Nelli Laitinen

Nelli Laitinen (born 29 April 2002) is a Finnish ice hockey player and member of the Finnish national team. She is signed to play college ice hockey with the Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey program in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) conference of the NCAA Division I as an incoming freshman for the 2022–23 season.
Laitinen represented Finland at the IIHF Women's World Championships in 2019 and 2021. As a junior player with the Finnish national under-18 team, she participated in the IIHF U18 Women's World Championships in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
== International play ==
As a junior player with the Finnish national under-18 team, she participated in the IIHF U18 Women's World Championships in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Laitinen made her senior national team debut at the 2018 4 Nations Cup in Saskatoon, Canada, where she contributed one assist in four games to Finland’s bronze medal victory. Later that season, she represented Finland at the 2019 IIHF Women's World Championship. At sixteen years old, she was the youngest player on the team and 29 years younger than Finland’s eldest player, Riikka Sallinen. She recorded one assist in seven games as Finland won the first World Championship silver medal in team history.
She won bronze medals representing Finland at the 2021 IIHF Women's World Championship and in the women's ice hockey tournament at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
== Personal life ==
Laitinen’s older brother, Villi (born 1999), plays ice hockey professionally as a defenseman with Lukko in the Finnish Liiga.
At a pre-Olympic press conference in January 2022, she confirmed that she was in a relationship with NHL player Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
==Career statistics==
=== Regular season and playoffs ===
Naisten SM-sarja was rebranded as Naisten Liiga in 2017. Espoo Blues renamed as Kiekko-Espoo in 2019.
  	  	  	 	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
2016–17 	HAKI 	Naisten Mestis 	 	8 	4 	2 	6 	0 	 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–
2016–17 	HAKI 	Naisten Suomi-sarja 	 	2 	2 	0 	2 	0 	 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–
2016–17 	KJT (L) 	Naisten SM-sarja 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	2
2017–18 	HAKI U16 	U16 Mestis 	 	18 	3 	8 	11 	0 	 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–
2017–18 	Espoo Blues 	Naisten Liiga 	 	11 	2 	1 	3 	0 	 	10 	1 	4 	5 	2
2017–18 	KJT (L) 	Naisten Liiga 	 	3 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–
2018–19 	Espoo Blues 	Naisten Liiga 	 	27 	12 	27 	39 	6 	 	6 	0 	5 	5 	0
2019–20 	Kiekko-Espoo 	Naisten Liiga 	 	28 	7 	24 	31 	12 	 	6 	6 	8 	14 	6
2020–21 	Kiekko-Espoo 	Naisten Liiga 	 	24 	13 	24 	37 	20 	 	10 	1 	6 	7 	6
2021–22 	Kiekko-Espoo 	Naisten Liiga 	 	23 	7 	24 	31 	16 	 	10 	8 	13 	21 	8
Naisten Liiga totals	Naisten Liiga totals	Naisten Liiga totals	 	117 	41 	100 	141 	54 	 	46 	16 	36 	52 	24
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Note: Postseason results for the 2016–17 season are from the qualification series () rather than the playoffs and are not calculated with playoff totals.
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 	 	GP	G	A 	Pts	PIM
2017 	Finland U18 	WW18 	5th 	 	5 	0	1 	1 	4
2018 	Finland U18 	WW18 	5th 	 	5 	0	4 	4 	0
2019 	Finland U18 	WW18 	 	 	6 	1	3 	4 	3
2019 	 	WW 	 	 	7 	0	1 	1 	2
2020 	Finland U18 	WW18 	4th 	 	6 	3	1 	4 	2
2021 	Finland 	WW 	 	 	7 	1	0 	1 	4
2022 	Finland 	OG 	 	 	7 	2	5 	7 	4
2022 	Finland 	WW 	6th 	 	7 	1	4 	5 	6
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals	 	22	4	9 	13 	10
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	 	28	4	10	14 	16
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Sources: Finnish Ice Hockey Association, Elite Prospects
== Honors and achievements ==
Award 	Year
Naisten Liiga 	Naisten Liiga
All-Star First Team 	2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Aurora Borealis Cup Champion 	2019, 2021, 2022
Päivi Halonen Award (Best Defenseman) 	2020, 2021, 2022
U18 Student Athlete of the Year 	2020
Player of the Month 	October 2020
Karoliina Rantamäki Award (Playoff MVP)	2022
International 	International
WW18 Top-3 Player on Team 	2018, 2019, 2020
WW18 All-Star Team 	2019
WW18 Bronze Medal 	2019
WW18 Best Defenseman 	2020
World Championship Silver Medal 	2019
World Championship Bronze Medal 	2021
Olympic Bronze Medal 	2022
Sources: 
==References==
==External links==
* 
Category:Espoo Blues Naiset players
Category:Finnish expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Category:Finnish women's ice hockey defencemen
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2022 Winter Olympics
Category:Kiekko-Espoo Naiset players
Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey players