Finnish forward Juhamatti Aaltonen, whose two-decade career spanned nearly a dozen teams over six European countries, along with numerous appearances for his native Leijonat, today confirmed his retirement from hockey at age 40, following the 2024-25 season with Jokerit Helsinki.

Joining his hometown Kärpät’s junior system in 1999, he would debut for the Liiga club full-time in 2005, capturing Liiga titles in 2007 and 2008. After four seasons in Oulu, Aaltonen would move to Pelicans in 2009, spending the next sixteen seasons as a true journeyman, suiting up for eleven total clubs (including two additional stints with Kärpät) in six different European leagues, never spending more than three consecutive seasons in the same place. In time spent between Liiga, the KHL, Swedish Elitserien, and single season stints in Czechia, Denmark and Switzerland, Aaltonen would capture a third Liiga title with Kärpät (2014), also winning Playoff MVP honours, along with a Liiga scoring title in 2010.

An Oulu native, Aaltonen debuted for the Leijonat‘s junior system in 2001, debuting for the senior club on the Euro Hockey Tour in 2006. He would return to the senior team in 2009-10, debuting at the first of five (2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) World Championships, where he would be an integral part of Finland’s second ever World Championship Gold Medal in Bratislava, setting up the third period insurance goal in a 6-1 victory over rival Sweden. Aaltonen would also capture Bronze at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and captured three Euro Hockey Tour titles (2010, 2014, 2018) over his nine seasons on the Tour.

Over the course of his long career, Aaltonen would capture the IHLC eight times in total, first in the Semifinals of the 2011 World Championship, and lastly coming a dozen years later in the Euro Hockey Challenge. We wish Juhamatti and his family the very best for his retirement and the things to come!

Photo Credit: MTV – IIHF – HHOF – IOC