Juhani Wahlsten

Juhani Wahlsten
Black and white photo of middle-aged man dressed in a suit jacket, holding up a trophy resembling a hockey puck and hockey stick
Wahlsten in 1962
Born (1938-01-13)13 January 1938
Helsinki, Finland
Died 9 August 2019(2019-08-09) (aged 81)
Turku, Finland
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 176 lb (80 kg; 12 st 8 lb)
Position Forward
Shot Left
Played for KalPa
Ilves
HJK
TPS
EC KAC
National team  Finland
Playing career 1956–1970
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Ice hockey

Juhani Jorma Kalervo Wahlsten (13 January 1938 – 9 June 2019) was a Finnish professional ice hockey player and ice hockey coach who worked as an exercise and gymnastics teacher in Finland. He was also known by the nickname "Juuso". He also established and helped guide the early development of ringette in Finland, the first European country to do so.[1][2]

During his ice hockey career,[3] Wahlsten played in Finland's SM-sarja for a number of teams including KalPa, Ilves, HJK Helsinki (HJK), and TPS. After his playing career finished he went on to become a coach. Wahlsten was inducted into the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986[4] and was later inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2006.[5]

Wahlsten is considered to be the "Father of Ringette" in Finland.[6] The Juuso Wahlsten Trophy, named in his honour, is awarded during the World Ringette Championships to the World Ringette Junior champions.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Statistics and profile, Juhani Wahlsten". hockeydb.com. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Ice Hockey Lions – Hockey Hall of Fame Finland - Jääkiekkomuseo". jaakiekkomuseo.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  5. ^ Martin Merk (11 June 2019). "Wahlsten passes away". iihf.com. International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Juhani "Juuso" Wahlsten on kuollut" (in Finnish). Etusivu - Suomen Ringetteliitto Ry. 10 June 2019. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2022.