Last Updated on November 11, 2026 by Janet Asprin
Juuse Saros is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender who plays for the Nashville Predators in the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on April 19, 1995, in Forssa, Finland, Saros is widely recognized as one of the most accomplished Finnish goaltenders of his generation.
Beyond his successful hockey career, Saros comes from an athletic Finnish family. His father, Pekka Saros, is a respected basketball referee and former school principal, while his mother, Leila Saros, has a background in competitive swimming. He also has an older brother named Eemeli Saros.
In his personal life, Saros is married to Minna Saros, formerly Minna Varis. The couple married in July 2023 and have become recognized for their involvement in animal rescue and charitable activities in Nashville.
Juuse Saros’s Wife: Is He Married or Dating?
Juuse Saros is married to Minna Saros, whose maiden name is Minna Varis. The couple married in July 2023 after several years together.
Before their marriage, Minna was Juuse’s longtime girlfriend and fiancée.
Their relationship developed before Saros became one of the NHL’s most prominent Finnish goaltenders.
They subsequently established their home in the Nashville, Tennessee, area, where Juuse has spent his entire NHL career.
Although both maintain relatively private personal lives, they occasionally participate in community events and charitable activities organized by the Nashville Predators.
Who Is Minna Saros?
Minna Saros, formerly Minna Varis, is a Finnish woman best known as the wife of NHL goaltender Juuse Saros.
She has supported her husband throughout his professional hockey career and has established strong connections to the Nashville community.
Minna generally avoids extensive media attention and does not regularly discuss her personal life in public interviews.
Reliable sports publications have not extensively documented her date of birth, educational background, or professional occupation.
However, her involvement in charitable activities has received recognition from the Nashville Predators.
She and Juuse have worked closely with animal rescue organizations, including Wags & Walks Nashville.
How Did Juuse Saros Meet Minna Varis?
Juuse Saros and Minna Varis have known each other since their younger years in Finland.
Finnish media have described them as a longtime couple whose relationship began before Saros established himself in the NHL.
Both have connections to the Hämeenlinna region, where Juuse developed his hockey career with HPK.
However, the exact circumstances of their first meeting and the date they began dating have not been independently confirmed in detailed public interviews.
By 2021, the couple had publicly announced their engagement.
Juuse Saros and Minna Varis’s Engagement
Juuse Saros and Minna Varis became engaged in 2021.
Their engagement was subsequently acknowledged by the Nashville Predators.
In October 2022, the organization published an article about its annual Community Relations Week, identifying Minna as Saros’s fiancée.
The article described the couple’s enthusiasm for animal rescue and their plans to participate in charitable initiatives.
In May 2023, Minna again appeared publicly as Juuse’s fiancée when the couple presented a major donation to Wags & Walks Nashville.
Their engagement eventually led to their wedding during the summer of 2023.
When Did Juuse Saros Get Married?
Juuse Saros and Minna Varis married in July 2023.
The Nashville Predators publicly congratulated the couple following their wedding and shared photographs from the celebration.
Finnish entertainment publication Seiska also reported their marriage in May 2025.
The wedding represented an important personal milestone for Saros, who had already established himself as Nashville’s starting goaltender.
Although the wedding was publicly acknowledged, the couple have kept many details of the ceremony private.
Reliable sources do not consistently establish the exact wedding venue or provide a complete guest list.
Following their marriage, Minna became publicly known as Minna Saros.
Minna Saros’s Support for Her Husband
Minna has supported Juuse throughout the demanding NHL schedule, which requires extensive travel across North America.
The couple have made Nashville their home while maintaining connections to Finland.
In July 2024, the Nashville Predators announced an eight-year contract extension for Saros worth $61.92 million, beginning with the 2025–26 season.
In the official announcement, general manager Barry Trotz specifically praised Juuse and Minna for their positive contributions to the Nashville community.
The extension provided long-term professional stability for Saros while allowing the couple to continue their charitable activities in Tennessee.
Juuse Saros’s Children: Does He Have Kids?
There are no publicly confirmed reports that Juuse Saros and his wife Minna have children.
The Finnish goaltender has not made a verified public announcement regarding the birth of a son or daughter.
His official NHL biographies and major interviews do not identify any children.
Although Saros and Minna frequently discuss their dogs and animal rescue activities, they generally maintain privacy regarding other aspects of their family life.
Therefore, it would be inaccurate to definitively state that they have no children. The appropriate description is that no children have been publicly confirmed.
Juuse Saros and Minna’s Dogs: Kesä and Nala
One of the most publicly documented aspects of Juuse and Minna Saros’s home life is their affection for dogs.
The couple have two dogs named Kesä and Nala.
Both dogs have appeared in Nashville Predators community initiatives and promotional photographs.
1. Kesä – Juuse Saros’s Dog
Kesä is one of Juuse and Minna Saros’s dogs.
The Finnish name “Kesä” means “summer” in English.
Kesä was part of the couple’s household before they adopted their second dog.
Juuse has occasionally featured photographs of his pets in public activities and hockey-related projects.
His affection for dogs has also influenced the artwork on some of his goaltending masks.
2. Nala – The Couple’s Rescue Dog
Nala is Juuse and Minna’s second dog.
The couple initially fostered Nala through Wags & Walks Nashville in January 2022.
They subsequently decided to adopt her permanently.
In a May 2023 Nashville Predators interview, Juuse explained that adopting Nala had been one of the couple’s most rewarding decisions.
He also described how Nala became a companion for Kesä.
The experience inspired Juuse and Minna to become increasingly involved in animal welfare initiatives.
Juuse and Minna’s Animal Rescue Charity Work
Juuse and Minna have participated in several charitable initiatives supporting rescued dogs in Nashville.
In May 2023, Saros and the Nashville Predators Foundation donated $50,000 to Wags & Walks Nashville.
The donation helped support the development of a new animal adoption center in the Donelson-Hermitage area.
The couple attended the presentation with Kesä and Nala.
Saros also helped raise funds through his Save the Pucks, Save the Puppies campaign, connecting his NHL performances with donations to animal welfare organizations.
Juuse and Minna later became ambassadors for the Preds Pet Club, an initiative that brings together Nashville Predators fans and their pets.
The organization’s official website continues to recognize the couple and their dogs for their participation in animal rescue activities.
Juuse Saros’s Parents
Juuse Saros was born to Pekka Saros and Leila Saros in Forssa, Finland.
Both parents have backgrounds in competitive sports and encouraged their children to participate in athletics.
Their names and family history were confirmed in a detailed October 2015 interview published by Finnish hockey publication Jatkoaika.
The family eventually settled in Hämeenlinna, where Juuse developed his goaltending abilities through HPK’s youth organization.
Juuse Saros’s Father: Pekka Saros
Juuse Saros’s father is Pekka Saros, a respected Finnish basketball referee and former school principal.
Pekka developed a distinguished career officiating basketball games in Finland’s highest professional league.
According to Finnish national broadcaster Yle, he officiated his first top-division basketball game in 1987.
By March 2021, he had officiated more than 1,200 games at Finland’s highest basketball level, an exceptional achievement.
Alongside his refereeing career, Pekka worked as the principal of Kauriala School in Hämeenlinna.
He combined his responsibilities in education with basketball officiating and family life.
How Pekka Saros Influenced Juuse’s Hockey Career
Pekka played an important role in helping Juuse develop his interest in hockey.
Although he was primarily involved in basketball, Pekka encouraged his son to explore several sports during childhood.
Juuse participated in soccer, floorball, and ice hockey before eventually concentrating on goaltending.
In an October 2015 interview with Jatkoaika, Pekka recalled that Juuse became interested in playing goaltender around the age of eight.
When Juuse was nine, he requested goaltending gloves and a blocker for Christmas.
By age ten, he was preparing to join HPK’s junior hockey program in Hämeenlinna.
However, the team initially told Pekka that its goaltending positions had already been filled.
Juuse was disappointed and considered giving up hockey if he could not play his preferred position.
Pekka contacted the organization again and suggested allowing his son to practice as a goaltender.
The coaches agreed, allowing Juuse to pursue the position that eventually defined his professional career.
Pekka Saros’s Parenting Philosophy
Pekka has repeatedly emphasized the importance of enjoying sports rather than concentrating exclusively on professional success.
In a 2017 interview with NHL.com, Juuse explained that his father had always encouraged him to enjoy hockey.
Although Pekka helped with transportation and training commitments, he did not pressure Juuse to pursue a particular sporting career.
He allowed his son to make his own decisions.
Pekka also emphasized education and personal development.
In the 2015 Jatkoaika profile, he explained that the family wanted Juuse to complete his education because professional sports careers can be uncertain.
Juuse eventually graduated from a sports-oriented high school in Hämeenlinna while continuing his hockey development.
Pekka Saros’s Pride in His Two Sons
In March 2021, Yle published an extensive interview about Pekka Saros’s basketball refereeing career.
Although Pekka had achieved remarkable success as an official, he explained that raising his two sons was more important to him than his professional accomplishments.
He expressed pride that both sons had established their own paths in life.
Pekka also encouraged young athletes to pursue individual goals rather than believing that success required becoming professional sports stars.
His comments demonstrated the importance he placed on family, education, and personal fulfillment.
Juuse Saros’s Mother: Leila Saros
Juuse Saros’s mother is Leila Saros, a Finnish woman with a background in competitive swimming.
According to biographical reporting, Leila participated in collegiate swimming in the United States.
Her athletic experience contributed to the family’s understanding of competitive sports and the demands placed on young athletes.
Although Leila maintains a relatively private public profile, her influence has been acknowledged in interviews about Juuse’s upbringing.
In May 2015, Yle reported that Leila joined other family members in watching Juuse represent Finland at the IIHF World Championship.
His father explained that she understood the emotional and physical demands of high-level competition because of her own sporting experience.
Leila Saros’s Support During Juuse’s International Career
Leila supported Juuse throughout his junior hockey career and his progression into professional competition.
In May 2015, Juuse made an impressive appearance for Finland against Slovakia during the World Championship.
With Pekka Rinne unavailable because of illness, Saros stepped into the lineup and stopped all 22 shots he faced.
His family gathered in Hämeenlinna to watch the performance.
Pekka later explained that the game was particularly meaningful because it occurred around Mother’s Day.
The family celebrated Juuse’s success while encouraging him to remain focused and enjoy the experience.
Both parents have continued following his NHL career from Finland.
Juuse Saros’s Siblings: Does He Have Brothers or Sisters?
Juuse Saros has one publicly confirmed sibling, an older brother named Eemeli Saros.
His identity was confirmed in the October 2015 family profile published by Jatkoaika.
Juuse and Eemeli grew up together in Finland and developed interests in sports from childhood.
No additional brothers or sisters have been reliably identified in major public sources.
1. Eemeli Saros – Juuse Saros’s Older Brother
Eemeli Saros is the older brother of Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros.
He is the eldest of Pekka and Leila Saros’s two sons.
Eemeli grew up alongside Juuse as the family moved between Forssa, Naantali, and Hämeenlinna.
Both brothers developed interests in sports, reflecting their parents’ athletic backgrounds.
During childhood, they participated in recreational games together.
According to biographical profiles of Juuse, the brothers occasionally played hockey together, with Juuse taking the goaltender position.
These childhood experiences helped him develop an early interest in stopping shots.
Did Eemeli Saros Become a Professional Hockey Player?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Eemeli Saros established a professional ice hockey career comparable to his younger brother’s.
Although both sons were involved in sports during childhood, they eventually pursued different paths.
In his March 2021 interview with Yle, Pekka expressed satisfaction that both sons had found careers and directions suited to their interests.
He emphasized that personal fulfillment was more important than professional athletic recognition.
Eemeli’s occupation, educational background, and relationship status have not been extensively documented in reliable hockey publications.
Are Juuse and Eemeli Saros Close?
Juuse and Eemeli share a family background shaped by their childhood experiences in Finland.
The brothers grew up in a household where their parents emphasized education, sportsmanship, and personal responsibility.
While Juuse developed into a professional NHL goaltender, Eemeli pursued his own interests.
The brothers generally maintain privacy regarding their personal relationship, and recent public interviews provide limited information about their activities together.
However, their father’s public comments demonstrate that both remain important members of the family.
Juuse Saros’s Family Background and Childhood
Juuse Saros was born on April 19, 1995, in Forssa, Finland.
His family moved to Naantali when he was approximately three years old.
Several years later, they relocated to Hämeenlinna because of Pekka’s work.
After a brief return to Naantali, the family eventually settled in Hämeenlinna in 2005.
During childhood, Juuse enjoyed hockey, soccer, and floorball.
He initially played several positions before deciding that he wanted to become a goaltender.
He began his organized hockey development with VG-62 in Naantali before joining the HPK junior organization.
After concentrating on goaltending, Saros developed into one of Finland’s most promising young players.
In 2013, he helped Finland win a bronze medal at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship and was named the tournament’s best goaltender.
That same year, the Nashville Predators selected him in the fourth round, 99th overall, of the NHL Entry Draft.
In 2014, Saros helped Finland win the World Junior Championship and was recognized as the Finnish Liiga Rookie of the Year.
He subsequently moved to North America, where he began his professional career with the Milwaukee Admirals in the American Hockey League.
Saros made his NHL debut with Nashville on November 28, 2015, against the Buffalo Sabres.
Over the following years, he developed into the Predators’ starting goaltender, eventually succeeding fellow Finnish goaltender Pekka Rinne.
He earned NHL All-Star recognition and established himself among the league’s leading goaltenders.
In July 2024, Nashville rewarded him with an eight-year, $61.92 million contract extension beginning with the 2025–26 season.
In February 2026, Saros also helped Finland win the bronze medal at the Winter Olympics.
Throughout his journey, he has continued acknowledging the importance of the family support he received during childhood.
Frequently Asked Questions About Juuse Saros’s Family
Who is Juuse Saros’s wife?
Juuse Saros is married to Minna Saros, formerly Minna Varis. The couple married in July 2023 and live in the Nashville area.
Who was Juuse Saros’s girlfriend?
Juuse Saros’s longtime girlfriend was Minna Varis. They became engaged in 2021 and married in 2023.
When did Juuse Saros get married?
Juuse Saros married Minna Varis in July 2023. Their wedding was publicly acknowledged by the Nashville Predators.
How many children does Juuse Saros have?
There are no publicly confirmed reports that Juuse Saros and his wife Minna have children.
Who is Juuse Saros’s father?
His father is Pekka Saros, a distinguished Finnish basketball referee and former school principal who helped support Juuse’s development as a young hockey player.
Who is Juuse Saros’s mother?
His mother is Leila Saros, who has a background in competitive swimming and supported her son’s sporting ambitions.
Does Juuse Saros have siblings?
Yes. Juuse Saros has one publicly confirmed older brother named Eemeli Saros.
Who is Juuse Saros’s brother?
His brother is Eemeli Saros, the older son of Pekka and Leila Saros. The brothers grew up together in Finland.
Did Juuse Saros’s father play professional hockey?
No. Pekka Saros is primarily known for his distinguished career as a Finnish basketball referee rather than as a professional hockey player.
What are Juuse Saros’s dogs’ names?
Juuse and Minna Saros have two dogs named Kesä and Nala. Nala was adopted through the animal rescue organization Wags & Walks Nashville.
Where is Juuse Saros’s family from?
Juuse Saros was born in Forssa, Finland, and grew up primarily in Hämeenlinna after his family moved between several Finnish communities.
A dedicated ice hockey journalist, Janet Asprin delivers sharp, detailed coverage of the NHL season. From evaluating trade deadline moves and line combinations to analyzing power plays and postseason standings, Janet brings a fresh, structured perspective to every game. She focuses on translating high-speed rink strategy into compelling stories and actionable insights for hockey fans.
