Shoots Right Website AIHL Profile Height 1.91 m Positions Defenseman | National team Australia Name Mark Rummukainen Weight 103 kg | |
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Born 19 February 1982 (age 42)
Canberra, ACT, Australia ( 1982-02-19 ) AIHL team
Former teams CBR Brave
Canberra Knights
Brisbane Blue Tongues
HC Storm Vaasa | ||
Canberra Knights - World Championships Preview - Rummukainen, Gavin & Clayworth
Mark Rummukainen (born 19 February 1982) is an Australian ice hockey player who plays defenceman for the CBR Brave in the Australian Ice Hockey League and is a member of the Australian national ice hockey team. Mark is the inaugural and current club captain for the CBR Brave.
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Club career
Rummukainen first played ice hockey in 2000 for the Canberra Knights of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). He played for the Knights for the next two seasons until moving to Finland to join the HC Storm Vaasa of the 2. Divisioona for the 2002-03 season. Following the end of the season he returned to Australia and rejoined the Knights for the start of the 2003 AIHL season. He continued to play for the Knights until 2006 where he moved to Brisbane and joined the Brisbane Blue Tongues. Rummukainen played for the Blue Tongues for the 2006 and 2007 season but re-joined the Knights for the 2008 season.
Before the start of the 2014 AIHL season the Knights folded operations and were replaced in the league by the CBR Brave. Rummukainen was a central figure in the rise of the new club following the collapse of the Knights. Mark along with Jordan Gavin lead a consortium of ex Knights players that approached the AIHL with a proposal to take over the vacated licence and form a new club in Canberra. The CBR Brave was born 06 March 2014 when Mark, head of the player consortium, paired up with Allinsure director Peter Chamnberlain and Coordinate’s owner-director Jamie Wilson.
Mark along with the new ownership team started a community crowd-sourcing champaign to help raise money for the new club. By the end of the campaign Mark and co raised $27,000 for the CBR Brave.
Mark was given the number 12 jersey and was named club captain given his experience as captain for the now defunct Canberra Knights and his leadership in keeping ice hockey in Canberra and the whole birth of the CBR Brave.
Rummukainen missed the opening match of the 2014 season, against the Newcastle North Stars, due to international commitments with the Australian national team who were participating in the division two World Championships in Serbia. Mark was shattered to miss the match but made his debut for the club in their second match of the season against the then defending champions the Sydney Ice Dogs at Phillip Ice Centre. In front of a sold out crowd, Mark led the Brave to their inaugural AIHL victory in the match over the Ice Dogs. The club winning 6-2 with a third period demoliotion.
Mark led the Brave to the 2014 AIHL Finals with a third place finish in the regular season. Mark himself was surprised that the team had achieved so much in such a short space of time considering at the start of the season he was more worried about limiting the amount of blown-out scores the team might concede. Mark was excited at the chance to win the Goodall Cup for the first time for a Canberra team in the AIHL era as it had been a drought that had gone on for 14 years and 238 games. Rummukainen played in his first finals series game in the semi-final match against the Melbourne Ice but the Brave lost the match 1-6, ending their quest for the Goodall Cup for 2014.
International career
Rummukainen was first called up to represent Australia in 2000 when he joined the national under-18 team to play at the 2000 IIHF Asian Oceanic Junior U18 Championships being held in Changchun City, People's Republic of China. The same year he also played on the national under-20 team to compete in the 2000 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Pool D tournament. The following year Rummukainen again played for the under-20 team at the World Championships. He also joined the national senior team to compete in the 2001 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships Division II Group A tournament. In 2005 Rummukainen tied for the most assists during the 2005 IIHF World Championship Division II Group A tournament with six. In 2011 Rummukainen was named as one of the teams alternate captains.
Personal life
Rummukainen was born 19 February 1982 in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Mark's favourite professional club is the Canadian NHL club Vancouver Canucks and his favourite player is former NHL superstar Chris Chelios who had a long and distinguished career in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.
Career statistics
Awards and honours
National
1998 Goodall Cup ( Australian Capital Territory )