Former hockey player Ville Koistinen fought his biggest struggle outside the ice and survived the miracle trade, the puck fever changed thoughts

Former hockey player Ville Koistinen39, has fought many battles in his lifetime.

They have resulted in fractures and concussions, but also two medals at the World Hockey Championships.

The Ilves breeder played hard games in the NHL in the Nashville Predators and the Florida Panthers and then in Europe.

However, by far the most struggle was fought outside the ice last fall.

An experienced defender went to the gym as usual, but the training started to feel bad. He began to suffer from very severe dizziness.

– During my career, there had already been dizziness, but this was very intense. I went for a walk in the gym to say I was dizzy now. When I went for a walk, one leg dragged behind me and didn’t work.

The gym workers put Koistinen on the couch and called the ambulance.

– I asked Burana, but they refused to give what was the right solution afterwards, Koistinen says.

He stared at the puck star and dizzy. He asked the ambulance driver to move him to another room so he wouldn’t get noticed.

– They took the blood pressure and said they were leaving now. I was pushed in a wheelchair. I put a video message to the family that Dad is in trouble now.

This is the last thing Ville Koistinen remembers.

– Then I was across the film for a week. I had a three-hour operation on my brain.

There had been a bulge in the artery at Koistinen’s head. The artery ruptured and caused massive bleeding in the head. According to a doctor at Tampere University Hospital, the prognosis for survival was 50–50.

The doctor had time to call Koistinen’s wife that there were two options left.

After the operation, Koistinen spent ten days in the intensive care unit and five days in the normal ward. She is happy to have survived the illness.

Koistinen played three World Championships in his handsome career. In total, a career in the top series in North America and Europe lasted 20 years. In his second season, his professional career ended in knee pain in HPK’s shirt. After finishing his career, Koistinen became an entrepreneur and now runs Restaurant Wanhaa Tapp in Nekala.

After his career, he wanted to take a break from hockey.

– After quitting, I needed oxygen and I didn’t watch games, he says.

This spring, this changed. An unprecedented disk drive was first seen in Tampere. The breeding club Ilves won the Finnish Championship bronze after a break of more than 20 years and the new arena was completed. Ville Koistinen found his way to the hall and enjoyed it as a spectator.

The new Tampere arena aroused admiration.

– I think it’s all about the NHL, all the light shows and soundtracks are on top of the last one. Invalid players.

Then came the hockey World Cup in his hometown. Memories of the Lions shirt came to mind.

– Yes, without denying it, it’s sad. The feeling came back in the spring, when there has been puck heat in Tampere. The puck began to interest me again.

Now Ville Koistinen is wondering if he could work on hockey in the future.

– I don’t know if it would be coaching or scouting, time will tell.

For the game of the evening, he would have clear instructions as a coach.

– Didn’t Britain put a little resistance on the Yankees? You can’t just leave the jacket open. Gotta play there, they’re not fun.

Ville Koistinen bets that Finland will win 4–0.

Timo Jutila bet that Finland and Canada would be in the finals, and Koistinen agrees.

– Juti is always right.

Was this a paid ad?

– Yeah, would it give you some wings and sausage, the man smiles.