On Friday night, it was announced via the Montreal Canadiens official Twitter account (@CanadiensMTL) that Saku Koivu will be honoured by the organization on December 18th, before the start of the game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Anaheim Ducks, two organizations that Koivu played for during his 18-year career in the National Hockey League.
The Montreal Canadiens will honour Saku Koivu before the game against the Anaheim Ducks on December 18. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/5ynIrEWKL4
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) 21 Novembre 2014
Of those 18 years, Koivu spent 13 of them with the Canadiens. Before his start in the NHL, Koivu was an excellent player in the Finnish SM-Liiga. His final year with TPS Turku saw him hit the 74 point mark (27 goals, 47 assists) in 45 games, granting him the Kultainen Kypärä Award as the league’s scoring leader, while also earning himself Lasse Oksanen Trophy as league MVP. His playoff run with the Finnish team was equally impressive, scoring 17 points (7 goals, 10 assists) in 13 games, earning him the Jari Kurri Award as playoff MVP, and a second Kanada-Malja Trophy in three years.
Selected 21st overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, his debut in the league came the next year, in the 1995-96 season, Finishing 4th in scoring among all rookie skaters, Koivu launched his career in North America by posting a 20-goal campaign while adding 25 assists to total out at 45 points in 82 games. The following season, Koivu suffered a knee injury that took him out for a few dozen games, but before that, he was in a battle for the leading scorer title, with 13 goals and 25 assists. When he returned, he completed his second season with the Habs, with an impressive 56 points in 50 games.
Yet the Finnish centreman’s accolades go far beyond point totals per season. In December of 1999, after the departure of then-captain Vincent Damphousse, Saku Koivu was named the 27th captain of the Montreal Canadiens. By doing so, he also became the first ever European captain in the franchise’s history. Unfortunately, his run as captain got off to a shaky start, not due to poor play, but because of his injuries. After dislocating his shoulder during his first season as captain, Koivu missed an array of games. Knee injuries from previous seasons came back to haunt him, and it eventually led to Koivu needing arthroscopic surgery to repair his left knee, cutting his season short in 2000-01. In his first two seasons as captain, Koivu managed to only play in 78 contests.
Sadly, the worst was yet to come. On a plane ride home from Finland, teammate and friend Brian Savage had noticed Saku Koivu not looking well. His complexion was pale, he was feeling more ill than usual, and was even vomiting. After pushing his teammate to go see a doctor, Savage may have played a helping hand in saving Koivu’s life – he was diagnosed with cancer – Burkitt’s lymphoma, a non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The treatments that needed to be done would take Koivu out of the line-up for nearly the entirety of the 20001-02 season. It would have ended his season completely had it not been for the captain’s stubbornness. On April 9th, 2002, during the Canadiens 80th game of the season, Koivu skated onto the ice, in full gear, and received a massive 8 minute ovation from the Molson Centre crowd. The symbolism of Koivu’s bravery as he stood on the ice, having defeated cancer, became one of the most inspirational moments in Habs history. After season’s end, Koivu was awarded the Bill Masterton Trophy for showing courage while remaining a leader to his team.
After six more seasons with the Canadiens, Koivu opted to test free agency, and would eventually part ways with Montreal to sign with the Anaheim Ducks. While never capturing the Stanley Cup with either organization, Saku remained a true leader, both on and off the ice, and a solid contributor to both Montreal and Anaheim.
There was no greater testament to the kindness of Saku Koivu than when he created the Saku Koivu Foundation. After successfully undergoing treatment to beat cancer, Koivu wanted to contribute to the community that helped nurse him back to health. In collaboration with the MGH Foundation, the Saku Koivu Foundation set a goal of $8-million for the sole purpose of funding a PET/CT scan machine for the MGH. In doing so, a PET/CT scan machine was installed in the Montreal General Hospital, the first of this kind in the metropolis. In addition to saving lives, the machine also reduces time spent in hospitals.
For those interested, donations can still be made here.
In closing his chapter with the National Hockey League, there is no better way to do so than with an honouring at center ice in the Bell Center, in Montreal. Perhaps his infamous #11 will never be immortalized next to the greats like Maurice Richard, Guy Lafleur and Jean Beliveau, but the man and the history behind him deserves to not only be recognized, but remembered forever. In due time, we will see if his contributions to the game of hockey, both on the ice and off, are enough to earn him some consideration into the Hockey Hall of Fame, once he is eligible.
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