Kai Ortio Explained

Birth Date:23 September 1965
Birth Place:Turku, Finland
Height Cm:185
Weight Kg:94
Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
League Coach:U16 Mestis
Team Coach:TPS U16 Akatemia
Career Start:1984
Career End:1998
Career Start Coach:2001

Kai Ortio (born 23 September 1965) is a Finnish retired ice hockey player and the current head coach of Turun Palloseura (TPS) Akatemia U16, a junior ice hockey team in the U16 Mestis. During his playing career, he played two seasons in the SM-liiga, appearing with HC TPS in 45 games during the 1987–88 and 1988–89 seasons and registering three points (0 goals+3 assists) and 22 penalty minutes.

Playing career

Ortio developed in the minor and junior ice hockey systems of Turun Toverit (TuTo or TUTO) in his hometown of Turku. At age 19, he made his professional debut with the club's representative team, TuTo Hockey, in the 1984–85 I-Divisioona season.[1]

Ortio went on to play the entirety of his fourteen season professional career in Finland, playing ten seasons in the second-tier I-divisioona and two seasons in the third-tier II-divisioona, in addition to his two seasons with TPS Turku in the SM-liiga. Eight of his seasons in the I-divisioona were spent with TuTo and, during the 1996–97 and 1997–98 seasons, his last active seasons before retirement, he served as the team's captain. The other two I-divisioona seasons were played with Oulun Kärpät in 1989–90 and Forssan Palloseura (FPS, previously FoPS) in 1990–91. In the II-divisioona, he played the 1994–95 season with Lätkä-77 and the 1995–96 season with Uudenkaupungin Jää-Kotkat (UJK).

Personal life

Ortio's son, Joni Ortio, is an active professional goaltender and his career has included playing in the National Hockey League (NHL), the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), the SM-liiga, and the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).[2]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

  Regular season Postseason
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1984–85TuToI-div.290228
1985–86TuToI-div.44881625
1986–87TuToI-div.445121722
1987–88TPSSM-liiga3703318
1988–89TPSSM-liiga8000410000
1989–90KärpätI-div.425121712
1990–91FoPSI-div.427212848
1991–92TuToI-div.4414122626
1992–93TuToI-div.449162546613418
1993–94TuToI-div.4358132460004
1994–95Lätkä-77II-div.2611193059
1995–96UJKII-div.351723408143364
1996–97TuToI-div.399172626
1997–98TuToI-div.40514193830002
SM-liiga totals450332210004
I-divisioona totals411671221892751513424
II-divisioona totals6128427067143364

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Seuran Historia – 80-luku. 2021-02-16. TUTO Hockey. fi.
  2. Web site: Muttilainen. Kimmo. 2014-12-13. TPS-legendan todellinen juhlapeli: 50 vuotta jääkiekkoa!. 2021-02-16. Yle. fi.