Waltteri Immonen (born April 3, 1967 in Helsinki, Finland) is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman and former coach of SM-liiga team Jokerit.
Playing career
Immonen started his playing career in
Jokerit, an ice hockey team from
Helsinki. Immonen played his first full season for Jokerit during the 1988–89 1. division league of ice hockey in Finland. Immonen led the defense of Jokerit and played alongside players like Teemu Selänne,
Ari Sulander, Mika Strömberg. During the 1994–95 NHL lockout, he was joined by
NHL-star
Jari Kurri and, for the second time, Teemu Selänne. Immonen was appointed as the captain of Jokerit in the beginning of 1991–92 SM-liiga season by then head coach
Boris Majorov. Immonen won the SM-liiga 4 times as the captain of Jokerit. He also won the 1995 European Cup with Jokerit. Immonen retired after 1998–99 SM-liiga season. Immonen's playing number
24 is currently retired by Jokerit in honour of his services as the longtime captain of the team.
Career statistics
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|
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| 1987–88 | Jokerit | I-Divisioona | 0 | — |
| 1988–89 | Jokerit | I-Divisioona | 8 | — |
| 1989–90 | Jokerit | Liiga | 8 | — |
| 1990–91 | Jokerit | Liiga | 8 | — |
| 1991–92 | Jokerit | Liiga | 2 | 4 |
| 1992–93 | Jokerit | Liiga | 10 | 0 |
| 1993–94 | Jokerit | Liiga | 14 | 4 |
| 1994–95 | Jokerit | Liiga | 16 | 0 |
| 1995–96 | Jokerit | Liiga | 10 | 2 |
| 1996–97 | Jokerit | Liiga | 14 | 2 |
| 1997–98 | Jokerit | Liiga | 6 | 0 |
| 1998–99 | Jokerit | Liiga | 4 | 0 |
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Coaching career
After retiring, Immonen became the team manager of Jokerit and, after
Hannu Jortikka left, Immonen was named the new head coach of Jokerit. After a poor start, Immonen was fired from his position but remained in the club in the role of coach. Immonen was part of the Jokerit coaching staff until 2008, when he followed the departing
Doug Shedden to Nationalliga A team
EV Zug where he started out as an assistant coach to Shedden.
