Riikka Sallinen

Hanna-Riikka Sallinen ( Nieminen, previously Välilä, born 12 June 1973) is a Finnish retired ice hockey, bandy, rink bandy, and pesäpallo player. She is known as one of the most highly decorated and respected players to have ever competed in international women's ice hockey. She currently serves as assistant coach to HV71 Dam, the SDHL club that she captained in the 2018–19 season.
Sallinen played sixteen seasons with the Finnish national ice hockey team and earned two Olympic bronze medals, one World Championship silver and six bronze medals, and three European Championship gold medals. In 2007, Sallinen was one of the first two women inducted into the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame, along with defenceman Marianne Ihalainen. She was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame on 21 May 2010 in Cologne, Germany as part of the World Championship festivities; she was only the fourth woman and the first European woman to receive this honor.
Sallinen's bronze medal at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang made her the oldest player to ever win an Olympic medal in ice hockey, replacing her compatriot Teemu Selänne who set the record at the 2014 Winter Olympics after winning bronze in the men's ice hockey tournament at age 43. Sallinen was awarded the medal at age 44, twenty years after she first won an Olympic medal in the inaugural women's Olympic hockey tournament.
Sallinen announced her retirement from competition in April 2019, at age 46, shortly after achieving silver at the 2019 IIHF Women's World Championship.
==Ice hockey playing career ==
=== Finland ===
Sallinen played eleven seasons in the Naisten SM-sarja and was a five time Finnish Champion, first in 1988–89 with Etelä-Vantaan Urheilijat (EVU), then in 1993–94 with the Keravan Shakers, and in 1996–97, 1997–98, and 2015–16 with JYP Jyväskylä. She scored 201 goals and notched 194 assists (395 points) in 135 regular season games, averaging 2.93 points per game across her Naisten SM-sarja career, and appeared in 41 Naisten SM-sarja playoff games, scoring 86 points, (36 goals and 50 assists).
=== International play ===
Riikka Sallinen represented Finland at three IIHF Women's European Championships, eight IIHF World Women's Championships, and four Olympics. She made her international debut at the 1989 Women's European Championship. In her first Olympics in 1998 she led the tournament in scoring, amassing 12 points (7 goals & 5 assists) in six games and leading the Finnish team to the bronze medal. Sallinen would also lead the Finnish national team to three European Championship titles and six IIHF World Women's Championship bronze medals and one silver.
Over her international career she would score 109 goals, 95 assists for 204 points while accumulating only 24 PIMs.
In August 2013, the IIHF reported that she was attempting a comeback and in December 2013, following several matches in the Naisten SM-sarja, she was selected for the Finnish women's team for the Sochi Olympics. She made the Finnish Olympic team again for the 2018 Olympics, helping Finland to a bronze medal.https://web.archive.org/web/20200417053926/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/FIN/winter/1998/ICH/
==Hall of Fame Induction==
On June 27, 2022 she was announced as being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2022.
==Ice hockey 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
1988–89 	EVU 	SM-sarja 	 	6 	19 	7 	26 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1989–90 	JYP 	I-div. 	 	4 	5 	3 	8 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1991–92 	JYP 	I-div. 	 	10 	41 	3 	44 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1992–93 	SC Lyss 	LKA 	 	17 	50 	30 	80 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	Shakers 	SM-sarja 	 	21 	73 	56 	129 	8 	 	5 	11 	11 	22 	4
1994–95 	JYP 	I-div. 	 	8 	35 	13 	48 	25 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	KalPa 	SM-sarja 	 	10 	10 	8 	18 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	JyP HT 	SM-sarja 	 	24 	26 	38 	64 	0 	 	6 	3 	5 	8 	4
1997–98 	JYP 	SM-sarja 	 	12 	13 	8 	21 	2 	 	6 	2 	8 	10 	0
1999–2000 	JYP 	SM-sarja 	 	2 	1 	0 	1 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2000–01 	JyHC 	SM-sarja 	 	9 	10 	9 	19 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2001–02 	JyHC 	SM-sarja 	 	13 	10 	12 	22 	2 	 	2 	1 	1 	2 	2
2002–03 	Limhamn HK 	Div. 1 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	 	3 	3 	3 	6 	0
2003–2013 	did not play 	did not play 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
2013–14 	JYP 	SM-sarja 	 	13 	7 	12 	19 	18 	 	8 	5 	11 	16 	12
2014–15 	JYP 	SM-sarja 	 	14 	12 	25 	37 	8 	 	7 	5 	7 	12 	4
2015–16 	JYP 	SM-sarja 	 	11 	20 	19 	39 	6 	 	6 	5 	5 	10 	2
2016–17 	HV71 	SDHL 	 	23 	10 	11 	21 	12 	 	6 	3 	3 	6 	4
2016–17 	IF Troja/Ljungby	Div. 1 	 	1 	2 	3 	5 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2017–18 	HV71 	SDHL 	 	36 	15 	32 	47 	24 	 	2 	1 	1 	2 	2
2018–19 	HV71 	SDHL 	 	33 	14 	37 	51 	8 	 	4 	1 	1 	2 	25
SM-sarja totals	SM-sarja totals 	SM-sarja totals	 	135 	201 	194 	395 	52 	 	41 	36 	50 	86 	28
SDHL totals 	SDHL totals 	SDHL totals 	 	92 	39 	80 	119 	44 	 	12 	5 	5 	10 	31
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 	 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
1989 	 	EC 	 	 	5 	9 	2 	11 	2
1990 	Finland 	WC 	 	 	5 	8 	2 	10 	4
1992 	Finland 	WC 	 	 	5 	6 	2 	8 	0
1993 	Finland 	EC 	 	 	3 	2 	2 	4 	0
1994 	Finland 	WC 	 	 	5 	4 	8 	13 	4
1995 	Finland 	EC 	 	 	5 	9 	14	23 	2
1997 	Finland 	WC 	 	 	5 	5 	5 	10 	0
1998 	Finland 	OG 	 	 	6 	7 	5 	12 	4
2002 	Finland 	OG 	4th 	 	5 	0 	3 	3 	2
2014 	Finland 	OG 	5th 	 	6 	1 	4 	5 	0
2015 	Finland 	WC 	 	 	6 	6 	0 	6 	0
2016 	Finland 	WC 	4th 	 	6 	1 	5 	6 	0
2017 	Finland 	WC 	 	 	6 	1 	2 	3 	2
2018 	Finland 	OG 	 	 	6 	4 	1 	5 	0
2019 	Finland 	WC 	 	 	7 	0 	4 	4 	8
Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	Senior totals	 	81	63	59	123	28
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
== Awards and honours ==
Finland
Award 	Year
Tiia Reima AwardMost goals scored in the Naisten SM-sarja regular season 	1993–94 (73 goals)
Marianne Ihalainen AwardMost points earned in the Naisten SM-sarja regular season	1993–94 (129 points)1996–97 (64 points)
Suomen JääkiekkoleijonaHockey Hall of Fame Finland 	2007
Karoliina Rantamäki AwardMost Valuable Player in the Naisten SM-sarja playoffs 	2015–16
President's Trophy 	2018
Number retired by JYP Jyväskylä 	4 January 2020
International
Award 	Year
IIHF Women's World Championship Best Forward 	1990, 1994
IIHF Women's World Championship All-Star Team	1992, 1994, 1997
IIHF Hall of Fame 	2010
== Personal life ==
Sallinen was born Hanna-Riikka Nieminen on 12 June 1973 in Jyväskylä, Central Finland. She was raised in a sports-oriented home, her father and two older brothers were also successful athletes. Her father, Eero, was a Finnish Champion pesäpallo player in the 1960s. Lasse Nieminen, Sallinen’s eldest brother, played nearly 500 games with JYP Jyväskylä in the Liiga and currently serves as assistant coach to the JYP U16 juniors team. Juha “Jussi” Nieminen, Sallinen’s second eldest brother, played twelve seasons in the Superpesis with Jyväskylän Kiri.
Sallinen is a physical therapist by training and works in the public sector with disabled and permanently ill people, in addition to working with her husband in the family’s pain management and rehabilitation practice.
Sallinen and former Liiga player Mika Välilä were married in 2002 and divorced in early 2018. Their two sons, Emil Välilä (born 2003) and Elis Välilä (born 2005), play on the U18 and U16 teams of the Tappara ice hockey club respectively, the same junior organization in which their father developed.
Sallinen and osteopath Petteri Sallinen married in late 2018. They have a physical therapy practice in Sweden, in which each of them takes responsibility for one-half of patient care; Petteri focuses on alleviating patients’ pain and Riikka develops physical therapy regimens for rehabilitation. Petteri, a former film director, was previously married to actress and theater director Anu Hälvä; they divorced in early 2018, and have two children together. 
==References==
Content in this article is translated from the existing Finnish Wikipedia article at :fi:Riikka Sallinen; see its history for attribution.
==External links==
* 
Category:1973 births
Category:Living people
Category:Finnish women's ice hockey forwards
Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Finland
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Finland
Category:Olympic medalists in ice hockey
Category:Ice hockey players at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Category:Ice hockey players at the 2018 Winter Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 2018 Winter Olympics
Category:IIHF Hall of Fame inductees
Category:Ice hockey players with retired numbers
Category:Hockey Hall of Fame inductees