Erkka Westerlund


Erkka Westerlund was the head coach of the Finnish national men's ice hockey team. He was appointed head coach on November 1, 2004, and his contract ended in May 2007, after winning World Championship Silver in Moscow's World Championship tournament. He followed Raimo Summanen as head coach of the national team.

Career

Westerlund has coached several Finnish ice hockey teams in the SM-Liiga: JYP, Lukko, HIFK and Jokerit. During his coaching career Westerlund has won the Finnish Championship once: 1998, with HIFK and finished twice in the second place, in 1999 and 2000. Internationally Westerlund coached Finland in four tournaments, receiving medals in three of them. He has won one Olympic Silver medal in Turin, one World Championship Silver and one World Championship Bronze.
As a player Westerlund was a forward. He played in the 1978/1979 season for Jukurit, in 34 games he scored 7 goals and gave 10 assists. In the 1980/1981 season he played for JYP. Here he played 23 games, scoring 3 goals and 1 assist.