Tomek Valtonen
Tomasz Valtonen (born 8 January 1980) is a Polish-born Finnish former professional ice hockey forward. He is currently the head coach for HC Pustertal Wölfe of the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL).[1] He coached the Poland men's national ice hockey team from 2018-2020.[2] Valtonen was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings as their second-round draft pick (56th overall) in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
| Tomek Valtonen | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Born |
8 January 1980 Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 216 lb (98 kg; 15 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Left Wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
Ilves Jokerit Södertälje SK | ||
| National team |
 Finland | ||
| NHL Draft |
56th overall, 1998 Detroit Red Wings | ||
| Playing career | 1997–2009 | ||
Playing career
Valtonen was born in Piotrków Trybunalski to a Polish mother and a Finnish father. The family moved to Finland when Tomek was young, and he grew up in Kitee.
He started his professional career in Ilves in 1997 and played his next season with the Plymouth Whalers in the OHL, and returned to the SM-liiga in 1999 and represented Jokerit until 2007, when he signed a two-year contract with Södertälje SK. Valtonen returned to SM-liiga and Jokerit for season 2008-2009.
Valtonen has won the SM-liiga championship, three silver medals, and the under-20s World Championship.
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Finland | ||
| World Junior Championships | ||
.svg.png.webp){kind=icon} | 1998 Finland | |
| IIHF European Junior Championships | ||
| 1997 Czech Republic | |
Coaching career
- Jokerit, A-juniors (2010–2012)
- Jokerit, (assistant coach 2012–2013 and head coach 2013–2014)
- Vaasan Sport, (2014–2018)
- Poland national ice hockey team, (2018–2020)
- Podhale Nowy Targ, (2018–2019)
- Ravensburg Towerstars (2019)
- Mora IK (2019–2020)
- HK Dukla Michalovce (2020–2022)
Career statistics
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1997–98 | Ilves | SM-liiga | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 3 | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1998–99 | Plymouth Whalers | OHL | 43 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 53 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1999–00 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 41 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 63 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 2000–01 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 45 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 138 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2001–02 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 55 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 65 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2002–03 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 51 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 38 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2003–04 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 53 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 78 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 2004–05 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 35 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 59 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 2005–06 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 51 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 130 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2006–07 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 54 | 19 | 16 | 35 | 121 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 2007–08 | Södertälje SK | SEL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
References
- "VALTONEN REMAINS WOLVES COACH | VALLERAND LEAVES OLIMPIJA". ICE Hockey League. 27 January 2023.
- "Slovak coach for Polish national hockey team". Polskie Radio. 24 June 2020.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or The Internet Hockey Database