| Born: | July 28, 1977 | Draft: | 1995 Kings, 3rd Overall |
| Hometown: | Raisio, Finland | Position: | Defense |
| Known For: | 2x SM-liiga Champion | Shoots: | Left |
| National Team: | Finland | Current Status: | Retired |
Aki Berg (born July 28, 1977) is a former Finnish ice hockey player, having played his final year in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2005-2006 season. Drafted 3rd overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, Berg was a highly-touted defenseman who could play a big game, log a large amount of minutes, and had offensive potential. His first few seasons in Los Angeles came with struggles, as the Finnish defenseman could not hold a full-time role with the NHL club. After two seasons, this changed as he appeared in 72 games with the Kings, registering eight assists and 61 penalty minutes. The following season was his best statistically, putting up 16 points in 70 games and helping the team to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. During the 2000-01 season, his play started to drop off, and the Kings traded him to Toronto for centre Adam Mair and a second-round pick, which turned out to be Michael Cammalleri.
In Toronto, Berg became a solid bottom-pairing defenseman, earning significantly more ice time while aiding the team to three playoff appearances. In his first year as a Maple Leaf, he and the team made it to the Conference Final, losing out to the Carolina Hurricanes. While his NHL career ended at the conclusion of the 2005-06 season, Berg returned to Finland, where it all started, re-joining the TPS program of the SM-Liiga. Serving as the team’s captain in three of the five seasons, he and TPS won the 2010 SM-Liiga Championship. Berg retired at the conclusion of the 2010-11 season, and was named to the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame two years later.
While Berg may have had a lacklustre NHL career, his international resume is quite impressive. Representing Finland on 13 occasions, Berg has two gold medal, five silver, and three bronze, including an Olympic silver and bronze medal. His best statistical performance came during the 1995 IIHF European Junior Championships, where he registered one goal and five assists in five games, helping Finland win the European Cup. Post-career, he has established himself as one of Finland’s equipment managers, following the team across several tournaments.
Aki Berg Statistics
Trade Tracker
| Date | Traded From | Traded To | Traded For |
| Mar. 13, 2001 |  |  | Second-Round Pick 2001 (Mike Cammalleri) Adam Mair |
Deeper Dive
Staff History
- TPS, SM-Liiga (Equipment Manager) 2012-current
- Team Finland, WC (Equipment Manager) 2014-current
- Team Finland, International (Equipment Manager) 2014-2018
- Team Finland, WCup (Equipment Manager) 2016-2017
- Team Finland, OG (Equipment Manager) 2018
- Team Finland, EHT (Equipment Manager) 2018-current
Achievements
- European Cup Champion (1994)
- SM-liiga Silver Medal (1994)
- U18 EJC Second All-Star Team (1994)
- U20 SM-liiga Silver Medal (1994)
- U18 EJC All-Star Team (1995)
- U18 EJC Gold Medal (1995)
- Olympic Bronze Medal (1998)
- 2x SM-liiga Champion (1999, 2010)
- 3x World Championship Silver Medal (1999, 2001, 2007)
- 2x World Championship Bronze Medal (2000, 2006)
- World Cup Runner Up (2005)
- Olympic Silver Medal (2006)
- Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame (Jääkiekkoleijona) (2013)
- World Championship Silver Medal (2016, Staff)
- World Championship Gold Medal (2019, Staff)
- Liiga Silver Medal (2021, Staff)