Difference between revisions of "Antero Ansikorpi"
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==Background information== | ==Background information== | ||
| − | == | + | ==Early Career== |
| + | |||
| + | ==NHL Career== | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==2007-08 Season: Rise to Elite Status and the Stanley Cup== | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Personal Life== | ||
| + | When not on the ice, Antero likes to play the drums in his free time. As a teenager growing up in Finland, he started playing the drums with the aspirations of starting a band with older brothers Teppo and Erkka. However, his abilities would become noticed by Marco Tomasson and Katti Kapanen of the heavy metal band Eternal Winter, and offered him an invitation to the band at the age of 19. But Antero turned it down in order to pursue his other dream of playing professional hockey, to which Kapanen said in an interview with Metal Edge magazine, "I always thought Antero looked better wearing a hockey sweater and having one stick in his hands. So I told him that I would be his biggest fan if he ever made it to an elite level. And he has, and I am proud to be associated with him." | ||
| + | |||
| + | Antero is currently engaged to Aurora Leppälä, his high school sweetheart, who moved in after he signed his contract extention. They live together in Magnolia Bend, Louisiana, and have plans to get married after the completion of the 2008-09 season. | ||
==Career statistics== | ==Career statistics== | ||
Revision as of 21:35, 17 February 2009
| Position | Defense |
| Shoots | Left |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in |
| Weight | 230 lb |
| Species | Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) |
| NHL Team | Louisiana IceGators |
| Nationality | FIN |
| Born | October 29, 1985, Kangasala, Finland |
| NHL Draft | 131st overall, 2004 Chicago Blackhawks |
| Pro career | 2004 – present |
Antero Pirkka Ansikorpi (born October 29, 1985 in Kangasala, Finland) is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Louisiana IceGators of the National Hockey League, and currently serves as the team captain. He is well known for his aggressive style of play at both ends of the ice. On defense, Antero plays a physical style and has garnered a reputation for being one of the hardest-hitting players in the NHL, whereas his hard slapshot, keen vision and hockey instinct makes him a threat on the offensive end. As of February 15th, Antero is second among NHL defensemen with 18 goals scored and leads the NHL in points by a defenseman with 52.
Contents
Background information
Early Career
NHL Career
2007-08 Season: Rise to Elite Status and the Stanley Cup
Personal Life
When not on the ice, Antero likes to play the drums in his free time. As a teenager growing up in Finland, he started playing the drums with the aspirations of starting a band with older brothers Teppo and Erkka. However, his abilities would become noticed by Marco Tomasson and Katti Kapanen of the heavy metal band Eternal Winter, and offered him an invitation to the band at the age of 19. But Antero turned it down in order to pursue his other dream of playing professional hockey, to which Kapanen said in an interview with Metal Edge magazine, "I always thought Antero looked better wearing a hockey sweater and having one stick in his hands. So I told him that I would be his biggest fan if he ever made it to an elite level. And he has, and I am proud to be associated with him."
Antero is currently engaged to Aurora Leppälä, his high school sweetheart, who moved in after he signed his contract extention. They live together in Magnolia Bend, Louisiana, and have plans to get married after the completion of the 2008-09 season.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1999–00 | Regina Pats | WHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1999–00 | Prince George Cougars | WHL | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 149 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2000–01 | Prince George Cougars | WHL | 61 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 245 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 31 | ||
| 2001–02 | Prince George Cougars | WHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2001–02 | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL | 46 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 178 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2002–03 | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL | 27 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 65 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2002–03 | Louisiana IceGators | ECHL | 33 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 240 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2003–04 | Houston Aeros | AHL | 53 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 207 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | ||
| 2004–05 | Houston Aeros | AHL | 56 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 259 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | ||
| 2005–06 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 65 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 158 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2006–07 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 48 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 120 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 20 | ||
| 2007–08 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | ||
| NHL totals | 147 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 352 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 44 | ||||
