Olli Määttä

Who Is Olli Maatta?

Olli Maatta is a Finnish ice hockey player. He is known for his skill on the ice and his friendly smile. Fans love his energy and his calm style of play. He brings joy to the game and to the people who watch him.

Even off the rink he is warm and kind. He enjoys sharing stories with young players and fans. His name is spoken with respect and a hint of admiration. He is a bright star in the world of sport.

Early Life and Background

Olli Maatta was born on August 22 1994. That day marked the start of a life that would later be filled with hockey dreams. The date is a special part of his story.

His birth date is remembered by many who follow his career. It is a simple fact that fans often celebrate each year.

Career and Claim to Fame

The official page can be found at en.wikipedia.org wiki Olli Maatta. This site holds all the details about his professional path. It is the goto place for anyone who wants to learn more.

Visitors to the page will see a clear picture of his achievements. The site is easy to read and full of useful information.

Birthday, Age and Zodiac

Olli Maatta was born on August 22 1994. He is currently thirty two years old. The date is a bright summer day that fans love to mark.

His zodiac sign is Leo. Leos are known for being confident and generous. They often have a strong sense of leadership and love to be around friends. This description matches the lively spirit that many see in Olli.

Fun Facts and Legacy

Olli Maatta is a Finnish ice hockey player born on August 22 1994. He is thirty two years old and his sign is Leo, a sign that is confident and generous. Fans can find more about him at en.wikipedia.org wiki Olli Maatta.

These simple facts make his story easy to share. They show why he is loved by many and why his name stays in the hearts of his supporters.

Olli Määttä - Quick Facts

Profile Overview of Olli Määttä

Olli Määttä (born 22 August 1994) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round, 22nd overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2012 NHL entry draft. Määttä has also played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings, Utah Mammoth, and Calgary Flames.

This profile of Olli Määttä covers Junior, Professional, International play and Personal Life.

Määttä was the first overall selection in the 2011 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft, and played for the Finnish junior team at the 2011 IIHF World U18 Championships and the 2011, 2012 and 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Known for his shot-blocking ability and hockey IQ, Määttä was named to Finland's roster for the 2014 Winter Olympics as a 19-year-old.

Junior of Olli Määttä

Määttä began his junior career playing for his home-town team's under-16 program. As a 14-year-old, he played one game for JYP U16 in the Jr. C SM-sarja classification. The next year, Määttä scored 19 points in seven games to help the JYP U16 squad to a 4–2–2 record in the qualifiers, enough to avoid relegation. Once the full season started, Määttä was named an assistant captain and played at a point-per-game pace, finishing the season with 22 points in 21 games (including nine goals), third for team scoring and first among defencemen. Määttä's play was strong enough for him to receive a two-game call-up to JYP's under-18 team in the Jr. B division. Määttä then played one game playing for JYP's under-20 team in their relegation round, helping save the team from dropping out of the Jr. A SM-Liiga. Amongst all the recognition, Määttä also found himself on Finland's national under-16 team, posting 13 points in 13 games.

The next season, as he turned 16 during the summer, Määttä was automatically promoted to JYP under-18 team, but was swiftly promoted after only one game to the under-20 team. While splitting his time between JYP U20 and the D Team in the Mestis (second division) classification—the second-highest level of ice hockey in Finland—Määttä once again found time to participate on Finland's national teams, playing for both the under-18 and -20 teams. At the under-18 tournament, he led all Finnish defenceman in scoring with four points and helped Finland to a fifth-place finish. Määttä did not perform nearly as well at the 2011 World Junior Championships, but going pointless in six games, though he became the youngest player ever to play for Finland's World Junior team, a record that has since been broken by Aleksander Barkov. At the end of the season, Määttä returned to JYP's U20 team en route to an eventual league championship. Määttä finished with five points in 12 games.

After his accomplishments at the various levels of Finland's junior leagues, Määttä was selected 85th overall by SKA Saint Petersburg in the 2011 KHL Draft, then first overall by the London Knights in the 2011 CHL Import Draft two months later. He ultimately accepted the latter invitation to play major junior in Canada, thus beginning his Ontario Hockey League (OHL) career the following autumn with London.

Määttä joined a London team primed to make a run for the J. Ross Robertson Cup. The Knights won their first five games by a combined score of 31–10 and did not look back. London ended the regular season with the best record in the OHL (49–18–0–1) and the top defence in their conference. Along the way to posting a +25 plus-minus rating for the team, Määttä paced the team in defensive scoring with 32 points in 58 games, despite missing 6 games in the middle of the season to play for Finland at the 2012 World Junior Championships. Seeking to improve on Finland's sixth-place finish in 2011, Määttä was expected to be a key contributor for his team, but in the tournament opener he was concussed on a hit by Canada's Boone Jenner and missed the remainder of the tournament. Finland ultimately finished fourth without him. In the OHL playoffs, Määttä continued his strong play, only being held pointless in just five of London's 19 post-season games. As the Knights rolled through each series, losing only three games on their way to their first title since 2004–05, Määttä finished tied for the team lead in scoring with 23 points in 19 games.

In winning the J. Ross Robertson Cup, London received a berth at the 2012 Memorial Cup held in Shawinigan, Quebec. In the three round-robin games against the Edmonton Oil Kings, Saint John Sea Dogs and the Shawinigan Cataractes, Määttä was held scoreless as the Knights were able to win two of the games and receive a subsequent bye to the championship game. After a five-day wait, London matched up against hosts Shawinigan, the only team to have beaten them in the round-robin. A defensive struggle, the game went to overtime after a 1–1 scoreline after regulation, where the Cataractes' Anton Zlobin ultimately ended the game with his second goal of the night, spoiling the Knights' stellar season.

After the season and leading up to the 2012 NHL entry draft on 22 June, Määttä was ranked as the eighth-best North American skater. He was selected by the draft hosts, Pittsburgh Penguins, with the 22nd selection in the first round. He attended the Penguins' developmental camp in July, along with several other prospects—including London teammate Scott Harrington— and in mid-September signed an entry-level contract with the Penguins.

Määttä began the 2012–13 season with two points in his first four games, though his offensive numbers began to pick up about a month into the season, as the Knights went on a 24–0 streak between 1 November 2012 and 1 January 2013. In late December, Määttä joined Finland for the 2013 World Junior Championships. Määttä was outshined by fellow Finnish defencemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Ville Pokka as Finland finished fourth in its pool, sending the team to the relegation round. Finland easily won its two relegation matches to stay in the top tier, though a seventh-place finish in the ten-nation tournament was nonetheless considered a disappointment.

Upon his return to London, Määttä registered two assists in his next nine games. He rediscovered his game in early February and carried it through the end of the year, pushing London to its second straight first-place finish (50–13–2–3) this time with the second-best offense in the OHL and the number three defence. Once again London rolled through its conference to the OHL title game, losing only two games in the process, but they faced stiffer competition for the J. Ross Robertson Cup from the Barrie Colts. Määttä registered a point in all but one game. London quickly found themselves down three game to one but rallied to force a seventh game at home. Määttä lead a defensive effort that held Barrie to fewer than four goals for just the second time in the series, as well as scoring the Knight's second goal and securing London's second League title in as many years with a 3–2 victory.

Source: adapted from Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olli_M%C3%A4%C3%A4tt%C3%A4), text available under CC BY-SA 4.0.