"National team goalie has been very good, but has been very difficult to sign. (Dan Wood, The Hockey News Future Watch 1999)

"Another goaltending prospect for the Sharks, Kiprusoff is improving year in and year out. Played a mixed style between stand-up and butterfly early in his career but now plays more stand-up. He's a very smart goalie and seems to do his homework on opposing players. Seems to know where they are shooting. Not overly aggressive but gets the job done. (The Sports Forecaster 1999-2000, p. 216)

"The Finnish native from Turku is playing his first season of North American hockey. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound left-hand catching goalie has stepped in to be Kentucky's starter and was selected as the starting goalie for PlanetUSA in the mid-season American League All-Star Game. Kiprusoff combines quickness and agility to thwart opponents. He still needs to continue to acclimate himself to the smaller ice surface and get more comfortable with English. (Ross McKeon, The Hockey News Future Watch 2000)

"Was voted starting goalie at the AHL All-Star Game thanks to an outstanding rookie season with Kentucky. Has great reflexes and shows tremendous poise between the pipes. Kiprusoff is versatile in the sense that he's mainly a stand-up goaltender who uses the butterfly style when needed. Although he has no considerable NHL experience, the Sharks see great promise in him. Recently in Finland, the good-sized rookie was named Best Goalie and League MVP in the same season. (The Sports Forecaster 2000-01, p. 213)

"The 24-year-old's strong development in his second year of North American pro hockey convinced the Sharks he was ready for promotion following the trade of Steve Shields to Anaheim in the Teemu Selanne deal. Kiprusoff plays a stand-up style and is fundamentally sound. Despite missing three weeks of action because of an early-season call-up, he was selected for the second straight year to start in the American League All-Star Game." (Ross McKeon, The Hockey News Future Watch 2001)

"The incredibly athletic stand-up netminder has been the Sharks' top prospect in goal for the past two seasons. With last year's trade involving Steve Shields, Kiprusoff moved into the backup role behind Evgeni Nabokov. The promising young goalie looked sharp when filling in during San Jose's first-round series loss to the Blues. Kiprusoff sees the puck extremely well. However, he must work on adjusting his angles and reading the play. At the very least, assume he'll be used as backup for 20-30 games." (The Sports Forecaster 2001-02, p. 219)

"The Sharks have uncovered several goaltending gems in recent years. After challenging starter Evgeni Nabokov during the 2000-01 playoffs, Kiprusoff had a solid rookie season as the backup last year. The 25-year-old Finn has the right temperament for the rigors of the NHL and adjusted very well to sitting on the bench for long stretches. Kiprusoff should continue to improve his game this season. If Nabokov slips up, the Sharks know they can count on Kiprusoff to take over. Down the road, he'll either challenge Nabokov for the No. 1 job in San Jose or find a starting role elsewhere." (The Sports Forecaster 2002-03, p. 213)

"Where would the Flames be if they hadn't sent a 2005 second-round pick to San Jose for Kiprusoff in 2003? They probably wouldn't be Cup contenders. Aside from captain Iginla, nobody else is as important to the Calgary cause than Kipper" - who has further proven his mettle in international competition. He's a legitimate Vezina candidate." (The Sports Forecaster 2005-06, p. 102)

"Miikka Kiprusoff (35-22-11, 2.35, .920) is 35, yet he shows no sign his abilities are starting to diminish. He has played 70 or more games for seven consecutive seasons, and his numbers last season were among the best of his career." (Kevin Allen, USA Today Sports Weekly, January 16, 2013, p. 33)

• Selected by San Jose Sharks in fifth round (fifth Sharks pick, 116th overall) of National Hockey League entry draft, July 8, 1995.
• Traded by Sharks to Calgary Flames for second-round selection in 2005 draft, November 16, 2003.
• Awarded one-year, $2.95 million contract (via arbitration) with Flames, August 23, 2004.
• Signed with Timra IK (Swedish Elitserein) during NHL lockout, September 20, 2004.
• Resigned to multi-year contract as restricted free agent with Flames, August 12, 2005.
• Agreed to six-year contract extension with Flames, October 29, 2007.
• Announced retirement from professional hockey, June 25, 2013.

• Played in American Hockey League All-Star Game, 1999-2000.
• Named American Hockey League Player of the Week, November 26, 2001.
• Finalist, Vezina Trophy, 2003-04.
• Winner, Vezina Trophy, 2005-06.
• Finalist, Hart Trophy, 2005-06.
• Winner, William M. Jennings Memorial Trophy, 2005-06.
• Played in National Hockey League All-Star Game, January 24, 2007.
• Member of bronze medal-winning Finland, 2010 Winter Olympics, February 27, 2010.

• Miikka earned his first Stanley Cup playoff shutout on April 13, 2004, at the Pengrowth Saddledown as the Calgary Flames blanked the visiting Vancouver Canucks by a 4-0 score. Kiprusoff stopped all twenty shots he faced, including seven in the third period, and was named the first star of the game.
• National Hockey League debut: October 24, 2000, in relief of Evgeni Nabokov. Kiprusoff allowed a goal on the only shot faced, and was replaced by Nabokov in a 3-2 win over Carolina.

• Left game with slight grade two medial collateral knee sprain, February 5, 2013. Near the end of the second period, Kiprusoff collided with Detroit forward Johan Franzen near the net. Kiprusoff finished the second, but gave way to Leland Irving to start the third.

• Miikka's older brother, Marko Kiprusoff, played fifty-one games as a National Hockey League defenseman between 1995 and 2002.
• On his mask: For the mask Miikka began wearing in December of 2003, he had only two expectations: "I gave free hand to the guy who did the mask. I just wanted something mean and cool. I think it's good looking and mean. He came up with this and I like it." Adorned with gold, Ghost Rider-like, fire-breathing skulls on each side, Kiprusoff's face guard also has "Kipper" on the chin. (Randy Sportak, Calgary Sun, December 11, 2003)