Mikko Koivu

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Koivu's journey began in the Finnish junior leagues before he joined TPS at age 17 during the 2000–01 season, following in his brother Saku's footsteps. After being drafted sixth overall by the Wild in 2001, he played two more seasons in Finland before moving to North America for the 2003–04 AHL season with the Houston Aeros. He made his NHL debut on October 5, 2005, after missing the entire 2004–05 season due to the NHL lockout. His career was marked by resilience; in 2007–08, he suffered a broken leg from a slash by Vancouver's Mattias Öhlund, missing 24 games. Despite setbacks, Koivu became a cornerstone of the franchise. On October 16, 2008, he tied a Wild record with four assists in a game against Florida, scoring five points total. By March 18, 2014, he surpassed the 438-point mark to become the all-time leading scorer. His tenure concluded after a torn ACL and meniscus in February 2019 ended his 2018–19 season.

In Their Own Story

On March 13, 2022, the Xcel Energy Center witnessed a historic moment as the Minnesota Wild retired Mikko Koivu's number 9. He became the first player in franchise history to have his jersey raised to the rafters, cementing a legacy defined by longevity and loyalty. Before this ceremony, on October 16, 2008, Koivu had etched his name in the record books with a five-point performance against the Florida Panthers, tying the single-game assist record with four helpers. His leadership was formally recognized on October 20, 2009, when he became the first permanent captain in Wild history, ending an era of monthly rotation. The following year, he signed a seven-year, $47 million extension that made him the highest-paid player in franchise history at the time. Even after suffering a severe knee injury against the Buffalo Sabres on February 5, 2019, Koivu returned briefly to Columbus before announcing his retirement on February 9, 2021, following just seven games and two points with the Blue Jackets.

Reader's Guide

Fans looking to understand Mikko Koivu's impact should note his specific milestones: he became the Wild's all-time leading scorer with 438 points in 588 games on March 18, 2014. He holds the franchise record for most assists in a game (four), tied by two other players but first achieved by him against Florida in 2008 and again against Phoenix in 2011. Koivu was selected to his first NHL All-Star Game on January 12, 2012, though he could not play due to injury. He was also a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2016–17, finishing third behind Patrice Bergeron and Ryan Kesler. His international career highlights include captaining Finland to gold at the 2011 World Championship after previously winning silver at the 2004 World Cup and bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Off the ice, he served as a conscript in the Finnish Army during the summer of 2011 and donated two rooms to the Minnesota Children's Hospital epilepsy unit on October 14, 2011.

Did You Know?

• Koivu was the first player in Minnesota Wild franchise history to play 1,000 NHL games with a single team.
• He tied the Wild franchise record for most assists in a game (four) twice: once against Florida on October 16, 2008, and again against Phoenix on January 2, 2011.
• Koivu led Finland to its second gold medal at the IIHF World Championships in 2011 as team captain.
• He signed a then-franchise-record seven-year, $47 million contract extension on July 16, 2010.
• Koivu's nephew, Aatos Koivu, was drafted 70th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2024.