 | 29 | 44 | 48 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 |
| 1995–96 | HV71 | SEL | 39 | 18 | 41 | 59 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| 1996–97 | HV71 | SEL | 34 | 9 | 27 | 36 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | HV71 | SEL | 46 | 16 | 29 | 45 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| 1998–99 | HV71 | SEL | 45 | 3 | 22 | 25 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–2000 | TPS | SM-l | 22 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 |
| SM-l totals | SM-l totals | SM-l totals | 478 | 215 | 443 | 658 | 130 | 64 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 12 |
| SEL totals | SEL totals | SEL totals | 203 | 61 | 148 | 209 | 148 | 20 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 12 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1981 | Finland | EJC | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 19 |
| 1982 | Finland | EJC | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1983 | Finland | EJC | 5 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| 1984 | Finland | WJC | 7 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 0 |
| 1985 | Finland | WJC | 7 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 2 |
| 1988 | Finland | OG | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1989 | Finland | WC | 10 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 2 |
| 1990 | Finland | WC | 10 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 1991 | Finland | WC | 10 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 |
| 1994 | Finland | OG | 8 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| 1994 | Finland | WC | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| 1995 | Finland | WC | 8 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| 1996 | Finland | WC | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 29 | 19 | 26 | 45 | 23 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 67 | 10 | 33 | 43 | 32 |