Antero Niittymaki

Antero Niittymäki represented Finland at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and was voted the Most Valuable Player of the entire ice hockey tournament — a distinction that stands as one of the most recognized moments of his career. Born on June 18, 1980, in Turku, Finland, the left-catching goaltender was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the sixth round of the 1998 NHL Draft, 23rd pick of that round.

Standing 6'1" and weighing 195 pounds, Niittymäki went on to play 234 NHL regular season games, recording 95 wins, 86 losses, and 31 overtime losses, with a career goals-against average of 2.95, a save percentage of .902, and 5 shutouts. His NHL career included stops with the Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and San Jose Sharks. He later returned to Finland to play for TPS in the SM-liiga, the club based in his hometown of Turku.