Simo Olavi Saarinen (born February 14, 1963, in Helsinki, Finland) is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman Simo Saarinen started his career in his hometown team Helsingin IFK.

Saarinen played once in the European Junior Ice Hockey Championships and twice in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was soon noticed by NHL scouts.

After retiring in 1996 Saarinen started to referee ice hockey games in Finland.

Currently Saarinen referees hockey games in Helsinki and Southern Finland area.

Saarinen was part of the historic Ice Hockey at the 1988 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey Team which won Finland's first international tournament medal, a silver one.