Wikipedia

Kimmo Timonen

Finnish ice hockey player

Kimmo Samuel Timonen (born March 18, 1975) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played a total of sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, and Chicago Blackhawks. He also played for KalPa, TPS, and HIFK of SM-liiga (SM-l), HC Lugano of National League A (NLA), and Brynäs IF of the Elitserien (SEL).

Kimmo Timonen
Timonen with the Flyers in 2010
Born (1975-03-18) March 18, 1975 (age 49)
Kuopio, Finland
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb)
Position Defense
Shot Left
Played for KalPa
TPS
HIFK
Nashville Predators
HC Lugano
Brynäs IF
Philadelphia Flyers
Chicago Blackhawks
National team  Finland
NHL Draft 250th overall, 1993
Los Angeles Kings
Playing career 1991–2015
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Men's ice hockey
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Sochi Tournament
Silver medal – second place 2006 Vancouver Tournament
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Sochi Tournament
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Vancouver Tournament
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1998 Switzerland Tournament
Silver medal – second place 1999 Norway Tournament
Silver medal – second place 2001 Germany Tournament

Career

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Before playing in the NHL, Timonen played parts of 7 years in the SM-liiga with KalPa, TPS, and HIFK.

He was drafted 250th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. He continued to play in the SM-liiga after the draft. He helped Finland win the bronze medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. A little while after the Olympics, the Kings traded Timonen along with Jan Vopat to the Nashville Predators (who did not begin playing yet) in agreement that the Predators would not draft Garry Galley in the 1998 NHL Expansion Draft.[1]

Timonen would spend time between the Predators and their IHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. He was called up to the Predators during 1999-2000 season. He played the next four seasons with the Predators before the 2004–05 NHL lockout. He decided to travel back to Finland and play for KalPa during the lockout. On October 3, 2006, the Predators named Timonen the captain for the 2006–07 season.[2]

On June 18, 2007, the Predators traded Timonen along with Scott Hartnell to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Philadelphia's first round pick (Jonathon Blum) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.[3] After he signed, he became the highest paid Finn in the NHL after he signed a six-year, $37.8 million contract extension.[4][5]

Timonen and the Flyers faced the Washington Capitals in the first round of the playoffs. Philadelphia was able to win the series 4–3. In the second round of the playoffs, the Flyers played against the Montreal Canadiens and won the series 4–1. On April 30, 2008, Timonen was hit by a wrist shot at his foot by Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov. He said that he had felt numbness in his foot but he didn't think it was anything but a twisted nerve. On May 8, 2008, a doctor at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania who looked at Timonen's foot said that he had found a small blood clot. This stopped Timonen from playing indefinitely and he missed the first four games of the Eastern Conference Finals against the rival Pittsburgh Penguins.[6] He returned in game 5 but the Flyers lost and they were eliminated from the playoffs.[7] On March 5, 2011, Timonen scored his 100th career goal against Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres in a 5–3 loss.[8] On August 5, 2014, Timonen was diagnosed with blood clots in his right leg and both of his lungs. He was ruled out from playing indefinitely and missed the first 62 games of the season.[9]

On February 27, 2015, the Flyers traded Timonen to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick and 2016 fourth-round pick.[10]

On 5 March, Timonen announced that he was going to retire from professional ice hockey at the end of the season.[11] On 15 June, Timonen played his final game in the NHL. In his final game, he was able to help the Blackhawks defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning and win his first Stanley Cup. Captain Jonathan Toews celebrated with the cup and choose Timonen as the first player to hand it off to.[12] During their visit to the White House, President Barack Obama congratulated Timonen and applauded him for his career and ability to play through his blood clots.[13]

Timonen would be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2020.[14]

References

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  1. ↑ "Kings All-Time Trades". Los Angeles Kings. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Predators name captains for 2006-07". Nashville Predators. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Flyers Acquire Rights to Timonen and Hartnell". Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Flyers Sign Kimmo Timonen and Scott Hartnell to Contracts". Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Defensemen find new homes for 2007-08". NHL. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Timonen Out with Blood Clot". Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Timonen back, Coburn still sidelined for Flyers". ESPN. 18 May 2008. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Sabres 5, Flyers 3". Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Injury Update: Kimmo Timonen". Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Blackhawks acquire Timonen from Flyers". Chicago Blackhawks. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Timonen definitely retiring, eyes coaching job". Sportsnet. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Another Cup proves Blackhawks are among the era's best". ESPN. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  13. ↑ "President Obama recognizes Scott Darling, Kimmo Timonen". NBC Sports Chicago. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Legends join IIHF Hall of Fame". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved September 11, 2024.

Other websites

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kimmo Timonen.
Preceded by
Greg Johnson 		Nashville Predators captain
2006–07 		Succeeded by
Jason Arnott


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