Mikko Mäkelä (ice hockey)
A 'Flying Finn' winger who lit up the NHL with his goal-scoring touch for the Islanders and Sabres in the late 80s and early 90s.
Born 1965 (age 61)·Finnish ice hockey player·Birthday: February 28·Generation X
Biography
Mikko Mäkelä arrived in the NHL as part of the wave of Finnish talent that changed the league's complexion in the 1980s. Drafted by the New York Islanders, he quickly lived up to his 'Flying Finn' nickname with a smooth skating style and a sharpshooter's accuracy. His best seasons came on Long Island, where he twice topped 30 goals, providing a consistent offensive threat in the post-dynasty era. A trade to the Buffalo Sabres saw him maintain his scoring pace, forming effective lines with other skilled Europeans. While he never captured a Stanley Cup, Mäkelä's career was one of reliable excellence, representing Finland in international play and proving that players from his nation could be pure goal-scorers, not just defensive specialists, on hockey's biggest stage.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Mikko was born in 1965, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mikko Was Born
The biggest hits of 1965
#1 Movie
The Sound of Music
Best Picture
The Sound of Music
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Mikko's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1965Born
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1970Started school
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1978Became a teenager
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Could drive
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1983Could vote
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Turned 21
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1995Turned 30
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 40
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 50
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 60
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 61 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored a career-high 36 goals and 81 points for the New York Islanders in the 1987-88 season.
- Recorded three consecutive 30-goal seasons in the NHL from 1987 to 1990.
- Represented Finland in the 1987 Canada Cup and the 1991 Canada Cup tournaments.
- Played over 500 NHL games, amassing 248 goals and 301 assists for 549 points.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'The Flying Finn,' is shared with other famous Finnish athletes like runner Paavo Nurmi.
He was drafted the same year as Islanders legend Pat LaFontaine, though in a later round.
After his NHL career, he played several seasons in the Finnish SM-liiga for Jokerit Helsinki.
He won a Finnish championship with Jokerit in 1994.
“You have to be ready to shoot when you get the chance.”
