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Tony Salmelainen (born August 8, 1981) is a Finnish people former professional ice hockey forward. He last played for HIFK of the Finnish Liiga in 2013. He was originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers as their second-round pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. His father Tommi Salmelainen was the first European ever to be drafted by an NHL team.
After two seasons with Ilves, Salmelainen moved to North America, where he spent three years with the Edmonton Oilers organization, playing in 13 NHL games in the 2003–04 NHL season.
When the NHL resumed play in 2005, Salmelainen returned to HIFK. He played an excellent season, including setting a personal record by scoring a five-goal, six-point night against the Lahti Pelicans in a home game on October 10, and culminating in being chosen best player of the regular season after leading the league in points and goals.
Salmelainen also made headlines during the 2005–06 season when he was sent off during a game against HPK, and threw a trashcan down the corridor to the dressing rooms in anger. After narrowly missing goaltender Jan Lundell, the trashcan accidentally hit his team's bus driver, who was injured in the face. Salmelainen was interrogated by the police and received a two-game suspension.
Salmelainen's NHL player rights were traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Chicago Blackhawks for defenseman Jaroslav Špaček on January 26, 2006. In the summer of 2006, he signed a new contract with the Blackhawks. On June 16, 2007, he was traded, with Jassen Cullimore, to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange of Sergei Samsonov.
On August 31, 2007, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Salmelainen to a one-year, two-way contract. On October 23, 2007, Salmelainen was suspended by the Maple Leafs for failing to comply with the terms of his contract after he had signed to play for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv of the Russian Super League for almost $1.5-million (U.S.). globesports.com: Salmelainen heads to Russia
After one season with Yaroslavl, Salmelainen moved to the Switzerland National League A with Genève-Servette HC, where he played five seasons.
On July 29, 2013, Salmelainen returned to his first professional club, in signing a one-year contract with HIFK of his native Finland. However, he was soon forced to end his career due to a neck injury.
| 1997–98 | Espoo Blues | FIN U18 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | HIFK | FIN U18 | 28 | 23 | 16 | 39 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | HIFK | FIN U20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | HIFK | FIN U20 | 21 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–2000 | HIFK | FIN U20 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–2000 | HIFK | SM-liiga | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | HIFK | SM-l | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Ilves | FIN U20 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Ilves | SM-l | 26 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001–02 | Ilves | SM-l | 49 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2002–03 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 67 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 14 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | Toronto Roadrunners | AHL | 58 | 19 | 25 | 44 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | Edmonton Road Runners | AHL | 76 | 22 | 24 | 46 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–06 | HIFK | SM-l | 53 | 27 | 28 | 55 | 63 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 36 |
| 2006–07 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 57 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | RSL | 29 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2008–09 | Genève–Servette HC | NLA | 29 | 16 | 12 | 28 | 28 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2008–09 | Lausanne HC | SUI.2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | Genève–Servette HC | NLA | 50 | 25 | 28 | 53 | 14 | 18 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 33 |
| 2009–10 | Lausanne HC | SUI.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2010–11 | Genève–Servette HC | NLA | 43 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 34 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 2011–12 | Genève–Servette HC | NLA | 30 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | Genève–Servette HC | NLA | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 2012–13 | Lausanne HC | SUI.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | HIFK | Liiga | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998 | Finland | EJC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 | Finland | WJC18 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 2001 | Finland | WJC | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 |
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