| Katja Riipi Award Katja Riipi -palkinto | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| League | Naisten Liiga |
| Given for | Best forward |
| Presented by | Finnish Ice Hockey Association |
| History | |
| First winner | Saara Tuominen, 2006 |
| Most wins | Elisa Holopainen (4) Linda Välimäki (4) |
| Most recent | Elisa Holopainen, 2022 |
The Katja Riipi Award (Finnish: Katja Riipi -palkinto) is an ice hockey trophy, seasonally awarded by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association to the best forward of the Naisten Liiga, previously the Naisten SM-sarja. Best forward in the Naisten Liiga was first awarded in the 2005–06 season, to Saara Niemi (née Tuominen). The award was named in honor of Katja Riipi during the 2010–11 season.[1]
The most Katja Riipi Awards won by a single player is four, a record held by two iconic players of the 2010s: Linda Leppänen (née Välimäki) and Elisa Holopainen. Leppänen, a centre, first won the trophy in the 2009–10 season, while playing with Ilves Tampere – the team she would later coach during 2020 to 2022. Her later three titles were awarded while playing with the Kiekko-Espoo franchise, winning consecutive trophies in the 2013–14 season and 2014–15 seasons, when the team was called the Espoo Blues, and in the 2016–17 season, when the team was called Espoo United. Young phenom Elisa Holopainen, a left winger, is the current title holder and has won the award in each of the past four seasons, making her the first player to win the award more than two consecutive times. Anne Helin, who won the trophy in the 2010–11 season and 2012–13, is the only other player to have been awarded the Katja Riipi Award more than once.
Award winners[]
Source: Elite Prospects[9]
All-time award recipients[]
| Player | Wins | Year(s) won |
|---|---|---|
| Elisa Holopainen | 4 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 |
| Linda Välimäki | 4 | 2010, 2014, 2015, 2017 |
| Anne Helin | 2 | 2011, 2013 |
| Michelle Karvinen | 1 | 2009 |
| Eini Lehtinen | 1 | 2008 |
| Petra Nieminen | 1 | 2018 |
| Tanja Niskanen | 1 | 2016 |
| Karoliina Rantamäki | 1 | 2007 |
| Nina Tikkinen | 1 | 2012 |
| Saara Tuominen | 1 | 2006 |
References[]
- ↑ Jääkiekkoliitto uudisti palkinnot: Pokaaleihin nimet Selänne, Koivu, Räty, Javanainen... (fi) (2010-11-14).
- ↑ Mennander, Pasi (2016-03-04). Naisten SM-sarjan kauden 2015-16 palkitut pelaajat, erotuomarit ja tähtikentät (fi-fi). Finnish Ice Hockey Association.
- ↑ Mennander, Pasi. Kuortaneella juhlistettiin runkosarjapalkintoja - Pystejä pelaajille ja valmennukselle (fi-fi). Finnish Ice Hockey Association.
- ↑ Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto (2019). Jääkiekkokirja 2020: Suomen Jääkiekkoliiton ja Liiga Kausijulkaisu 2019–2020 (in fi). Uusi Suomi/Kiekkolehti, 554. OCLC 476321083.
- ↑ Mennander, Pasi (2020-03-23). Naisten Liigan kauden 2019–20 palkitut pelaajat ja tähtikentät (fi-fi). Finnish Ice Hockey Association.
- ↑ Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto (2020). Jääkiekkokirja 2021: Suomen Jääkiekkoliiton ja Liiga Kausijulkaisu 2020–2021 (in fi). Uusi Suomi/Kiekkolehti, 528.
- ↑ Mennander, Pasi (2021-03-15). Naisten Liigan kauden 2020–21 palkitut pelaajat ja tähtikentät (fi-fi). Finnish Ice Hockey Association.
- ↑ Naisten Liigan kauden 2021–22 palkitut pelaajat ja tähtikentät (fi-fi). Finnish Ice Hockey Association (2022-06-13).
- ↑ Award - SM-sarja (W) Best Forward (Katja Riipi Award) (en).