Marko Anttila

For the film director, see Marko Antila.
Marko Anttila
Born (1985-05-27) May 27, 1985
Lempäälä, Finland
Height 6 ft 8 in (203 cm)
Weight 229 lb (104 kg; 16 st 5 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shoots Right
KHL team
Former teams		 Jokerit
Ilves Tampere
HC TPS
Metallurg Novokuznetsk
Örebro HK
National team  Finland
NHL Draft 260th overall, 2004
Chicago Blackhawks
Playing career 2003–present

Marko Anttila (born May 25, 1985) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward. He currently plays for Jokerit of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Anttila was selected by Chicago Blackhawks in the 9th round (260th overall) of the 2004.

Playing career

Marko Anttila played his first adult ice hockey games during the 2003–04 season. Anttila's first team was his hometown team Lempäälän Kisa of Lempäälä.

Anttila scored 38 points in 22 Suomi-sarja regular season games during his debut season. Though playing in the 3rd highest level in Finland, Anttila was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft while he was playing for LeKi. It is believed that Anttila's connections with Chicago's scout for Finland, Sakari Pietila, was the reason why he was drafted. His large size (over 6'8 ft tall) combined to his hard slap shot were the most convincing factors that influenced Sakari Pietila suggested him to the Blackhawks.

After being drafted while playing for small town's team, Anttila soon was reckoned as a player to invest on. Marko Anttila was contracted by Ilves in 2004. Anttila struggled during his first season in SM-liiga but soon got the hand of playing in bigger levels.

In 2007–08, Anttila scored his SM-liiga career-high when he racked 23 points in 56 games and he was selected to play for Finnish National team during the European Hockey Tour.

On 26 April 2011, Anttila made a one-year contract with TPS. In June 2013 it was announced that Anttila would join Metallurg Novokuznetsk of the KHL.

After parts of three seasons with Örebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League, Anttila returned to the KHL, linking up on a one-year deal with Finnish based club, Jokerit on April 20, 2016.[1]

References

  1. ↑ "Anttila and Marjamaki added to attack" (in Finnish). Jokerit. 2016-04-20. Retrieved 2016-04-20.
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