KeuPa HT

KeuPa HT are a semi-professional ice hockey team based in Keuruu, Finland. They are members of the second highest league in Finland, Mestis. The club was founded in 1995 in the Finnish fourth division II-Divisioona after the ice hockey club decided to part company with the Keuruu sports club. They play their home games in the Keuruu Ice Hall, which holds 1200 spectators.

KeuPa HT
2017–18 Mestis season
City Keuruu, Finland
LeagueMestis
Founded1995
Operated1995–present
Home arenaKeuruu Ice Hall
1200 Capacity
ColoursBlue, Red, White and Black
       
General managerMarkus Lahtinen
Head coachMikko Heiskanen
CaptainWaltteri Lehtonen
AffiliatesJYP Jyväskylä,
Vaajakosken Pelikaanit
WebsiteKeuPa HT Home
Championships
Suomi-sarja2 (2012, 2014)

History

KeuPa HT was born in 1995 after the ice hockey branch of the Keuruu sports club split from the football and ice skating branches. KeuPa kept their traditional name but added "Hockey Team" to the end to differentiate themselves; hence, the abbreviation HT appears at the end of the name.[1]

The club was promoted to the third division, Suomi-sarja, in 2011–2012 and went on to claim the gold medal and win the third-division championship. By winning, they entered the playoffs with LeKi, KooVee and HCK that year for the right to be promoted to the second division, Mestis. KeuPa finished third in the playoffs and remained in Suomi-sarja, while the other two clubs were promoted to Mestis. HCK, who came second in the playoffs, were promoted only because Wafer-Laser went bankrupt and had to pull out of Mestis.[2]

In the 2012–2013 season, the club sought to defend their title but could manage only a third-place finish at the conclusion of the season, winning the bronze medal. RoKi won the championship title and qualified for Mestis. KeuPa HT had to settle for another season in the third division after coming close to promotion again. The head coach quit at the end of the season.[2]

The 2013–2014 season started off badly for the club. They had not been able to find a replacement for their head coach, and the club was in a precarious financial situation, staring at bankruptcy or folding the club up and ceasing operations, which would mean that they would not be able to compete in the Suomi-sarja season. The KeuPa HT players started a fundraising campaign to raise the money needed to keep the club afloat and allow them to compete in the league that year. By season's start, they had managed to raise the needed money, and they began the season on schedule. The club went through a rocky, patchy start to the season but managed to gain momentum at the end of the regular season and just reach the playoff finals. In the playoffs, KeuPa dispatched with RoKi and Bewe Tuuskin to meet FPS (formerly FoPS) of Forssa in the final. KeuPa HT beat FPS in the final and qualified for Mestis for the first time, ending what became a Cinderella season from a very bleak start.[2]

KeuPa HT went through two head coaches in their first season in the second division in 2014–2015, firstly Jussi Tupamäki then Kari Rautakorpi from 23 February 2015.[3] The team finished the regular season in 8th position, just missing out on the relegation positions of 9 and 10. Their record for the season was 13 wins and 30 losses with 8 overtime victories and 5 overtime losses for a total of 60 points from 56 matches.[4][5]

Players

Current roster as of 1 March 2015[2][6]

Current roster
2014–2015 KeuPa HT Roster
#NatNamePosAgeAgreementBirthplace
41Tomi AhonenW302015Keuruu, Finland
3Micah HuhtanenD21Loan ( SAIPA 2016 + 1 )Lappeenranta, Finland
9Teemu HuttunenW232015Kiiminki, Finland
18Panu HyyppäD272015Jyväskylä, Finland
15Kaarlo JormakkaW262015Jyväskylän maalaiskunta, Finland
35Antti KarjalainenG19Loan ( Lock A )Sotkamo, Finland
42Antti Kauppila (A)D252015Tornio, Finland
4Sebastian KauppilaD202015Kemi, Finland
22Matias KiiskinenF262015 ( 2016 )Kuopio, Finland
14Pasi KouvalainenW232015Pyhajarvi, Finland
7Janne KumpulainenW232015 ( 2016 )Jyväskylä, Finland
35Oscar KäyhköG252015Jyväskylä, Finland
25Taneli LappalainenW212015Jyväskylä, Finland
33Jesse LindstenW222015Salo, Finland
21Taneli Maasalo (C)F262015 ( 2016 )Keuruu, Finland
12Tomi MustonenW312015Oulu, Finland
10Svante MyllylahtiW222015Tornio, Finland
63Janne MyllymäkiD252015Kalajoki, Finland
12Joni MäkeläW212015Keuruu, Finland
77Juuso MörskyW252015 ( 2016 )Lapua, Finland
11Jani Olli TervoD232015Tornio, Finland
55Samuli PaananenD222015Jyväskylä, Finland
6Vili PalolaD222015Keuruu, Finland
16Jonah PeränenF242015 ( 2016 )Jyväskylä, Finland
54Petri PitkänenG232015Jyväskylä, Finland
19Emppu PulliainenW252015Jyväskylä, Finland
5Henry RoihuD212015Järvenpää, Finland
61Markus Rämä (A)W282015 ( 2016 )Taipalsaari, Finland
29Aleksi SaarinenD18Loan ( Lock A )Rauma, Finland
26Roni SevänenD20Loan ( Lock A )Eura, Finland
43Rasmus SmedbergW18Loan ( Lock A )Rauma, Finland
32Erno SuomalainenG242015Espoo, Finland
27Onni ToivanenW21Loan ( SAIPA 2016 + 1 )Lappeenranta, Finland
77Jussi ViitanenW222015Tikkakoski, Finland

Honours

Champions

Well-known former players

A list of players that have played for KeuPa HT and gone onto play at the top professional level of hockey in Finland or abroad.

Technical staff

Current as of 1 March 2015[6]

2014–15 KeuPa HT Staff
Position Name
Head coach Kari Rautakorpi
Assistant Coach Tero Leinonen
Assistant Coach Juha Kantanen

References
  1. Keuruun Pallo (Keuruun ball), Retrieved 2015-04-27
  2. KeuPa HT, Retrieved 2015-04-27
  3. Ikonen, Petteri (23 February 2015). "KeuPa HT vapautti päävalmentaja Jussi Tupamäen tehtävistään". Mestis.fi. Archived from the original on 20 March 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  4. Mestis season 2014–2015, Retrieved 2015-04-27
  5. "Sarjataulukko". Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  6. "KeuPa HT Team Roster". KeuPa HT official website. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
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