It was there - the double League champion retires!

Finnish defender Aleksi Salonen, 33, has decided to end his long playing career. Salonen, who played an impressive 441 Liiga games in his career, spent the last four seasons abroad.

Among Salonen’s brightest achievements are consecutive Finnish championships with Tappara in 2016 and 2017. His trophy cabinet also includes SM silver and bronze. In the Liiga, he represented not only Tappara but also his youth club JYP, as well as TPS and Jukurit.

Abroad, Salonen played in the Austrian ICEHL league with Graz99ers and in the Czech Republic with Berani Zlín. However, the last three seasons in Zlín were challenging in terms of results, as each season ended with a finals loss at the second tier – the latest in a decisive seventh game.

– It is a hundred percent certain that I am quitting. This was really my last professional season, Salonen said in a statement from Zlín release.

Salonen says the decision has gradually matured, but the final resolution was primarily due to family reasons and the need for a change in lifestyle.

– I am no longer the youngest, even though I could play for a few more years. But now it feels like this is the right time. I have three boys, and the oldest is starting school – this life is not easy for the family, Salonen explains.

– I have missed a normal life – free weekends and time with family. I have been away from Finland for four years, and I miss the cottage and friends.

The thought of ending his career did not come overnight. Salonen says he had considered quitting earlier, but this past season sealed the decision.

– I thought last year that I would play for another two or three seasons. But at the beginning of this season, it felt like this was the last one.

– We had a tough time before Christmas, and that’s when I realized that I might not miss these feelings. The season was mentally very heavy. I played a lot and was already quite worn out in the finals – both mentally and physically.