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Jesse Joensuu

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Jesse Joensuu
Joensuu in December 2015
Born (1987-10-05) October 5, 1987 (age 36)
Pori, Finland
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for New York Islanders
HV71
Edmonton Oilers
SC Bern
Jokerit
Ässät
National team  Finland
NHL draft 60th overall, 2006
New York Islanders
Playing career 2004–2024

Jesse Matias Joensuu (born October 5, 1987) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey winger who finished his career with Porin Ässät of the SM-liiga. Joensuu served as the team's captain for the 2023–24 season.

Joensuu has previously played for the New York Islanders and the Edmonton Oilers in the National Hockey League (NHL)

Playing career

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Porin Ässät (2003–2008)

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Joensuu, who previously played in Ässät's junior teams, played his professional SM-liiga debut with Ässät against SaiPa in September 2003 when he was only 15 years old. In his debut season, Joensuu played in six games with the representative team. In the following season, Joensuu had an almost constant spot as a winger in the fourth line and he played 39 matches, in which he scored one goal and assisted one. Although the expected quick breakthrough did not come, Joensuu's role in the Ässät team grew year by year.

The NHL club New York Islanders drafted Joensuu in the second round of the 2006 draft at number 60. In 2007, the Islanders sent a coach to Pori to refine Joensuu's skating technique with private lessons.

In his last SM-liiga season (2007–08), the now 20-year-old Joensuu lived up to expectations and scored plenty of points despite the Ässät's placement at the bottom of the league. Joensuu was also chosen once as the best young player in the SM-liiga. After selling the team's number one center, Toni Häppölä, Joensuu became Ässät's best scorer.

After his season with Ässät, Joensuu played one game with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the Islanders' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.

New York Islanders (2008–2011)

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Joensuu with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in 2011


In the spring of 2008, Joensuu signed a three-year contract with the Islanders. Joensuu started the 2008–09 season on the affiliate team in Bridgeport in the AHL, although he managed to appear in a few training games in the Islanders' jersey. Joensuu was placed into the Islanders lineup on March 2, 2009 for a match against the Colorado Avalanche in which scored a goal in his first NHL game.

In the 2010–2011 season, Joensuu finally played more games in the NHL than in the AHL, despite his two-way contract.He made his season debut with the Islanders on November 20 in a home game in a losing cause against the Florida Panthers. He received a two-way contract offer from the Islanders in order for the Islanders to retain his player rights.

Return to Europe, HV71 and Ässät (2011–2013)

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On July 1, 2011, Joensuu left the Islanders organization as a restricted free agent and signed a two-year deal with Swedish club HV71 of the Elitserien. With the intention of developing his offense as a power forward Joensuu scored 29 points in 50 games during the 2011–12 season.

Joensuu, with a clause for release from HV71 to the NHL, opted a return to the Islanders on a one-year deal on June 15, 2012. With the impending 2012–13 NHL lockout taking affect, Joensuu signed a contract for the duration of the dispute with hometown team Ässät on September 18, 2012.[1] At the end of the SM-liiga season, Ässät won the Kanada-malja championship.

Edmonton Oilers (2013–2015)

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On July 5, 2013, Joensuu signed as a free agent to a two-year contract to return to the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers. During the final season of his contract in 2014–15 season, and unable to secure a position on the checking lines of the struggling Oilers, Joensuu was loaned to Swiss club, SC Bern on December 12, 2014, for the remainder of the campaign.

Second return to Europe (2015–present)

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Jesse Joensuu with the Porin Ässät in 2023


For the 2015–2016 season, Joensuu signed a two-year contract with the KHL team Jokerit. In November 2016, Joensuu signed a three-year contract extension with the club that lasted until spring 2020. In April 2020, Joensuu signed a two-year contract extension with the team.

In April 2022, Jesse Joensuu's hometown club Porin Ässät announced that they had signed a two-year contract with Joensuu.[2] He became the Ässät captain. Joensuu played a full season of 60 games and scored 19 points.

Joensuu continued as the captain of Ässät for the 2023–24 SM-liiga season. After the team's season ended, Joensuu announced his retirement.[3]

Personal life

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Joensuu played football for Musan Salama as a junior.[4] He is the son of Finnish association football manager Jouni Joensuu.[5]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2002–03 Porin Ässät FIN U18 26 8 10 18 53 3 1 2 3 0
2002–03 Porin Ässät FIN U20 3 0 1 1 2
2003–04 Porin Ässät FIN U18 2 2 0 2 2
2003–04 Porin Ässät FIN U20 28 7 9 16 18 3 0 1 1 2
2003–04 Porin Ässät SM-liiga 6 0 0 0 0
2004–05 Porin Ässät FIN U20 13 7 8 15 14
2004–05 Porin Ässät SM-liiga 39 1 1 2 4
2005–06 Porin Ässät SM-liiga 51 4 8 12 57 14 0 2 2 12
2005–06 FInland U20 Mestis 2 1 0 1 12
2006–07 Porin Ässät FIN U20 5 2 1 3 6
2006–07 Porin Ässät SM-liiga 52 9 17 26 74
2006–07 Suomi U20 Mestis 2 0 2 2 6
2007–08 Porin Ässät SM-liiga 56 17 18 35 89
2007–08 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 1 0 0 0 0
2008–09 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 70 20 19 39 58 5 2 1 3 4
2008–09 New York Islanders NHL 7 1 2 3 4
2009–10 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 70 14 34 48 66 5 0 2 2 6
2009–10 New York Islanders NHL 11 1 0 1 4
2010–11 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 35 8 16 24 31
2010–11 New York Islanders NHL 42 6 3 9 33
2011–12 HV71 SEL 50 13 16 29 58 6 2 1 3 37
2012–13 Porin Ässät SM-liiga 24 11 14 25 83
2012–13 New York Islanders NHL 7 0 2 2 6 1 0 0 0 0
2013–14 Edmonton Oilers NHL 42 3 2 5 16
2014–15 Edmonton Oilers NHL 20 2 2 4 14
2014–15 SC Bern NLA 15 2 5 7 30 8 2 1 3 8
2015–16 Jokerit KHL 54 9 16 25 70 6 2 3 5 54
2016–17 Jokerit KHL 50 15 13 28 90 4 0 0 0 10
2017–18 Jokerit KHL 49 7 9 16 64 11 2 2 4 10
2018–19 Jokerit KHL 60 19 18 37 83 6 1 0 1 6
2019–20 Jokerit KHL 60 15 16 31 96 6 1 1 2 6
2020–21 Jokerit KHL 44 11 9 20 36 4 0 1 1 4
2021–22 Jokerit KHL 32 2 4 6 24
2022–23 Porin Ässät SM-liiga 60 9 10 19 48 8 3 0 3 4
SM-liiga totals 288 51 68 119 355 22 3 2 5 16
NHL totals 129 13 11 24 77 1 0 0 0 0
KHL totals 349 78 85 163 463 37 6 7 13 90

International

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Medal record
Representing  Finland
Ice hockey
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2011 Slovakia
World Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Vancouver
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2004 Finland WJC18 7th 4 0 0 0 6
2005 Finland WJC 5th 6 1 0 1 2
2005 Finland WJC18 7th 6 2 1 3 0
2006 Finland WJC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 7 2 2 4 8
2007 Finland WJC 6th 6 1 1 2 14
2012 Finland WC 4th 9 2 3 5 24
Junior totals 29 6 4 10 30
Senior totals 9 2 3 5 24

References

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  1. ^ "Leijonasankari Jesse Joensuu palaa Ässiin". assat.com (in Finnish). 2012-09-22. Archived from the original on 2012-09-22. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  2. ^ "Jesse Joensuu palaa Ässiin". assat.com. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  3. ^ "Jesse Joensuu: Ura ohi!".
  4. ^ "Jesse Joensuu muistaa edelleen hyvin, miten paljon hän lapsena piti jalkapallosta – "Sain Musan Salaman edustuksen otteluista kovan kajauksen" | Musan Salama" (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  5. ^ "Pitkä polku parrasvaloihin" (in Finnish). Kaleva. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by Porin Ässät captain
20222024
Succeeded by
TBD