NHL’s former Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers player Lasse Kukkonen to stay in Sweden
Finland’s professional ice hockey defenseman, Lasse Kukkonen, who had previously played for Chicago Blackhawks of the Central Division of the Western Conference and Philadelphia Flyers of Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey
League (NHL), has decided to stay in his native country of Sweden and play there for Rögle Bandyklubb, which play in the Elitserien, the highest league in Sweden.
Kukkonen had started his Ice Hockey career in 2000 with Oulun Karpat in his hometown of Finland.
He stayed there for 3 years before moving to NHL in 2003.
Kukkonen started his NHL career with Chicago Blackhawks in 2003 but could not impress anybody with his performance as he did not score a single goal and gave only one assist in the 10 games he played, which resulted in a move to Norfolk Admirals in American
Hockey League (AHL).
From 2004-2006, he played again in the Oulun Karpat where he had started his career and again got a call back from Chicago Blackhawks to play for them in 2006-2007 season. This time he played 54 games, scoring 5 goals and 9 assists that earned him a call
from Philadelphia Flyers.
Philadelphia Flyers happened to be the second and last NHL team Kukkonen played for as he stayed two years there, playing 53 games, scoring one goal, four assists in the first season (2007-2008) and playing 22 games, scoring no goal and two assists in the
2nd season (2008-2009).
After this performance he was sent by Philadelphia Flyers’, to their affiliates in the AHL, the Philadelphia Phantoms.
Last two seasons of the 30-year-old have been spent in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, where he has scored four goals in the each season, four assists in the last season (2011-2012) and eight assists in the previous one (2010-2011).
Kukkonen has also been a member of Finland International Hockey Team and has won a lot of laurels with them. Some of which include Silver Medal in 2006 Turin Olympic Games, Bronze Medal in 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, Silver Medal in 2007 World Championships
and a Bronze Medal in 2006 World Championships.
But the biggest feat the Finnish player has ever achieved should be the gold medal in 2011 World Championships, where he played a key role in Finland’s semi-final and final win after their defenseman Sami Solo got injured.
President of Rogle, Pelle Svensson, was very happy on Lasse joining his team and said following in his conference: "In Lasse, we've gotten a defensive leader of very hockey international class, who will be enormously positive for our team, but also for the
other players' development. We have had contact with Lasse now for a longer time since he made clear that he wouldn't be returning to the KHL. I'm thrilled that he's chosen to play for Rogle BK."
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