Jaako Niskavaara

Jaako Niskavaara (b. April 3rd 1977 in Oulu, Finland) is a professional defenseman who plays in the Ligue Magnus for Rouen Hockey Élite 76.

Niskavaara shone at the 1995 European Junior Championship, where he was named best defenseman, after cumulating 3 goals and as manu assists in 5 games with +7. He was never drafted to the National Hockey League and spent his whole career in Finland (Kärpät Oulu, Kiekko-67 Turku, TPS Turku, Lukko Rauma, Tappara Tampere, Pelicans Lahti and JYP Jyväskylä) and Austria (EHC Lustenau, Klagenfurter AC, EC Salzburg).

Niskavaara signed in 2008 with the Rouen Dragons of the Ligue Magnus in France, where he is, along with countrymates Jarkko Glad and Petri Virolainen, a key element on the team's blueline.