# Ville Pokka

Ville Pokka (born 3 June 1994) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenseman, who is currently a free agent.

## Playing career

Pokka played with Kärpät in the SM-Liiga during the 2010–11 season. He was drafted 23rd overall by Avangard Omsk in the 2012 KHL Junior Draft and 34th overall by the New York Islanders in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
On 28 May 2014, Pokka was signed to a three-year entry-level contract with the Islanders.
Prior to the 2014–15 season, on 4 October 2014, Pokka was traded, along with T. J. Brennan and Anders Nilsson by the Islanders to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Nick Leddy and Kent Simpson. He was then directly assigned to the Blackhawks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.
After three seasons with the organization (all of which were spent with the IceHogs), the Blackhawks re-signed Pokka to a one-year, $650,000 contract extension on 27 June 2017.
In the 2017–18 season, Pokka was reassigned to the IceHogs. On 13 December 2017, Pokka was recalled by the Blackhawks. However, remained a healthy scratch before returning to Rockford on 18 December. After posting 22 points in 46 games, Pokka was traded by the Blackhawks to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Chris DiDomenico on 15 February 2018. Pokka joined the Senators AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, and continued to provide offense from the blueline with 3 goals and 11 points in 23 games to end the season.
As an impending restricted free agent with the Senators, Pokka opted to leave North America by agreeing to a one-year contract with his Russian KHL draft club, Avangard Omsk, on 8 May 2018.
In March 2022, Pokka left Avangard Omsk during the playoffs due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As a free agent in the off-season, Pokka signed a one-year contract in moving to Sweden with Färjestad BK of the SHL, on 5 June 2022.
In 2023, he signed with EHC Biel-Bienne of the NL before being loaned to SC Bern in December. In January 2024, he terminated his deal with Biel-Bienne and signed with Bern for the rest of the year.

## 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 |
| 2009–10 | Kärpät | FIN U18 | 20 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2010–11 | Kärpät | FIN U18 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| 2010–11 | Kärpät | Jr.A | 32 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | Kärpät | SM-l | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | Kiekko–Laser | Mestis | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | Kärpät | Jr. A | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | Kärpät | SM-l | 35 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 2012–13 | Kärpät | Jr. A | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | Kärpät | SM-l | 47 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2013–14 | Kärpät | Liiga | 54 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 16 | 16 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 10 |
| 2014–15 | Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 68 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015–16 | Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 76 | 10 | 35 | 45 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016–17 | Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 76 | 6 | 24 | 30 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017–18 | Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 46 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017–18 | Belleville Senators | AHL | 23 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Avangard Omsk | KHL | 61 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 8 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 2019–20 | Avangard Omsk | KHL | 62 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020–21 | Avangard Omsk | KHL | 31 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 24 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| 2021–22 | Avangard Omsk | KHL | 39 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2022–23 | Färjestad BK | SHL | 49 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Liiga totals | Liiga totals | Liiga totals | 138 | 12 | 30 | 42 | 38 | 28 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 12 |
| KHL totals | KHL totals | KHL totals | 193 | 15 | 39 | 54 | 50 | 51 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 18 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2011 | Finland | U17 | 7th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 2011 | Finland | WJC18 | 5th | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2011 | Finland | IH18 | 4th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| 2012 | Finland | WJC | 4th | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 2012 | Finland | WJC18 | 4th | 7 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| 2013 | Finland | WJC | 7th | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| 2014 | Finland | WJC | | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 2016 | Finland | WC | | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | Finland | WCH | 8th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | Finland | WC | 5th | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | Finland | WC | | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 2022 | Finland | OG | | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 2022 | Finland | WC | | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 43 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 22 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 45 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 4 |

## Awards and honors

| Award | Year |
| Liiga |||
| Matti Keinonen Trophy | 2014 |
| Kanada-malja (Oulun Kärpät) | 2014 |
| AHL |||
| All-Rookie Team | 2015 |
| KHL |||
| Gagarin Cup (Avangard Omsk) | 2021 |