Pekka Rautakallio

Playing career

Rautakallio began his ice hockey career with his hometown club Ässät in 1970 and also played for the club's football team. He first played in an international tournament in 1972. After a 1974 exhibition game between the Summit Series team and the Finnish national team, the Phoenix Roadrunners of the WHA signed him and countryman Lauri Mononen to two-year contracts.

In 1975–76, Rautakallio recorded 50 points, leading all rookie defencemen in scoring and ranking fifth among all defencemen. He dropped to 35 points the following season, and when the Roadrunners folded, he returned to Finland. Back with Ässät in the newly formed SM-liiga, he was named defenceman of the year in 1977–78 and 1978–79.

He posted 37 points in 36 games in 1977–78 and improved to 25 goals and 53 points the next year. Ässät won the Kanada-malja in 1978 and reached the final in 1979. Atlanta Flames general manager Cliff Fletcher signed Rautakallio to an NHL contract in 1979. He finished his first NHL season with 30 points. He moved with the franchise to Calgary in 1980–81 and led the team's defencemen in scoring with 56 points.

In 1981–82, he again led Calgary defencemen in scoring and was fourth overall with 68 points in 80 games. He played in the 1982 All-Star Game for the Campbell Conference, becoming the first Finn to do so. After the season, he returned to Finland because his sons were beginning school and he wanted them to grow up in his homeland.

Coaching career

Rautakallio remained with SC Rapperswil-Jona and became its coach. He later coached in Bern and Zurich. Returning to Finland, he served as head coach of Blues in Espoo twice: first during the 1998–99 SM-liiga season, when he was replaced mid-season by Hannu Saintula, and again during the 2004–05 season after replacing Hannu Virta. He most recently coached Dinamo Riga in the KHL, joining in 2011 and being dismissed midway through 2012–13.