Kari Makkonen (born January 20, 1955) is a Finnish retired professional ice hockey player and coach.

[1] He played the 1973–74 season with Kuparikiekko in the third tier Maakuntasarja,[2] scoring 14 goals and 9 assists in 10 games for the club, which was enough for fifth place in points in his division and 15th in the league.

[3] The following season at 19 years old, Makkonen made the move to HC Ässät Pori in the SM-sarja, the top division of Finland at the time.

Kari Makkonen scored 44 points in 36 games and was chosen to the SM-liiga all-star team for the first time.

[6] Makkonen signed a National Hockey League (NHL) contract with the Edmonton Oilers for the 1979–80 season.