Brändö City Flyers roster history 1987-

	Once upon a time there were two young, merry and handsome men, with no worries about the hectic world around them. They hungered for something new to their life cruising around with their pimped Datsuns. So they founded at the Palosaari (Brändö in Swedish) ice rink a rinkbandy team they named Brändö City Oilers. Palosaari ice rink gives many of our players many sporty and romantic flash backs. The name Oilers was influenced by the Edmonton Oilers then led by captain Wayne Gretzky and his legendary companion Jari Kurri, as well as our biggest sponsor of those days. Already then our sponsors recognized and valued our notorious brand. Our team was founded by Ari "Wälly" Välimaa and Kari "Kake" Kannasto in 1987. The boys had already then got sport business experience in football and indoor hockey series and of course in the legendary hockey matches in Palosaari ice rink. Other favourite hobbies for the guys were weekly reading Tex Willer and other comics. Ari Välimaa acted in the many of the early years as the chairman of the team, delighting our meetings with his free-and-easy manners. Wälly is, as we all know him, the disarming teddy bear of our team, whose temper is enjoyable to test every now and then. The "Shot the puck f… away from there!!!" roar will always be burnt in our memories. Wälly is on the ice recognized of his sniper like goal leading wrist shots. Wälly's other areas of interest are family life, boating, country life, Finnish pop music, embroidery and Chilean wines. Kari Kannasto acted in many years as the secretary of the association. Though archaeologists have not yet found any sign of the old records, which are lost mysteriously. Kake is our jovial country man with some English skills, whose happy smile charms us all every time. In the rink Kake is a beefy, but very though to pass defender. Little Kari enjoys sauna, farming, motor cycling, blues and real men's work.
	Already from the beginning it was clear that the roles in the team were to be done with care. Every team needs a player, who is highly educated, and a smartass and whose endless self-confidence can be utilized by the team both inside as well as outside the rink. Hannu "Big H" Mahla was perfect for this role. When we need a considered, expert based and all-inclusive answer to a question we turn to "Hockey glow" Mahla. Hannu is our beloved and quick-witted gentleman, who is always prepared to deliver his verbal strike. Hannu, the knight of fairness, put the economics of the team in order and at the same time entertained the team members with his beautiful singing. Hannu enjoys literature, gardening, education, science movies and aesthetics.
	The role setting of the team continued and the team was looking for a defender, who is a skilled skater and a romantic lover and who is always on time. The draft was a success, the skating cowboy of love, who though is "maybe sometimes a bit perhaps" late, was found. The fourth member of the team and still today our number 4, Pasi "Palle" Rajala stepped in to the roster. Pasi is a quick puck transporting defender and the ambassador of romance beyond comparison in Flyers. Our little "Don Pate" does also jogging, melodic ballads, dance sports, ornithology, love making and Portuguese wines. The build up of the team went on and the search of the next piece of the puzzle was started. Hannu knew a civil servant, who was supposed to own a pair of skates. He was thought to bring in cultural fluctuations and strong know-how of meeting techniques; and our scouts were right. Osmo Mäkelä has given us many kinds of fluctuations as his hobbies include travelling to Stockholm, graphics and jazz-based fusion music. "Osmond's" everlasting curiosity of the variety of life enriches all our lives year after year. The pick number 5 plays still, even though retired, with number 05 wearing the original Flyers uniform.
	Now when the solid association technical official founding was cast and the results in the rink was encouraging, a locker room leader was needed. The locker room leading role was given to the long-haired show man, who still always is dragging his cassette player with him. Mika "Miuru" Keko joined the team bringing with him the scent of text markers and other aromas. Also the great art lover, H Mahla, thinks wistfully back to those colours, that this hippie artist created to the well-known piece of cloth. This veteran of the entertainment committee has, in deed, arranged quite a few Flyers-party-shows. Mister McBralling's hobbies are cooking, rock'n roll, football, British movies, ancient Celtic stone sculptures and Italian wines. And then it's time for the last of "The Original Seven" member. He started first on the field, but very soon the command from the coaches was: "That dude is our goalie!". That decision has never been regretted. Harri "Smedu" Smedlund entered. He was the reliable, cool, but temperamental goaltender and chairman that the team needed. "Mister Arsenal" is the man, who has strong opinions on any issue and to any unfair sales man you can say: "Don't mess with this guy!!!".
	Currently enjoying his retirement from the team he is not seen in the rink anymore (except season 02-03 in 2 games), but fortunately Harri is a familiar sight in our entertainment gatherings and warm-ups in the Public Corner. Our tender "Haba" favourite hobbies are coffee, war movies, English football, tennis and philately. In 1990 the team changed its name to the current form, Brändö City Flyers. And in 1991 the team was officially declared as a registered association. The next year, 1992, the regeneration and growth went on and Flyers got their current bird logo. Then also the Flyers uniform tradition was set, that every Flyers player has his name on the back of his jersey. This tradition never was acquired by any other similar team in Vaasa, since the same kind of commitment to the team is unfamiliar to them. We always know who plays in our team. We are red, we are black and we are dynamite fuck!
	The then coach Mahla needed more resources to the demanding tasks of coaching and there was a drive to go over to the modern coaching of ice hockey teams. In 1992 the excellent negotiation skills of Mahla started to bear fruit, when one of the icons of ice hockey in Vaasa and an experienced coach signed for Flyers. Into the locker room stepped in a nearly 50 years old fellow, who in the beginning wondered about the bad physics of the young mates, their poor skating, bad shooting, very small fighting spirit, non-existing sense of the game and inaccurate passes. Jaakko "Jaska" Hyytinen joined the team, bringing in the provocative style to play from the elite leagues in Finnish ice hockey and the brash touch justifying spending more time than average in the penalty box. Later on Jaska learned that even though the playing skills was nothing the Flyers team was bragging about they still was quite good as moving service, perforate the roof of the ice stadium, eating fish soup and making babies. In his free time Jaska builds his terrace, does body-building, square dancing and wrestling.
	Together with the straightforward Hyytinen came also a gimmicky gentleman player in through the door. The team needed a player, who knew the famous Hietalahti rink pirouette-between-the-legs-behind-your-back-with-your-eyes-closed passes. Tony "Töyni" Laaksoharju walked in with his hockey gear on and said: "Hey guys, there really are some good players in the opposite team to night". Tony is our own hairy stock exchange gigolo, whose hobbies are sport on television, cookies, movies and disco music drumming.  To the same 62 born Finnish Champion bronze medallist generation as Tony belonged also our next gentleman pick. The 10th player to the Flyers family introduced him in his own characteristic way. No hue-and-cry, no boasting, but suddenly Jukka Keko appeared and said: "Hi there, Kannasto!". Osmo as the great verbal genius gave him the nickname "Senior", since naturally he was the older one of the Keko brothers. "Senior" moves quite nimble on his skates and has also scored an impressive amount of goals. "Keke" brought us, as an active and prised junior coach, new breezes to our practice sessions. In the sauna evenings this Hurriganes fan keeps talking about junior ice hockey in such a tempo, that even Heikki has difficulties to get himself heard. Jukka in fond of boating, junior sports, all kind of sport activities and Christmas decorations.
	Even though all Flyers players are beloved, always some one will rise above the rest. The next player was everything but drafted, he more or less, like any of the most beloved pets and mascots, drifted into the Flyer family. Timo K Kulmala had already played several tournaments with the Flyers uniform on as a guest star, before he moved back from the cold Helsinki to the sunny Vaasa, which enabled him an increased quality of life and a life of a full-time Flyers man. Kulmala has laid on many wonderful experiences just with his appearance. The happy grin of Kulmala and his strongly physical, but lovely flobby, being keeps amusing us. Our mulled wine master and the treasurer of the society does in his free time downhill skiing, golf, squash, outdoor life at his cottage, architecture and wines from central Europe In 1995 the defender of many words and expert of love, that is Heikki Viitamäki, joined the team. Our Heikki lays the pipes and chatters with the tongue of love for only 1, 10 euros an hour. "Marvellous Heikki" brought with him a new way of opening the offensive, why not taking the puck up yourself since you anyhow are on your way to the opposite's goal, and if the puck is already on your blade and it is not causing any inconvenience. Together with "Big H" Mahla, "Elastic Heikki" renewed the Flyers culture life, showing the Flyers men that even big men can be in a sentimental mood and sing a song in public. The performances of the duo have been smashing successes, and all Flyers gents are very proud that in Flyers parties singing and acting have special roles. Heikki "The Body" Viitamäki's hobbies are family life, conversations about anything, promotion of ice hockey, debating, work for juniors, current affairs programme on TV, talking and uphold the pleasure of love.
	After Heikki an other musical talking machine joined the forces. Flyers got an equipment caretaker that never was present. The man from Laihia, with his leather west, Tomi "Gregordz" Mäkelä!. Even though Tomi has been present in about 8 occasions in 8 years, he hasn't been a quiet unknown, on the contrary, everybody knows him. The cousin of the Keko brothers does, when his not busy with Flyers, rock'n roll, making babies, talking, movies, hugging his wife and twanging his guitar. In 1997 Brändö City Flyers celebrated its 10-year anniversary in the then called Tom's Café next to the square market in the heart of Vaasa with a sporty feast.
	In 1998 new winds were blowing. We needed a new goal tender and the coaching team was hoping for a bilingual fellow, since more and more both of the native languages in Finland were used in our dressing room. The management thought that the communication would improve in the rink, as well as in the tournaments played in Sweden. The treasurer wished for a player with useful business contacts and the entertainment committee was expecting a goalie that could dance the flamenco. So the contract was signed with Joni Hagnäs. Besides the shoot outs Joni's career was rocket like, him raising to the chairman of the team in 4 years. That's an achievement that only the first chairman, Välimaa, managed to do. In the beginning Hagnäs missed his home village, but today Joni is a member of the team wine club, which one objective is to increase the sales of the local wine stores. "Joppe" Hagnäs is our Littly My, who sometimes can't control his emotions and smashes his stick on the goal posts. Joni's hobbies are family life, golf, working, home furnishing, oriental meditation and Spanish wines.
	The same autumn in 1998 there was a need for a tough defender from Palosaari, the home neighbourhood of Brändö City Flyers. The management wanted to respect the traditions and increase the share of Palosaari bred players. The draft was a success. The contract was signed with a big, physical, into the upper corners shooting defender from Palosaari, and he's even living in the same block of flats than Flyers-icon Mäkelä. Timo "Santtu" Saha became a Flyer. In his first Flyers Christmas party Santtu changed the Flyers world in one stroke by putting his strong liquid application of membership on the table. Santtu is our continentally cultivated chairman of the Flyers wine club and the secretary of the association. Our careless "Tiger-Santtu" is handsome as his look-alike English actor and his hobbies are the upkeep of his house, opera, rock-festivals, walks with his wife and French wines.
	In 1999, when Louis-Santtu Saha was waltzing to the harbour of marriage, he introduced his dear brother. The kid presented himself as a pure goal scorer, which his big brother had his doubts on. Later in the autumn when Flyers had their general annual meeting a man soaked by the rain, with a pair of old skates and a bottle of Chivas Regal stood at the door step. We said "Welcome" to him. Kari "Big-Kari" Saha alias "The younger one" was adopted to the Flyers family. Kari was the pure goal scorer he promised, who really could take advantage of his body, the IT-guru building the Flyers web pages and responsible of keeping our statistics up to date. Kari is the man, who brought Elvis Presley to Flyers. Kari is our beloved Moomin Daddy, whose peaceful corps carries a temperamental artist. The hobbies of "Big-Kari" are computers, family life, chocolate cakes, excursions to Scotland and lotteries.
	Soon Kari understood that the intelligence in Flyers is not the team's strongest side. So he decided to try to increase the IQ of Flyers by drafting more of his colleagues. Flyers drafted Kent "Kena" Martens. It takes more than one Teacher Martens to increase the IQ of Flyers, but Flyers got a hard checking really fast on skates' rocket to strengthen the defence of him. Outside the rink Kena is a gentleman, but inside it nobody wants to get hooked by him. Kena is not only the fastest skater in Flyers, he is also the quickest to undress, wash up and go home after the practice sessions and games. Hande and Santtu haven't taken of their helmets when Kena already says at the door "See you!". Kena's hobbies are not really clear for us, but he has to have something dirty going on, at least he likes drinking cider, cross country skiing and dog raising.
	Also Joni Hagnäs started to break in his draft. Joni tried to decrease the already low IQ of Flyers by drafting more players from his home town Kokkola. Anders Fordell marched in. In the beginning Fordell was distinguished as a quick winger, but has recently moved down to defenders position, showing very reliable and puck worthy skills. Fordell showed us how to eat cigarette butts (by accident), which gave him his nick name "Stumpen". His nick name is widely known and used, regardless of what "Källi" himself thinks of it. Stumpen is our "Little-Jutila", whose hobbies are at least NHL, Finnish ice hockey league, building up his working ability, web-graphics, international football (as football is the King of sports) and golf.
	The years go by and Flyers keep on kicking. Many of the Flyers members have been around from the beginning of the team history, many at least about ten years and even the rookies have been Flyers players for more or less five years already, which is a long time in ice hockey in Vaasa. Flyers' next pick was Harri "Jazz" Kangas, who as a goalie gave Hagnäs the time off he needed every now and then. Harri is our fatherly and wise Indian chief, who always has the patience to give the intelligent statement, when the younger players throw their well known rude non-printable comments. The boys tend to loose track of the accounts and balance sheets after a few drinks. Oh, those boys.
	In the autumn 2003 there was a very longed-for come back, when Pekka "Nylli" Nyrhinen returned to Flyers. The Flyers fans knew the well-known fighter and by the opponents hated forward from the time when he waggled the goal nets in the Flyers jersey already in 1991 - 1999. Nylli took Heikki's advice, "We need to get Nylli back to shape", seriously. After a few years of hard training and strict diet Nylli came back as faster and more trimmed than ever. You can say that it is very pleasant to play with Nylli, ON THE SAME SIDE. Nylli's hobbies are junior ice hockey, cars, family life, throwing trash in places he shouldn't, poetry of Juice Leskinen and caravan weekends.
	In September 2006 Joni made a new contract moving him back to Kokkola. The team needed a new goaltender. Among numerous volunteer candidates Kosti Hyvärinen was chosen. Kosti catches the shots and shouts instructions to the players never minding that nobody is listening to him. Jarkko Suokko started as a defender in September 2007. In a training session we had some extra players and somebody noticed the up-and-coming youth who seemed to have the right attitude to playing. He was taken to trial and the contract was made in December same year. Jarkko introduced himself to the team by asking the sizes of the players because he had new t-shirts for everybody. That was a good start.
	In 2009 Kosti and Jarkko decided to set up a new team with their junior team 1976 players. So a goaltender vacancy was open after Kosti. Petsa was willing to quit his ten years break. The skills had not been forgotten and from the beginning he played like there never had been a break at all. Petsa is challenging Kena as the quickest undresser in the team. Some of the players have not taken there helmets off when Petsa has the leg-pads hanging over his shoulder and is leaving the dressing room with Kena. Petsa’s hobbies are computers, tourism and ice-hockey leagues.
	At the age of 22 Brändö City Flyers is still flying strong. The team is looking forward to the NHL play-off games and national tournaments.