Misplaced Pages

The Karoliina Rantamäki Award (Finnish: Karoliina Rantamäki -palkinto, lit. 'Karoliina Rantamäki trophy') is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association to the playoff MVP of the Naisten Liiga, called the Naisten SM-sarja during 1982 to 2017. The Naisten SM-sarja Playoff MVP trophy was first awarded in the 1999–2000 season and the first recipient was forward Kati Kovalainen of Espoo Blues Naiset.

The most Karoliina Rantamäki Awards won by a single player is three, a record fittingly held by HIFK Naiset captain Karoliina Rantamäki. Rantamäki was recognized as the Naisten SM-sarja Playoff MVP in 2001, 2005, and 2007, all while playing with the Espoo Blues. The award was named after Rantamäki in the 2010–11 season. Of the ten players with Naisten Liiga trophies named in their honor, Rantamäki is the only player to hold the most wins of her eponymous award; she also holds the record for most Marianne Ihalainen Awards, with six, and most Tiia Reima Awards, with eight.

The Karoliina Rantamäki Award correlates with post-retirement coaching positions more than any other Naisten Liiga award; of the nine retired players who won the award during their playing careers, six have held or currently hold coaching positions: Maija Hassinen-Sullanmaa (2006), Sanna Lankosaari (2002), Linda Leppänen (née Välimäki; 2010, 2014), Isabella Laiho (née Portnoj; 2015) in the Naisten Liiga, Riikka Sallinen (née Nieminen, previously Välilä; 2016) in the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL), and Mira Jalosuo (2017) in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).

Award winners

Source: Jääkiekkokirja 2021, Elite Prospects

All time award recipients

References

1. "Jääkiekkoliitto uudisti palkinnot: Pokaaleihin nimet Selänne, Koivu, Räty, Javanainen..." (in Finnish). MTV Uutiset. 14 November 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
2. "2019–20 Naisten Liiga, ylempi jatkosarja: Pelaajatilastot". tilastopalvelu.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
3. Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto; Jääkiekkon SM-liiga Oy (2020). Aaltonen, Juha (ed.). "Jääkiekkokirja 2021: Suomen Jääkiekkoliiton ja Liiga Kausijulkaisu 2020–2021". Jääkiekkokirja (in Finnish). Helsinki: Uusi Suomi/Kiekkolehti: 527. ISSN 0784-3321. Retrieved 16 August 2022 – via hina.fi.
4. "Awards - Naisten Liiga (W) Most Valuable Player in Playoffs (Karoliina Rantamäki Award)". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
5. Mennander, Pasi (26 February 2019). "Naisten Liigan kauden 2018–19 palkitut pelaajat ja tähtikentät". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 9 June 2020.
6. Mennander, Pasi (13 June 2022). "Naisten Liigan kauden 2021–22 palkitut pelaajat ja tähtikentät". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 12 March 2023.
7. Mennander, Pasi (8 March 2018). "Naisten Liigan kauden 2017-18 palkitut pelaajat, erotuomarit ja tähtikentät". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 9 June 2020.
8. Mennander, Pasi (15 March 2021). "Naisten Liigan kauden 2020–21 palkitut pelaajat ja tähtikentät". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 3 December 2021.
9. Mennander, Pasi (8 June 2024). "Naisten Liigan kauden 2023–24 palkitut pelaajat, valmentajat ja tuomarit". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 17 June 2024.
10. Mennander, Pasi (10 June 2023). "Naisten Liigan kauden 2022–23 palkitut pelaajat, valmentajat ja tuomarit". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 30 October 2023.

• Naisten Liiga (ice hockey) trophies and awards
• Most valuable player awards