Antti Aalto is a Finnish former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Nashville Predators and the Minnesota Wild. He was born in Tampere, Finland on April 8, 1977.
Aalto began his hockey career in his native Finland, playing for the Ilves Tampere team in the SM-liiga. He was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, and made his NHL debut in the 1998-99 season. He played in Nashville for three seasons, and was traded to the Minnesota Wild in 2001.
Aalto was known for his strong defensive play and physicality. He was a reliable penalty killer and was often used in defensive situations. He was also an effective forechecker, and was often used to shut down opposing teams' top lines.
Aalto was a two-time NHL All-Star, and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1999. He was also a member of the Finnish national team, and won a bronze medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics.
Aalto retired from professional hockey in 2004, after playing in the SM-liiga for three seasons. He finished his career with a total of 513 NHL games played, and scored a total of 56 goals and 81 assists.
Aalto is remembered as one of the most reliable and consistent players of his era. He was a strong defensive player, and was an effective penalty killer and forechecker. He was also a two-time NHL All-Star, and a member of the Finnish national team. Aalto's career was cut short due to injury, but he will always be remembered as one of the best players of his era.
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