Ari Sulander

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


team=ZSC Lions
former_teams = Nationalliga B
GCK Lions
SM-liiga
Jokerit
1. Divisioona
Vantaa HT
league = Nationalliga A
position = Goaltender
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 1
weight_lb = 194
nickname = Sulo
nationality = FIN
birth_date = birth date and age|1969|01|06
birth_place = Helsinki, FIN
draft =
draft_year =
draft_team =
career_start = 1987

Ari Sulander, also nicknamed Sulo (born January 6, 1969 in Helsinki, Finland), is a professional ice hockey goaltender.

Career in Finland

Sulander has played in the Finnish SM-Liiga in Helsingin Jokerit for nine seasons (1989–1998), winning four Finnish Championships (1992, 1994, 1996 and 1997), one Silver (1995), one Bronze (1998), two European Championships (1995 and 1996) and one European Championship Bronze (93). Sulander started with Jokerit as a Junior and progressed through the team all the way to position of No. 1 goalkeeper. During his Jokerit career, Sulander played with some of the greatest SM-Liiga players of all time, including Otakar Janecky, Teemu Selänne, Waltteri Immonen and Jari Kurri (Kurri played in Jokerit during the 1994-1995 NHL lockout). During his nine-year SM-Liiga career, Sulander was coached by top coaches like Hannu Aravirta, Boris Majorov.

Career in Switzerland

Sulander left Jokerit after winning Bronze in 1998 for a new challenge. Sulander's new team was the ZSC Lions (Zürich) of the Swiss top League, the Nationalliga A. Since 1998, Sulander has played 10 seasons for the ZSC (1999–today). Sulander succeeded in scoring a goal in a Swiss Elite League game during the 2002-2003 season. He has also won the Swiss Championship three times (2000, 2001 and 2008).

International career

Ari Sulander has played for Finland for a total of 117 games (dressed in 117, played 68). He played in the 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Ice Hockey World Championships and the 1998 Winter Olympic Games. In the World Championships Sulander has won one Gold, two Silver, and one Bronze medals. Sulander also won the Bronze in the 1998 Winter Olympics and was a key player in the Bronze game against NHL star powered Canada, led by Wayne Gretzky and Patrick Roy. Besides the 1998 Olympic tournament, Sulander also played well in the 1998 Ice Hockey World Championships.