koivu began his professional ice hockey career playing for tps in the finnish sm-liiga, beginning in 1992–93. he posted ten points in his rookie season, including five points in the playoffs, to help tps to a kanada-malja championship. after improving to 53 points the following season, he put up a league-high 73 points in 1994–95. in addition to earning the veli-pekka ketola trophy as league scoring champion, koivu was awarded the kultainen kypärä award as the players' choice for the best player and the lasse oksanen trophy as league mvp. he went on to record 17 points in 13 post-season games that year to earn the jari kurri trophy as playoff mvp and win his second kanada-malja trophy in three years with tps.