Per the Grand Rapids Griffins:
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Monday announced the hiring of Roope Koistinen as the goaltending coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Koistinen has been with Karpat’s youth programs in Finland since the 2014-15 campaign, serving in multiple roles for the club. In 2022-23, Karpat U20 allowed the third-fewest goals in the SM-sarja U20 league in Finland with 48 goals allowed in 23 outings (2.09 GAA) with Koistinen as its goaltending coach. The 30-year-old also garnered a 2023 U17 World Hockey Challenge bronze medal with Team Finland, serving as the team’s goaltending coach. As an assistant coach for Finland’s U17 team, he collected another bronze medal at the 2023 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival.
“We’re thrilled to add Roope to the coaching staff. He brings a wealth of experience developing goaltenders with Karpat and we’re excited to have him here working with our goalies in Grand Rapids,” Griffins general manager Shawn Horcoff said.
From 2015-19, the Kiiminki, Finland, native served as the goaltending coach for Karpat’s U18 and U20 clubs before holding the director of goaltending position with the same programs from 2019-21. He returned as the goaltending coach for Karpat’s U18 and U20 teams from 2021-23. In 2018-19, Koistinen helped guide Karpat U20 to a U20 SM-liiga championship as its goaltending coach with a 32-13-5-2 ledger and just 121 goals allowed (2.33 GAA), the fewest in the league by 17 goals. In total from 2014-23, Koistinen won three league titles, four silver medals and two bronze medals with Karpat’s youth programs.
Koistinen has also been part of Finland’s coaching staff for its youth national teams since the 2018-19 season. He served as goaltending coach for Finland U16 from 2018-19 and 2021-22, before earning a spot as goaltending coach for Finland U17 from 2019-20 and 2022-23. In 2020-21, Koistinen aided Finland’s U18 team to a fourth-place finish at the 2021 U18 World Junior Championship at its goaltending coach.
Koistinen spent his entire playing career with KKP’s youth teams in Finland. He began his career in 2008-09 with KKP U17 in the U17 SM-sarja division in Finland, posting a 4.11 goals against average in 15 appearances. Koistinen competed in his final season during the 2013-14 campaign with KKP U20 in the U20 Aluedivisioona league, compiling a 3.50 GAA and a 0.921 save percentage in two appearances.
The Griffins will begin the home portion of their 2023-24 season on Friday, Oct. 13 at Van Andel Arena with Opening Night presented by Huntington Bank. Additional home dates confirmed by the American Hockey League include Dec. 31, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, Feb. 24 and March 2.
