Anyone remember Antti Aalto?

Finnish forward Antti Aalto was a product of legendary coach Vladimir Yurzinov's school in TPS, Turku (along with players like Saku Koivu, Jere Lehtinen, Sami Salo, Kimmo Timonen etc.)
Antti was a regular on the finnish national team and one of the better centers in the finnish sm-league during his prime.

He retired prior to the 06-07 season here in Finland.

He never really made it in the NHL and appeared only in about 150 games for the Mighty Ducks (99-01).

I myself was a bit surprised that he wasn't able to stay in the league longer than he did, seeing as how the Mighty Duck roster wasn't that deep back then.

So I'd just like to hear some comments or insight into his tenure with the Mighty Ducks from those of you who saw him play.

What did you think about him back then? Why didn't he make it? What kind of role did he play?

I'd appreciate any comments.

Aanti Aalto was aawesome.

Finnish forward Antti Aalto was a product of legendary coach Vladimir Yurzinov's school in TPS, Turku (along with players like Saku Koivu, Jere Lehtinen, Sami Salo, Kimmo Timonen etc.)
Antti was a regular on the finnish national team and one of the better centers in the finnish sm-league during his prime.

He retired prior to the 06-07 season here in Finland.

He never really made it in the NHL and appeared only in about 150 games for the Mighty Ducks (99-01).

I myself was a bit surprised that he wasn't able to stay in the league longer than he did, seeing as how the Mighty Duck roster wasn't that deep back then.

So I'd just like to here some comments or insight into his tenure with the Mighty Ducks from those of you who saw him play.

What did you think about him back then? Why didn't he make it? What kind of role did he play?

I'd appreciate any comments.

i mainly knew of him from nhl 97. his name made me chuckle

One of the worst players this team has ever had. Slow skating, No toughness whatsoever. Couldn't score. Basically a horrible time when Pierre Gauthier was GM he inserted every soft Euro he could find to play on the 4th line.

One of the worst players this team has ever had. Slow skating, No toughness whatsoever. Couldn't score. Basically a horrible time when Pierre Gauthier was GM he inserted every soft Euro he could find to play on the 4th line.

I remember reading about Aalto having some contract issues with Pierre Gauthier.

He suffered a serious injury too if memory serves me, that kept him away for almost a year.

IIRC he was also considered a bit of a dirty player by his opponents, wasn't he.

Not while he was here. Dirk's anti-euro bias aside, he's pretty much right about Aalto. He didn't have any kind of on-ice personality to speak of. He didn't skate well, he didn't hit anything, he didn't have a nice shot or make plays.

He didn't do anything. We heard a little about some moves he would pull in practice, but overall he was a completely forgettable hockey player.

He didn't do anything. We heard a little about some moves he would pull in practice, but overall he was a completely forgettable hockey player.

Except for his name.

I recall him being slow and not hitting people... but I could be wrong.

If you go to Benihana Anaheim you can see a picture of Antti Aalto with a few other Ducks and Paul Kariya. (they take pics of celebrities that eat there just in case you didn't know) That's literally the only memory I have of him, sadly. He was #14, I guess I remember that too... Everyone on those teams sucked but Kariya and Selanne.

He wasn't physical enough and couldn't keep up with plays.

If you list every player in NHL history in alphabetical order by last name, Aalto is at the top of the list.

He was alright considering he was on a team that was built with a bunch of schlubs around two superstars. Besides Kariya, Selanne and to a decent extent Rucchin, no one on those teams were really good.

I do remember fondly my best friends humorous pronunciation of his name, ah-alto. Good times.

I agree with most of the prior assessments. If you're a real Ducks fan, though, you remember players who were a lot more obscure that Aalto. Anyone remember Myles O'Conner? Mark Ferner?

I'm not a even a Ducks fan but I have fond memories of Aalto, Milos Holan, Patrik Carnback, Antti-Jussi Niemi, J.F. Jomphe, Valeri Karpov, Roman Oksiuta, etc.

Mike O'Neill and Tom Askey are two that I can remember right off hand. And of course Jonas Ronnqvist (who is still one of the nicest NHLers I've ever met, even if he didn't last more than a month), Drew Bannister, Anatoli Fedotov, Robin Bawa, Lonnie Loach (what a cool name), and Alexei Kasatonov.

i remember being excited when the ducks got stephan lebeau. holan had talent :( i remember oksuita "the ox" too, he was supposed to be our first power forward. pffft. anyone remember the special k line? i used to think bobby dollas was awesome. and corkum was my favorite player. gary valk was a cool guy, oh man i need a ladouceur stache pic..

Remember when we thought we might get a good 2nd from Marha - Cullen - Banham?

If you list every player in NHL history in alphabetical order by last name, Aalto is at the top of the list.

And that's the only way he's at the top.

Who can forget Aalto and Ladislav Kohn. Gauthier's euro's.

Some other obsure Ducks not mentioned: Dan Trebil, Valeri Karpov, Todd Krygier, Jeff Nielson, TED Drury, Sean Pronger, Ron Tugnutt. Okay that last one was a legit NHL player.

And that's the only way he's at the top.

Who can forget Aalto and Ladislav Kohn. Gauthier's euro's.

Some other obsure Ducks not mentioned: Dan Trebil, Valeri Karpov, Todd Krygier, Jeff Nielson, TED Drury, Sean Pronger, Ron Tugnutt. Okay that last one was a legit NHL player.

whatever happened to ted drury?

I'm not a even a Ducks fan but I have fond memories of Aalto, Milos Holan, Patrik Carnback, Antti-Jussi Niemi, J.F. Jomphe, Valeri Karpov, Roman Oksiuta, etc.

That dude. I remember seeing a lady at the Pond for years with a JF Jomphe jersey. The guy played like a handful of games and wasn't totally forgettable and this lady gets his jersey? I'll never understand some peoples infatuation with marginal players sometimes.

David Williams, Don McSween, Alex Hicks, Nikolai Tsulygin...LOL

I'll never understand some peoples infatuation with marginal players sometimes.

Like Zenon Konopka? ;)

Like Zenon Konopka? ;)

touché :)

Like Zenon Konopka? ;)

Ryan Shannon would be a better example this year.

Ryan Shannon would be a better example this year.

Not sure if there are too many people infatuated with him...

Johan Davidsson anyone? Trepanier, Dirk

Can't forget Jorgen Jonsson.

Steve Rucchin, man i miss u !!!

Not sure if there are too many people infatuated with him...

I can think of at least 1

Thanks for the input everyone, it's real fun to hear these tidbits about Antti's career in Anaheim.

I recall him being slow and not hitting people... but I could be wrong.

No, your right, Antti never was much of a skater nor was he ever overly physical.

When I think about it it's pretty obvious why he really didn't succeed in N/A. His lack of speed in the much faster paced nhl probably limited his play a lot.

I actually can't put my finger on what made him so successful in the finnish league, I guess he was real solid in the offensive zone and quite good on faceoffs.


I do remember fondly my best friends humorous pronunciation of his name, ah-alto. Good times.

:biglaugh: great stuff.

Mike O'Neill and Tom Askey are two that I can remember right off hand. And of course Jonas Ronnqvist (who is still one of the nicest NHLers I've ever met, even if he didn't last more than a month), Drew Bannister, Anatoli Fedotov, Robin Bawa, Lonnie Loach (what a cool name), and Alexei Kasatonov.

Oh man, Tom Askey, now there is a great guy. He played briefly here in Finland as well.

I remember him from when he performed on a weekly comedic hockey radio show here, i think he had his very own segment called "Tom Askey unplugged".

He played some of his own compositions on an acoustic guitar. And boy, he has some serious talent, I remember that he had few real good songs. And he sang well also.

And the guy has an excellent sense of humor too.

And that's the only way he's at the top.

Who can forget Aalto and Ladislav Kohn. Gauthier's euro's.

Some other obsure Ducks not mentioned: Dan Trebil, Valeri Karpov, Todd Krygier, Jeff Nielson, TED Drury, Sean Pronger, Ron Tugnutt. Okay that last one was a legit NHL player.

Ladislav Kohn, one of the best foreigners in the finnish sm-league the las decade. One of my favourites. He played on one of the best lines I have ever seen in the sm-league along with Jan Caloun and Mike Stapleton.



Davidsson, Kohn, Banham, Tenkrat a lot of familiar names from the finnish sm-league.

Some others that have also played in Finland and Anaheim: Drew Bannister, Ted Donato, Michael Holmqvist, Rob Valicevic.

I was going through my hockey-card collection the other day and I sure recognize a lot of these names from the early 90's.

Another guy with a cool name I came across was Steven King.

Another guy with a cool name I came across was Steven King.

I kept waiting for him to score a goal against Cujo.

Peter Leboutillier?

Remember 99-00 season when we had Grimson, McKenzie, Stevenson, Leboutillier, Marshall, Chad Wagner and Jason Payne in the organisation (latter 2 in AHL though)?

Man, that was a fun season. Beating the living crap out of Stars and all they could do was to whine and ask for more.

Fortunately, this year is almost as good. Screw the cup, I want more blood!

whatever happened to ted drury?

He played or plays in europe, i think germany.
he wasn't bad when looking back at past players.

I actually can't put my finger on what made him so successful in the finnish league

I can. Your memory is playing tricks with you.
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=5928

He had one solid season. (03-04 50gp 16+28=44) Other than that he was a mediocre 20 to 30 point guy. He was never considered an elite center here and he was never able to dominate in the way you seem to remember.

I can. Your memory is playing tricks with you.
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=5928

He had one solid season. (03-04 50gp 16+28=44) Other than that he was a mediocre 20 to 30 point guy. He was never considered an elite center here and he was never able to dominate in the way you seem to remember.

He was pretty good before he came to N/A too during the Yurzinov era in TPS imho, and he was also a regular on team Finland, so I would say it was a bit more than just one season.

But I'm a diehard TPS fan with a black & white heart so I have to admit my views are biased towards TPS-players.

JOE SACCO!!!! A fan favorite...

That dude. I remember seeing a lady at the Pond for years with a JF Jomphe jersey. The guy played like a handful of games and wasn't totally forgettable and this lady gets his jersey? I'll never understand some peoples infatuation with marginal players sometimes.

I remember back when I was eleven or so and reading one of those Disney Adventures magazines where they did an article on the Ducks and J.F. Jomphe was on the cover. The way they talked about him it was as if he was one of the top players on the team. I later remember being so letdown when I found out that he wasn't.

Jomphe gave 100%. Not a lot of guys on the ducks did back then.
(they probably didn't know how)

Jomphe was a player I liked in those days. Among the insignificant role players from the dark days of this organization. I saw him score two goals in something like 12 or 15 seconds. I think it still stands as a franchise record for quickest 2 goals.

I only remember the guy from NHL 2000. I picked him when I did the Atlanta expansion draft. I can't remember why though. lol

David Williams, Don McSween, Alex Hicks, Nikolai Tsulygin...LOL

If I'm not mistaken didn"t Mc Sween cut Teemu Selanne's Achilles Tendon with his skate?

Also, didn't McSween's career end with a serious injury?

If anyone knows, please reply.

Myles O'Conner was the last Devils' player to wear #4 before Scott Stevens.

Wasn't Patrik Kjellberg a Duck too for a while?

i mainly knew of him from nhl 97. his name made me chuckle

haha thats how i remembered him and why i opened the thread

he was always the first player in the whole league alphabetically

Myles O'Conner was the last Devils' player to wear #4 before Scott Stevens.

Wasn't Patrik Kjellberg a Duck too for a while?

Yep, he sure was. He left during the 2002-2003 playoffs though. (homesick or his wife was having a baby).