- published: 19 Mar 2016
- views: 168784
Oulun Kärpät (Finnish for Oulu Ermines) is a Finnish professional ice hockey team in the Liiga based in Oulu and owned by Kärppä Säätiö of the Kärppä Foundation. They are the current Finnish champions after winning both the league and play-off final for the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 seasons.
In the spring of 1946, three young men decided to found a new sports club in Oulu. At the constitutional meeting on May 15, the club was named Oulun Kärpät 46. At first, Kärpät played football (soccer) and its first winter sport was bandy.
In the first annual meeting in January 1947, an ice hockey section was established. At the beginning of the new decade, Kärpät was somewhat successful in ice hockey and it became the main sport of the club. The first game at the highest level was played on the December 4, 1960, against HJK of Helsinki, but the visit to the highest level was short and Kärpät lost their position in the series. They made it to the highest level again in 1965–66, but again lost their position. The third try in 1967–68 did not produce a better performance, as Kärpät lost all their games.