Saku Koivu Trivia Quiz

Answer: Finland

Saku Antero Koivu was born in Turku, Finland, on November 24, 1974.

Answer: HC TPS

Before joining the ranks of the National Hockey League (NHL) in North America, Saku Koivu was fortunate enough to have played three seasons with his hometown Turku for the Turun Palloseura (TPS) Hockey Club.

Answer: Montreal Canadiens

The heralded Montreal Canadiens took Saku Koivu with their first pick in the first round, 21st overall, in the 1993 NHL entry draft. Although he had a prolific junior career, and was widely considered as one of the top prospects from Europe at the time, many NHL teams thought it would be too risky to draft the diminutive forward, considering him to be too frail to play on the smaller tighter checking North American ice surface.

Answer: 14

Saku Koivu wore the Montreal Canadiens uniform for the better parts of 14 seasons (1995 to 2009).

Answer: Their longest serving captain

Due to his constant work ethic and composure on and off the ice, the Montreal Canadiens players voted him as their choice for team captain from 1999 to 2009. This made him their longest serving captain in team history (a record he shared with the great Jean Beliveau, who played with the Canadiens from 1950 to 1971).

Answer: Cancer

After complaining of stomach pains in September of 2001, Koivu was shortly thereafter diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma (Burkitt's). He immediately went into treatment and actually, to the surprise of many, returned to the ice for the last few games of the regular season in the Spring of 2002, some six short months later. Truly a remarkable story and accomplishment in his own right.

The most touching standing ovation moment I have ever seen was the one given to him by the fans of the Montreal Canadiens when he returned to the ice that April 2002 night.

Answer: Mikko

Mikko Koivu joined the Minnesota Wild in 2000 (the team's first season in the NHL). He was appointed the team's first permanent captain in October 2009 (the team had previously had rotating captains).

Answer: 1995

Team Finland shocked the ice hockey world by wining the gold medal at the 1995 Men's Ice Hockey Championships, held in Galve and Stockholm, Sweden, in 1995. Both Sweden, as the hosts, and Canada, were heavily favoured to win that year, but it was the Finns who took home the gold.

Answer: Anaheim Ducks

Sensing that the team might not offer him a new contract, Saku chose to sign with the Anaheim Ducks and join his longtime friend, and fellow countryman, Teemu Selanne. They went on to play four seasons together in Anaheim and both retired after the 2013-14 NHL season ended. Saku, as an Anaheim Duck, got two more standing ovations later in Montreal, the first upon his return there as a member of the Ducks on January 2, 2011 and again during his last visit as a Duck on October 24, 2013. Needless to say that the fans in Montreal are very fond of the little Saku.

Answer: King Clancy Memorial Trophy

Saku Koivu was given the award notably for the foundation he created which helps to raise funds to treat cancer patients in the greater Montreal area. Saku also won the Bill Masterson Trophy, given to player who best exemplifies qualities such as perseverance and dedication to the sport of ice hockey, for his battle with cancer in 2002.

The Maurice Richard Trophy is warded the the NHL's regular season's leading goal scorer. The Lady Bing is given to the player who best exemplifies skill and sportsmanship.

The Art Ross Trophy is given annually to the regular season leading points scorer in the NHL.