Goalie Esko Niemi started playing hockey with Tampereen Pallo-Veikot in 1952. From 1953-55, Niemi played with Tammerfors Bollklubb and won Finnish titles with them in 1954 and 1955. From 1955-60 Niemi played with Tappara, winning his third Finnish title in 1959, the same year he was named as the best player at the Finnish Championships. He was also named as the best goalie at the 1958 Finnish championships. Niemi finished his career by playing with Turun Palloseura from 1960-64. During his career he also won two silvers and two bronzes at the Finnish Championships. Niemi was the top Finnish goalie at the end of 1950s and was capped 79 times with the national team. He competed at the 1960 Olympics and at five World Championships (1954-55, 1957-59). Like many other Scandinavian hockey players of that era, Niemi also played football during summer and as a goalie, won silver at the 1960 Finnish football championships with Turun Palloseura. After finishing his playing career, Niemi worked as an ice hockey coach, serving as head coach of Tampereen Pallo-Veikot, KooVee and Tappara, and coaching KooVee to their only, as of 2013, Finnish title in 1968.
Finland