| Played For: | Ilves Edmonton Road Runners Jokerit JYP Jyväskylä Luleå HF Krefeld Pinguine HC Davos HPK HDD Olimpija Ljubljana Lahti Pelicans Amur Khabarovsk Brynäs IF HC Fassa Yunost Minsk |
| Position: | Centre |
| Shoots: | Left |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 3 |
| Weight Lb: | 195 |
| Birth Date: | 1983 8, mf=yes |
| Birth Place: | Tampere, Finland |
| Draft: | 15th overall |
| Draft Year: | 2002 |
| Draft Team: | Edmonton Oilers |
| Career Start: | 2000 |
| Career End: | 2018 |
Jesse Niinimäki (born August 19, 1983) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward who is currently a free agent. He was last under contract with the Nikko Icebucks of the Asia League Ice Hockey having signed for the team on July 20, 2017, but ultimately never played for the team. Niinimäki was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round (15th overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
Niinimäki spent the 2004–05 season with the Edmonton Road Runners in the American Hockey League and Ilves, and signed with Jokerit for the 2005–06 season. After a disappointing fall season, Niinimäki was released from his contract with Jokerit in January 2006, and hired by JYP for the rest of the season.[1]
After the 2005–06 season, Niinimäki moved to Sweden and played for Elitserien side Luleå HF in 37 games. Niinimäki also played for the German DEL team Krefeld Pinguine. The tenure in Germany lasted for 9 games plus 2 games in the playoffs. After completion of the 2006–07 season Niinimäki returned to Luleå but was released during September 2007. Niinimäki was acquired by Swiss Nationalliga A team HC Davos, but in January 2008 he returned to HPK.
He is the son of former Finnish international footballer, Jari Niinimäki.[2]
| Team | League | GP | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | Tappara | FIN U18 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | Ilves | FIN U18 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Ilves | FIN U18 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Ilves | FIN U20 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Ilves | FIN U20 | 27 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Ilves | SM-liiga | 16 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03 | Ilves | FIN U20 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Ilves | SM-liiga | 41 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Sport | Mestis | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Ilves | SM-liiga | 10 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Ilves | SM-liiga | 18 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Edmonton Road Runners | AHL | 24 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Jokerit | SM-liiga | 34 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | JYP | SM-liiga | 19 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07 | Luleå HF | SEL | 37 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Krefeld Pinguine | DEL | 9 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | Luleå HF | SEL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | HC Davos | NLA | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | HPK | SM-liiga | 17 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | HDD Olimpija Ljubljana | AUT | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | LeKi | Mestis | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Ilves | SM-liiga | 24 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | Ilves | SM-liiga | 55 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | LeKi | Mestis | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Ilves | SM-liiga | 57 | 17 | 32 | 49 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12 | Ilves | SM-liiga | 47 | 5 | 31 | 36 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Ilves | SM-liiga | 27 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Pelicans | SM-liiga | 16 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Pelicans | Liiga | 50 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | Amur Khabarovsk | KHL | 23 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Brynäs IF | SHL | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Ilves | Liiga | 10 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | LeKi | Mestis | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | HC Fassa | ITA | 19 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 2016–17 | Yunost Minsk | BLR | 39 | 7 | 34 | 41 | 22 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | ||
| Liiga totals | 441 | 79 | 169 | 248 | 176 | 22 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | ||||