Ville Uusitalo

Career

Uusitalo began his junior career with Jäähonka and Espoon Palloseura, and played for EPS's men's team in the Suomi-sarja during the 2000–01 season, where the team won silver but did not advance to the Mestis qualifiers. The following season he moved to France, joining Albatros de Brest in the FFHG Division 2, and Brest won their league. In 2002–03 he played in Sweden's I-division for IK Pantern. He returned to Finland for the 2003–04 season with HC Salamat, a Mestis team promoted that year; Salamat had been founded a year earlier to replace the EPS representative team. In his first Mestis season, Uusitalo scored 18 points in 40 regular season games and was Salamat's top scorer and the leading goal-scoring defenceman in Mestis. He then played for Alleghe Hockey in the Italian Serie A in 2004–05, where he was the team's most effective defenceman with 12 points, tied with Francesco De Biaso. Uusitalo returned to HC Salamat for 2005–06, recording 26 points in 26 regular season games and tying for fourth in Mestis defencemen's points with KooKoo's Jukka-Pekka Holopainen. In January 2006, while leading Mestis defencemen in points, he signed with Jokerit of the Finnish Elite League for the remainder of the season. He made his league debut at age 26 on 7 January 2006 against Kalevan Pallo, recording one assist. That assist was his only highlight of the season, as he played 14 regular season games. Jokerit did not extend his contract, and he signed a two-year deal with the Lahti Pelicans for 2006–07. Expected to take a large role, he was moved to a smaller one after difficulties. In his first full SM-liiga season, Uusitalo scored eight points in 53 regular season games, and his plus-minus of +12 was the Pelicans' best. His season ended early due to a sprained thumb. In 2007–08 he scored his first Finnish Elite League goal and totaled 15 points during the regular season.