Marko Kiprusoff turns 50: “We are still alone”

– Just as I watched the World Championships, I thought that eight times I was involved myself and six times I got back with the medal – but no matter what happened, the other two were just home games.

That’s what it says Marko KiprusoffMM95 credit defender.

– Suomikiekko has come a long way since those days, he estimates.

– Everything seems really mature and ready today. Even the extra pressure of the home races couldn’t bother or mess in any way.

During Kiprusoff ‘s national team time, Finland rose handsomely to the top, but five however, it would be just a single golden blow. The five imports were dimmer: World Championship silver in 1994, 1998, 1999 and 2001, Olympic bronze in 1994.

– They weren’t as ready for the last step as today’s top Finnish players.

Nättäri and Imppari

Kiprusoff was bred by Nättinummi, a legendary suburb of Turku. From the same area to strive for fame Petteri Nummelin and Antti Virtanen and Kiprusoff and Birch brothers.

The bottom field was always played only for victory, regardless of the sport.

– It was such an independent field, and there wasn’t even a trough or locker room, but nothing dampened the enthusiasm.

The second ice rink in Turku was completed in 1982 in Impivaara, right next to Nättinummi.

– Free passes were played there or played in the adjacent outdoor trough, Kiprusoff remembers.

– Impivaara’s hall was a big deal for our age group and the entire hockey team in Turku.

Iron frying

Kiprusoff matured into a youth national team player, but Hannu Jortikan to a rock-hard team snorting in the championship tube doesn’t swim with mere gifts. The top weave of the third gold team’s defense was Mikko Haapakoski, Kari Harila, Heikki Leime, Jouko Narvanmaa, Hannu Virta and Jukka Virtanen.

– Pakisto was iron, Kiprusoff sums up.

– There were still national team players in the third pair. The challenge was tough.

Before the league was established, Kiprusoff applied for the A-juniors, the HPK, the Mestis Turku teams and the Tuko team.

– It took a few years before I got to play properly. Representing Teps was such a big dream and a tight goal that I was ready for it.

After Jortika, he took over the coaching responsibility Vladimir Jursinovwhose tough school hone Kiprusoff ‘s national team player.

– The level of requirements did not increase, but the workload increased. I still vividly remember when Jortsu said that we have been training hard, but when Jursi comes, the number will still increase.

Jortikka was right.

– I practiced for 2-3 hours in the morning and again for 2-3 hours in the afternoon. That’s how it went through the season.

“Not quite nazed”

Kiprusoff was an elegant, puck-safe defender and Euroleague power player, but the NHL breakthrough went unnoticed. The Montreal Canadiens played a season-long show 1995–96, New York Islanders 2001–02.

– I went to try a couple of times, but not quite Nazi. The club management didn’t justify much of their solutions, but apparently something was missing, he apricots.

– I gave and did everything, so nothing was left in the tooth hole per se. I showed that I was able to play that series too.

In two seasons, 51 matches and ten assists were recorded in the statistics – but no goals.

– Of course, I would have liked to score a goal then, but it’s no longer a nuisance.

Longing to gamble

Kiprusoff left the TPS and the Finnish Championship League in the spring of 2009. He played abroad for a few more seasons and in the Finnish playoffs before the final puck retirement.

– The main thing that comes to mind is gratitude and happiness, that for so long I was able to make the species full and still make a living from it, Kiprusoff says.

– If you now think that at the age of seven I went to the skating school in Tepsi … It seems like an incredible trip of three decades.

However, getting rid of hockey was not difficult, as it was for so many.

– It seems like nothing has changed. I have never judged my own self through hockey, Kiprusoff says.

– Of course the longing to play exists. It will probably never go away.

Further Qualification

Kiprusoff has an oven-fresh profession. He completed a year-long vocational qualification as a sports field manager at Vierumäki Sports College.

– Last December, so to speak, I graduated, Kiprusoff says.

– I can recommend studies to anyone, but especially to former players. You can be close to sports and sports people and learn something new, for example, about the remnants of which I thought I already knew.

Kiprusoff has only done “guts”.

– Now it feels like I could do those jobs, even on a regular basis.

Another employer is a grill café called Pajamäki Kiosk, whose main product is chicken wings. Kiprusoff is a co-owner and occasionally operates behind the counter.

– It has already been held for a dozen years.

Coaching is also interesting. Last season Kiprusoff participated in the representative team of Paimio Kiekkoseura, next season in TuTon C-juniors.

– Coaching is nice and challenging and everything, but it also comes up with the issue of time management at any level. Everything else is so nice to do.

“Just in peace”

Kiprusoff turns 50 on Monday.

– It doesn’t feel different, at least not yet – but although it doesn’t feel different, there are no more young boys here.

No raids are expected.

– We’re still alone.

There has always been an image of Kiprusoff that is receding, even juro.

– I’m basically calm and quiet. It may have been detrimental but also beneficial. It is good to have all kinds of personalities in the booth.

She remembers enjoying herself in the occasional chaotic world of locker rooms.

– It was nice to listen to stuff. Maybe you’ll learn something when you’re not in the voice itself.

Gray

In addition to the silence, the years of the game are remembered for the back hair, which was not admired, especially by the old-fashioned NHL crowd.

– It was suggested there that it would be good to shorten, but now I did not go straight to the barber shop, Kiprusoff said.

– Now that you look at the pictures, there was probably reason to say.

The back hair is still part of the Kipru style.

– For some reason I have had long hair since I was young, except in the army, of course, he says.

– The color has now changed a little grayer.