Emma Laaksonen Award Explained

Emma Laaksonen Award
Sport:Ice hockey
League:Naisten Liiga
Givenfor:Fair play player
Presenter:Finnish Ice Hockey Association
First:2011
Firstwinner:Christine Posa
Mostwins:Johanna Juutilainen (2)
Saila Saari (2)
Mostrecent:Johanna Juutilainen, 2024

The Emma Laaksonen Award is an ice hockey trophy awarded by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association to the fair play player of the year of the Naisten Liiga, called the until 2017. The award recognizes a player who best contributes to the scoring of their team while "playing fair," that is to say, while incurring very few penalty minutes. Winners typically exceed one point per game and are issued fewer than ten penalty minutes (PIM) over a full season.

It is named after defenseman Emma Terho (née Laaksonen), former captain of the Finnish women's national ice hockey team and general manager of Kiekko-Espoo Naiset. Despite being named after a defenseman, it has only ever been awarded to forwards.

The Emma Laaksonen Award was first awarded, to Christine Posa of the Espoo Blues in 2011.[1] Johanna Juutilainen and Saila Saari are the only players to have received the trophy twice. Saari was awarded in 2013, while playing with JYP Jyväskylä, and in 2018, while playing with Oulun Kärpät. Juutilainen was the trophy recipient while playing with KalPa Kuopio in both 2021 and 2024. Emilia Vesa, recipient for the 2018–19 season, is the only honoree to have won the trophy while averaging less than one point per game. In 2022, French national team player Emmanuelle Passard became the first international to win the award and was also the first recipient to have incurred zero penalty minutes in the award season.

The trophy holder is Johanna Juutilainen, who won the award while serving as captain of KalPa for the 2023–24 season.

Award winners

SeasonWinnerTeamGPPtsPIM
2010–11Espoo Blues26284
2011–12Ilves Tampere19282
2012–13JYP Jyväskylä28392
2013–14JYP Jyväskylä28318
2014–15Espoo Blues25388
2015–16JYP Jyväskylä23364
2016–17KalPa Kuopio22366
2017–18Kärpät Oulu26448
2018–19Team Kuortane28214
2019–20Team Kuortane30526
2020–21KalPa Kuopio25352
2021–22IFK Helsinki28330
2022–23KalPa Kuopio35506
2023–24KalPa Kuopio32462
Source: Elite Prospects[2]

All time award recipients

! Player! Wins! Years won
2 2021[3]
2024[4]
2 2013
2018[5]
1 2016
1 2023[6]
1 2012
1 2017
1 2014
1 20222022[7]
1 2011
1 2015
1 2020[8]
1 2019[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mennander . Pasi . 2011-03-11 . Naisten SM-sarjan palkinnot 2010–11 – Tässä nimilista! . 2020-11-18 . . fi-fi.
  2. Web site: Awards - Naisten Liiga (W) Fair Play Player (Emma Laaksonen Award) . 2024-06-17 . Elite Prospects . en.
  3. Web site: Niemeläinen. Jonne. 2021-03-16. Huikeat tehot kerännyt 19-vuotias KalPa-hyökkääjä Elisa Holopainen palkittiin Naisten Liigan runkosarjan parhaana – huomenna edessä kauden tärkein peli. 2021-03-18. Yle Urheilu. fi.
  4. Web site: Mennander . Pasi . 8 June 2024 . Naisten Liigan kauden 2023–24 palkitut pelaajat, valmentajat ja tuomarit . 17 June 2024 . . fi-fi.
  5. Web site: Mennander . Pasi . 2018-03-08 . Naisten Liigan kauden 2017–18 palkitut pelaajat, erotuomarit ja tähtikentät . 2020-06-09 . . fi-fi.
  6. Web site: Mennander . Pasi . 2023-06-10 . Naisten Liigan kauden 2022–23 palkitut pelaajat, valmentajat ja tuomarit . 2023-10-30 . . fi-fi.
  7. Web site: Mennander . Pasi . 2022-06-13 . Naisten Liigan kauden 2021–22 palkitut pelaajat ja tähtikentät . 2022-09-05 . leijonat.fi . . fi-fi.
  8. Book: Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto. Jääkiekkokirja 2021: Suomen Jääkiekkoliiton ja Liiga Kausijulkaisu 2020–2021. Jääkiekkon SM-liiga Oy. Uusi Suomi/Kiekkolehti. 2020. Aaltonen. Juha. Helsinki. 528. fi. Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Liiga. 2020-11-13.
  9. Book: Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto. Jääkiekkokirja 2019–2020. Jääkiekkon SM-liiga Oy. Uusi Suomi/Kiekkolehti. Aaltonen. Juha. Helsinki. 554. fi. 0784-3321. 476321083. Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Liiga. 2020-11-13.