Teppo Numminen

Teppo Kalevi Numminen (born July 3, 1968 in Tampere, Finland) is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League.
==Playing career==
Numminen started his career with his local team, Tappara, in the SM-liiga. Drafted twenty-ninth overall in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft by the Winnipeg Jets, Numminen moved to North America in 1988 to play for the Jets. He moved with the team as it became the Phoenix Coyotes before the 1996–97 season. He played in the NHL All-Star Game in both 1999 and 2000. After fifteen seasons playing for the Winnipeg/Phoenix organization, Numminen was traded to the Dallas Stars in July, 2003, for Mike Sillinger. Numminen took a break from hockey during the 2004–05 NHL lockout. Numminen then signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Sabres.
On November 13, 2006, Numminen played his 1252nd game in the NHL and in the process, set a record for most NHL games played as a European-trained player, surpassing Jari Kurri. At the time of his retirement, Numminen was the last player from the 1986 NHL Entry Draft still playing in the NHL. 
After signing a one-year contract for the 2007–08 NHL season, Numminen was forced to undergo open heart surgery before the start of the season. Numminen was suspended by the Buffalo Sabres when it was discovered he needed heart surgery. Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier stated the suspension was due to the fact that his $2.6 million dollar contract was not insured, and there's a clause explicitly in the contract that states the player must pass the physical and be fit to play.
Word came that Numminen's heart surgery was successful. Completed on September 20, 2007, at the Cleveland Clinic, the surgery was performed to repair a faulty valve. Numminen was able to return to action for the final game of the Sabres' 2007–08 season on April 5, 2008.
As per Buffalo Sabres general manager Darcy Regier, Numminen expressed some interest in returning and continuing NHL play for at least another year. On August 8, 2008, Numminen re-signed with the Buffalo Sabres.
He was the leader among active NHL players who played the most games without winning the Stanley Cup: 1,372 at the end of the 2008-09 season. 
Teppo Numminen announced his retirement on August 4, 2009. 
===International play===
Numminen has won two silver medals ('88 & '06) and a bronze ('98) playing with the Finnish Olympic Team.
== Career statistics ==
  	  	  	 	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 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	69 	1 	14 	15 	36 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1989–90 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	79 	11 	32 	43 	20 	 	7 	1 	2 	3 	10
1990–91 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	80 	8 	25 	33 	20 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1991–92 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	80 	5 	34 	39 	32 	 	7 	0 	0 	0 	0
1992–93 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	66 	7 	30 	37 	33 	 	6 	1 	1 	2 	2
1993–94 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	57 	5 	18 	23 	28 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	42 	5 	16 	21 	16 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	TuTo 	SM-liiga 	 	12 	3 	8 	11 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	Winnipeg Jets 	NHL 	 	74 	11 	43 	54 	22 	 	6 	0 	0 	0 	2
1996–97 	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL 	 	82 	2 	25 	27 	28 	 	7 	3 	3 	6 	0
1997–98 	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL 	 	82 	11 	40 	51 	30 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0
1998–99 	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL 	 	82 	10 	30 	40 	30 	 	7 	2 	1 	3 	4
1999–00 	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL 	 	79 	8 	34 	42 	16 	 	5 	1 	1 	2 	0
2000–01 	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL 	 	72 	5 	26 	31 	36 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2001–02 	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL 	 	76 	13 	35 	48 	20 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	2
2002–03 	Phoenix Coyotes	NHL 	 	78 	6 	24 	30 	30 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2003–04 	Dallas Stars 	NHL 	 	62 	3 	14 	17 	18 	 	4 	0 	1 	1 	0
2005–06 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	75 	2 	38 	40 	36 	 	12 	1 	1 	2 	4
2006–07 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	79 	2 	27 	29 	32 	 	16 	0 	4 	4 	4
2007–08 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	57 	2 	15 	17 	22 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	1372 	117 	520 	637 	513 	 	82 	9 	14 	23 	28
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==External links==
* Teppo Numminen - Sabres.com
* Teppo Numminen on nhlfinns.com
* 
Category:Born in 1968
Category:Buffalo Sabres players
Category:Dallas Stars players
Category:Finnish ice hockey players
Category:1988 Olympian
Category:1998 Olympian
Category:2002 Olympian
Category:2006 Olympian
Category:NHL All-Stars
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Finland
Category:Phoenix Coyotes players
Category:Winnipeg Jets draft picks
Category:Winnipeg Jets players
Category:TuTo Turku players
Category:Tappara Tampere players
Category:Retired in 2009