1
He served as the first European-born captain in the history of the Montreal Canadiens.
15 Interesting Facts About Saku Koivu
A resilient leader and skilled playmaker, this Finnish icon overcame cancer and serious injury to become one of the most respected captains in NHL history.
Position
Centre
Jersey
#11
Status
Retired
Teams
3
Facts
15
2
He was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2002 for his courage and leadership while battling cancer.
3
He played for the same Finnish club team as his father, who also served as his head coach during the 2004-05 lockout.
4
He famously returned to the ice for the final games of the 2001-02 season after missing nearly the entire year due to chemotherapy.
5
He was selected as the 21st overall pick in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.
6
He recorded a career-high 75 points during the 2006-07 NHL season.
7
He was part of a famous Finnish national team line nicknamed 'Huey, Dewey and Louie' during the 1995 World Championships.
8
He surpassed a legendary franchise icon on the team's all-time assists list in October 2008.
9
He appeared in a music video for the band Simple Plan to help raise awareness for cancer survivors.
10
He was elected by fellow athletes to the International Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission in 2006.
11
He declined the captaincy of the Finnish national team at the 2008 World Championships out of respect for the incumbent leader.
12
He played his 1,000th career NHL game on March 12, 2012, against the Colorado Avalanche.
13
He suffered a detached retina after being struck in the eye by a stick during a 2006 playoff game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
14
He was the league scoring champion in the Finnish SM-liiga during the 1994-95 season, earning the Veli-Pekka Ketola trophy.
15
He was tied with a franchise legend for the longest-serving captaincy tenure in the history of the Montreal Canadiens.
About Saku Koivu
A legendary Finnish centre, he served as the first European-born captain of the Montreal Canadiens and held that role for a franchise-record ten years. Known for his resilience, he successfully returned to the NHL after a battle with Burkitt's lymphoma and overcame a serious eye injury to maintain a productive career spanning 18 NHL seasons.
Career Achievements & Milestones
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Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
2002
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King Clancy Memorial Trophy
2007
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Kanada-malja Champion
1993
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IIHF Hall of Fame Inductee
2017
Player Information & Stats
Detailed career statistics and background information about Saku Koivu.
Player Info
Country: Finland
Position: Centre
Jersey #: 11
Status: Retired
Age: 51 years old
Physical Stats
Height: 5' 10" (178 cm)
Weight: 181 lbs (82 kg)
Born: Turku, Finland
Career Stats
Seasons: 22
Goals: 255
Assists: 577
Points: 832
Teams: 3
Drafted: 1993
Round: 1st
Teams & Career
TPS Montreal Canadiens Anaheim Ducks
Saku Koivu played for 3 different teams during his 22 seasons career. He was originally drafted 1st overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.