KooKoo is a Finnish ice hockey team playing in the first level of Finnish ice hockey league Liiga. KooKoo plays in the Lumon arena (capacity 5,950), in Kouvola. The team was established in 1965 and the previous name of the club is Kouvolan Kiekko-65.
Franchise history KooKoo was established by the Kouvolan Pallonlyöjät and Sudet in Kouvola on 3 November 1965. The first official match was played on November 17, 1965 when KooKoo won the Kuusankoski Puhti goals 4–2. A new club for ice hockey skills got plenty from Lappeenranta, where many of its first-year players and coaches came from.
Early years KooKoo started its career in the official series of the Association in the 1966–1967 season, when it participated in the Southern Finland division of Maakuntasarja. During the 1967–1968 season, KooKoo played in the Greater Savo division of Maakuntasarja, where it ranked fourth. In the 1969–1970 season, KooKoo ranked second in the Kymenlaakso division and reached the Suomensarja qualifier but wasn't promoted.
Time in the I Division KooKoo rise to the second highest level in the series, the Suomensarja for the season 1971–1972. It was also included in the 1974 newly created series, the I Division. In 1982, an ice rink was built in Kouvola, which greatly improved the operating conditions. The first match in November 1982 between KooKoo and SaPKo ended in KooKoo's 7–4 victory in front of over 4,000 spectators. KooKoo was able to attempt qualifying to SM-liiga for the first time in the 1984–1985 season, after ranking third in the season. However, KooKoo didn't make it. During the 1985–1986 season, KooKoo was coached by Reino Ruotsalainen, and was ranked third in the regular season. In the four-team league qualifying, Kookoo also ranked third and was forced to continue in the I Division. In the 1986–1987 season, the club celebrated its first league victory after winning the division's regular season before TuTo Hockey.
Time in SM-Liiga KooKoo's first season in the SM-Liiga was difficult. In the spring of 1988, KooKoo played a very tight five-game relegation series with Lahden Kiekkoreipas. The fourth game extended to the overtime until Lasse Tasala settled the match to KooKoo. After that, KooKoo easily retained its place in the crucial fifth match played at home.
In their second season, KooKoo played in the 1988–1989 season with Urpo Ylönen. The team reached its best results as ninth of the league.
The team's last season in the league was very weak and it was relegated back to the first division after losing to the qualifying round for Hockey Reipas.
Back to Division and Fall in Division II KooKoo started the 1990s in the first division. In spring 1992–93 SM-Liiga qualifiers, KooKoo was one point away from being promoted to the SM-Liiga for the next season. KooKoo was relegated in 1997 when the first division team was downsized by four. The unambiguous aim of the club was to get back to the first division. The team survived until qualifying, but Hyvinkää Ahmat was better off with 3–2.
Back to Division and Mestis
In the 1998–1999 season, KooKoo came out again in qualifying. It succeeded in winning the Uudenkaupungin Jää-Kotkat in the matches 3-2 and was promoted to the first division after the two-year absence.
In 2000, the team moved to the newly established Mestis. In the spring of 2005, the club announced that it would close down the representation team, but the team with new organization. In 2009–2010 season, KooKoo won the Mestis Regular Series for the first time in 23 years. At the end of the season KooKoo reached bronze medals by winning LeKi 4–2. In the season 2013–2014, KooKoo won Jukurit in finals.
Return to the SM-Liiga
In October 2014, information about KooKoo return to the SM-Liiga for the 2015-2016 season was published.
At the 2017–2018 season, KooKoo made history in the SM-Liiga by leading the series for the first time. At the time, there were 15 teams who had reached the top spot in the regular season.
KooKoo made the 2019–2020 season Kouvola's hockey history for the first time making to the league playoffs. However, the playoffs were not played during the season due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In 2020–2021 season KooKoo reached playoffs Wild-card round against Ilves. KooKoo's season ended in 9th place and Ilves advanced to the quarterfinals.
At the 2021–2022 season, KooKoo advanced for the third time to the playoffs, in Wild-card round ended up against a familiar local opponent Lahti Pelicans. KooKoo's season continued after defeating Pelicans with a total score of 2-1 after two games and KooKoo advanced to the quarterfinals against old Mestis rival Jukurit.
At the 2025–2026 season, KooKoo seals second place in the regular season and qualified for the quarterfinals. KooKoo will also participate in the Champions Hockey League for the first time in the 2026–27 season.
Current roster
Updated February 2020.
Captains +NameSeasonsAki Räisänen1981-82Reijo Mansikka1982-87Harri Haapaniemi1987-88Risto Kerminen1988-90Esa Julkunen1990-92Anssi Melametsä1992-94Antti Kuljunen1996-97Mikko Outinen1998-99Jani Luoma-aho1999-00Mikko Liukkonen2000-01, 2007-08Mikko Mattila2001-04, 2006-07Tatu Kattelus2004-06Jarno Kultanen2008-10Pasi Järvinen2010-11Henrik Forsberg 2011-12Jarno Lippojoki2012-13Jari Kauppila2013-14Olli Julkunen2014-15Ari Vallin2015-16Josh Green2016-17Toni Kähkönen2017-19Alexander Bonsaksen2019-22Heikki Liedes2022-23Otto Paajanen2023-26Miska Siikonen2026-
Honours
Champions
Mestis (1): 2013-14 I-Divisioona (1): 1986-87 Maakuntasarja (II-Divisioona) (1): 1972
Runners-up SM-liiga (1): 2025-26 Mestis (3): 2001-02, 2012-13, 2014-15 I-Divisioona (Fazer-liiga) (1): 1994–95 Mestis (3): 2002-03, 2009-10, 2011-12 I-Divisioona (5): 1982–83, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1991–92, 1992–93
Other awards for the club: Imatra Bauer Tournament winner (1): 2016 Vaasa Cup winner (1): 2013 Tampere Cup winner (1): 2021
Season by season record (Since 1972–) Season League GP W T L OTW OTL Pts GF GA Finish Postseason1972–73Suomen sarja14806——16.56593rd —1973–74Suomen sarja14914——38.84552nd Lost in qualifiers1974–75I-Divisioona289514——23.1131346th —1975–76I-Divisioona3616614——38.1731705th —1976–77I-Divisioona3610422——24.1522047th —1977–78I-Divisioona3611322——25.1461979thSaved in relegation 1978–79I-Divisioona3611916——31.1401817th —1979–80I-Divisioona3610323——23.1322118th —1980–81I-Divisioona3612816——22.1411686th —1981–82I-Divisioona369423——22.1131529th Won relegation, 3–1 (Valtit)1982–83I-Divisioona3616812——40.1671423rd Lost in qualifiers, 0–2 (KalPa)1983–84I-Divisioona3616119——33.1551746th Lost in qualifiers, 1–3 (JyP HT)1984–85I-Divisioona4425613——56.1941623rd Lost in qualifiers1985–86I-Divisioona4430311——63.2311533rd Lost in qualifiers1986–87I-Divisioona443626——74.3021371st Promoted1987–88SM-liiga447136——15.12325210th Won relegation, 3–2 (Kiekkoreipas)1988–89SM-liiga4416423——36.1461949th Out of Playoffs1989–90SM-liiga4411429——26.14621911th Relegated, 1–3 (Hockey-Reipas)1990–91I-Divisioona4418125——37.19121010th —1991–92I-Divisioona4429312——61.2381763rd —1992–93I-Divisioona4426513——57.2201403rd Lost in qualifiers1993–94I-Divisioona4619522——43.2052197th —1994–95I-Divisioona4627415——58.1991572nd Lost in qualifiers 1–3 (SaPKo)1995–96I-Divisioona4419421——42.18719612th Lost first round, 1–2 (Hermes)1996–97I-Divisioona448333——19.11724215th Relegated1997–98II-Divisioona322435——51.217962nd Lost in qualifiers, 2–3 (Ahmat)1998–99II-Divisioona 462145——46.162882nd Won in qualifiers, 3–2 (Jää-Kotkat), Promoted1999–00I-Divisioona4822323——47.1551756th Lost first round, 1–2 (Jokipojat)2000–01Mestis4413526——31.10014711th Saved in relegation2001–02Mestis44255121158.1721242nd Lost final, 0–3 (Jukurit)2002–03Mestis4425693163.1681112nd Won bronze game, 1–0 (Vaasan Sport)2003–04Mestis4522—151753.129985th Lost bronze game, 0–1 (Hermes)2004–05Mestis4410—223935.10013710thOut of Playoffs2005–06Mestis45182174450.1421295thLost quarter-final, 1–3 (Hokki)2006–07Mestis45248111159.1741315thLost quarter-final, 2–3 (Hokki)2007–08Mestis4526—161282.1511124th Lost bronze game, 0–1 (Jukurit)2008–09Mestis4522—1355811491234thLost quarter-final, 2–3 (TuTo Hockey)2009–10Mestis4524—115687.1561201st Won bronze game, 1–0 (LeKi)2010–11Mestis4931—1134103.1691022nd Lost bronze game, 0–1 (D Team)2011–12Mestis4625—831091.121942nd Won bronze game, 1–0 (Jukurit)2012–13Mestis4820—167579.1421335th Lost final, 0–3 (Jukurit)2013–14Mestis5626—1451199.1631353rd Won final, 4–1 (Jukurit)2014–15Mestis5632—1545109.1911262nd Lost final, 1–4 (Jukurit)2015–16SM-liiga6016—24101078.12915911th Out of Playoffs2016–17SM-liiga6015—2771170.13717313th Out of Playoffs 2017–18SM-liiga6014—3151062.14219814th Out of Playoffs2018–19SM-liiga6018—296773.15719713th Out of Playoffs2019–20SM-liiga5930—1676110.1721295th 2020–21SM-liiga55251119——91.1651259thLost first round, Agg. 4–6 (Ilves)2021–22SM-liiga6025—215994.1481418thLost bronze game, 0–1 (Ilves)2022–23SM-liiga6019—2511584.15516710thLost quarter-final, 0–4 (Tappara)2023–24SM-liiga6017—2611679.17517812thOut of Playoffs2024–25SM-liiga6023—2013499.2061696thLost first round, 1–3 (Vaasan Sport)2025–26SM-liiga6033—1872115.2171552nd Lost final, 3–4 (Tappara)2026–27SM-liiga —
NHL alumni
Mika Alatalo Hannu Kamppuri Marko Kiprusoff Jarno Kultanen Anssi Melametsä Jarmo Myllys Joni Ortio Petri Varis Antoine Bibeau Brett Carson Charle-Edouard D'Astous Josh Green Leland Irving Christian Thomas Gary Yaremchuk Jim Leavins Steve Peters Matt Watkins Tommy Wingels David Farrance Niklas Treutle Libor Šulák
Other former notable players
/ Viktor Tyumenev / Siim Liivik / Frederic Cloutier Reino Soijärvi Alexander Bonsaksen Malte Strömwall Timo Susi Ari Vallin Juha-Pekka Haataja
Retired numbers Kouvola KooKoo retired numbers NoPlayer 36 Mikko Outinen 81 Timo Nurmberg
References
External links Official website (Finnish)