page_title: Miikka Kiprusoff
section_title: Calgary Flames
hierarchical_section_title: Miikka Kiprusoff / Playing career / Calgary Flames
caption_attribution_description: English: Miikka Kiprusoff of the Calgary Flames
context_page_description: Miikka Sakari Kiprusoff, nicknamed Kipper, is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks during his National Hockey League career. He was selected in the fifth round, 116th overall, by the Sharks in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, and has also played professionally for TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga, as well as for both AIK IF and Timrå IK of the Swedish Elitserien.
  Kiprusoff represented Finland several times on the international stage, earning silver medals at the Ice Hockey World Championships in 1999 and 2001, as well as leading the Finns to a surprise second-place finish at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He also helped the Finnish national hockey team win the bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
  Kiprusoff began his professional career with TPS in 1994, and was named the best goaltender and best player of the playoffs in 1999 as he led them to the SM-liiga championship. He then moved to North America in 1999, and after two All-Star seasons in the American Hockey League, made his NHL debut with the San Jose Sharks, where he served primarily as the team's backup.
context_section_description: The trade provided immediate dividends for the Flames, as Kiprusoff recorded 22 saves in a 2–1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in his first game with Calgary on November 20. He won 12 of 17 starts between November 20 and December 29, giving up one goal or fewer 11 times in that stretch. He was named the defensive player of the month for December by the League, but suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his knee at the end of the month that forced him out of the lineup for four weeks.
  Kiprusoff's play remained strong upon his return, as he was counted on to lead the Flames to the playoffs for the first time in eight years. A 1–0 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes clinched a berth in the 2004 playoffs for the Flames, an achievement which earned Kiprusoff a standing ovation from the Calgary fans. He finished the regular season with a modern NHL record-low GAA of 1.69. His stellar play continued into the playoffs, as he won 15 games, five of them via shutout, leading the Flames to within one victory of a Stanley Cup championship. He was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the best goaltender in the League, and was given a one-year, $2.95 million contract for 2004–05 by an arbitrator, an increase in salary of nearly four times his previous contract.
  As the 2004–05 lockout led to the cancellation of the season, Kiprusoff chose to play in Sweden. He played 41 games for Timrå IK, recording five shutouts and a 2.14 GAA.  He remained a top goaltender for Calgary when NHL play resumed in 2005–06, breaking Mike Vernon's franchise record when he recorded his 40th win of the season against the Minnesota Wild on April 8, 2006. He was not only touted as the top goaltender in the League, but also argued to be a candidate for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player in the NHL.  Finishing the season with a 42–20–11 record and a team-record 10 shutouts, he was named a first team all-star and awarded the Vezina Trophy, as well as the William M. Jennings Trophy for being the goaltender on the team that gave up the fewest goals in during the season. He was also named a finalist for the Hart, though the award was won by Joe Thornton.
  Kiprusoff struggled to begin the 2006–07 season, winning just four of his first 12 decisions, and giving up nearly three goals per game.  He rebounded to finish the season with 40 wins, won his 100th career game, and played in his first All-Star Game. He recorded his 21st shutout in a Flames uniform in a 1–0 win over the Wild on March 27, 2007, to break Dan Bouchard's franchise record. Kiprusoff was outstanding in the 2007 playoffs, keeping the overmatched Flames close to the top-seeded Detroit Red Wings despite the Flames giving up nearly 50 shots per game in their first two contests. He led them to consecutive wins in Games 3 and 4 to even the series, and gave the Flames hope they could win the series, but the Flames were unable to parlay his performance into a series win, losing the best-of-seven series 4–2. In Game 5, he was pulled after giving up five goals, but was forced to come back in only 18 seconds later when his backup, Jamie McLennan, was thrown out of the game for deliberately slashing the Red Wings' Johan Franzén. Kiprusoff earned his third consecutive nomination for the Vezina Trophy, ultimately won by Martin Brodeur.
  Nicknamed "Captain Hook" for the way he handled goaltenders, the Flames decision to hire Mike Keenan as head coach in 2007–08 created speculation that Kiprusoff might choose to leave Calgary when his contract expired at the end of the season. Nonetheless, he agreed to a six-year extension worth $35 million that would keep him in Calgary until the end of the 2013–14 season. He struggled at times, as his GAA and save percentage fell outside of the top 30 goaltenders in the League by mid-November. His play improved throughout the season, however, and he finished the season third in the NHL with 39 wins.
  Hoping to rebound in 2008–09, Kiprusoff arrived for the start of the season in better shape, but continued to struggle as he was questioned o
caption: Kiprusoff pictured in net during the 2006–07 with the Flames.
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