Finnish defender Sami Lepistö, a journeyman player across multiple leagues around the world, but always a mainstay on the backend of the Leijonat, today announced his retirement from hockey at the age of 38.

A product of Jokerit Helsinki’s junior system, Lepistö debuted for the senior team in 2003, spending four seasons in the Liiga before joining the Washington Capitals, who drafted him 66th overall in 2004. Spending just two seasons there, Lepistö would spend his last three NHL seasons bouncing between Phoenix, Columbus and Chicago, returning to Europe by joining the KHL’s Yaroslavl in 2012. Lepistö would spend the next six seasons bouncing around the KHL, going from Yaroslavl to Prague to Yekaterinburg to Ufa, before reuniting with Jokerit in 2017. Lepistö would spend four seasons with Jokerit before they split from the KHL over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, opting instead to join Luleå of the Swedish League, spending one season there before playing out his final season with Langnau of the Swiss League, capping a twenty season pro career with 370 points in 923 career games, across five leagues in six countries.

A proud son of Espoo, Lepistö made his national team debut at the 2004 World Junior Championship, debuting for the senior team on the 2005-06 Euro Hockey Tour, his first of ten Tour appearances, winning the Tour title in 2014 and 2018. Lepistö made his World Championship debut in 2008, winning Bronze, marking his first of four (2008, 2011, 2013, 2015) appearances, the highlight being a Gold Medal victory in 2011. Lepistö would also make three Olympic appearances for the Leijonat (2010, 2014, 2018), capturing Bronze both in 2010 and 2014, and competed at the 2016 World Cup Of Hockey.

Lepistö captured the IHLC ten times over the course of his career, winning his first at the 2004 World Juniors, with his last coming fifteen years later in the lead-up to PyeongChang Olympics. We wish Sami and his family the very best for his retirement and the things to come!

Photo Credit: Helsingin Sanomat – IIHF – HHOF – IOC