The main force of HPK, which is fighting for the playoff spot in the SM League, has been the Canadian striker this season Michael Joly. The 27-year-old Joly, who leads the league’s scoring statistics, has been involved in almost half of the Hämeenlinna team’s goals (45/105).
The winger has scored the same amount of points (18+27) in 45 matches.
Joly admitted to Urheilu that he considers himself a rink artist. This is what the taping of a man’s racket also says – it must be personal. The erkka has been wrapped around the stage for about three turns, there is no more tape on the bottom of the bat, but the erkka has been pulled a few centimeters across.
– I used to have more tape around the racket. A few years ago I saw a guy playing with a different type of taping. I thought that was the wise way. I concluded that it is smart if there is no tape on the bottom, so the racket does not get wet from the snow. The racket now feels lighter and better. This has worked well for three years now, Joly presented his taping.
– I don’t know if this is art, but at least it’s artistic, the HPK star laughed.
Joly’s “artist nature” is best seen in the puck bowl.
– I am definitely a different player compared to others. Sometimes I try tricks that I can’t do properly myself. I want to try different things and be creative. I’m different in that sense. Ice hockey needs artists.
Jukka Jalonen’s praise was warm
The French Canadian took over the league bowls already last season. The result was 50 (21+29) points from HPK’s 58 regular season games. Before this, he worked behind the scenes in the AHL and ECHL with varying degrees of success.
Now the man’s fluent puck handling, clever passing skills and sharp mobility have only improved. HPK pilot Jarno Pikkarainen has gotten the most out of the puck artist this season, as the 50 power point limit is about to be broken.
Joly has had a good time in Hämeenlinna and in the SM league.
– The most enjoyable thing for me here is when I get to be myself as a hockey player. The coach plays with me in a way where I am at my strongest. He plays me especially at the end of games and I get a lot of playing time in the team. It is the most enjoyable for me.
In his opinion, Joly has developed in Finland. According to the striker, he is faster and more physical. According to the man, the defensive game is now at a reasonable level.
– Before the league, my defensive game was my worst part, but I have improved a lot.
Lions head coach Jukka Jalonen already stated before the start of the league season that Joly’s puck skills are at NHL level.
– It’s great that you hear such praise. It proves to me that I can play at a high level. When I came to Europe, my goal was for people to talk about my skill, because in North America I was not on the wallpaper. If a coach of Jalonen’s level praises me, it helps me.
“Better Joly than before, and we haven’t even seen the best version yet”
CEO of HPK Antti Toivanen points out that the club’s and Joly’s joint venture started when the player showed his desire to come and play in Europe. More eyes watched his ECHL and AHL games on video recordings.
– In the case of Joly, I’m not raising a special feather in anyone’s cap, but it had an effect Matti Tiilikainen and his coaching at the time (Jani Keinänen and Janne Sinkkonen), Jukka Voutilainen, Mika Toivola and I was the last one to accept the player’s salary request.
– In our joint analysis, Joly’s exceptionality and cunning caught the eye, as well as the fact that he was really difficult to defend and was able to create goalscoring opportunities almost out of thin air.
Although few still remember, adapting to the Finnish hockey league also took time for Michael Joly. The Canadian forward scored 3+2=5/+5 in the opening three games of his league career, but the following 11 games went worse, 1+2=3/-8. Joly even got to the popcorn section for a while.
– Finnish culture and training took a while before we could push Michael to a new level. I personally see that the time in Finland and training here have done a lot for him, Toivanen states.
The HPK boss emphasizes that Joly is a highly motivated athlete who pushes himself every day.
– The way you train, maintain and take care of your physique has helped him develop as a player. We’re seeing an even better Joly today, and I don’t think we’ve even seen the best version of her yet.
The “slowness” of the SM league is picking up
According to Joly, the level in Finland is tough.
– In North America, we play faster in a way. Here we play and group more as a team. However, after a couple of months of getting used to it, I got the hang of the plot.
The only thing that Joly criticizes in the SM league is the slowness of the game. He has become known in Finland for the fact that he likes to hold the puck a lot, distribute dummy passes and shoot a lot.
– I’m used to this, but here we cancel a lot and regroup, when sometimes we could attack more directly.
Joly admits that he really hates losing. He believes this will make him a better player.
– I’m used to fighting, my brothers are older than me. I’m really competitive.
“I really want to win the points and goals exchange”
HPK’s rink artist is a strong candidate to win the league’s points exchange. The Canadian player has won the points exchange three times before. Steve Kariyahis brother Martin Kariya mixed Justin Danforth are the Canadian stock market scares of past seasons.
– I really want to win the points and goals market, but above all I want the team to win. I don’t think about such things yet, because there are still a lot of games left.
The club is currently barely below the playoff line, but Joly believes that the team will be seen in the playoffs, as long as the excellent momentum of the last games continues.
“Last season, the HPK star already had 14 other takers in the League”
Joly signed a one-year contract extension with Hämeenlinna last season. Many wondered how on earth HPK was able to sign such a skilled player.
– He is very motivated to move forward in his career. The organization, the environment, the coaching have been right for him and he has gotten what he has been looking for. This is also reflected in the fact that already last season he would have certainly had 14 other takers in the league. If he had chosen the most economical option, it would not have been Hämeenlinna, Antti Toivanen admits.
Joly is having a great time at HPK and in the city, but even so, his extension to Hämeenlinna for next season is probably no longer possible.
– Fortunately, nothing is impossible. Hämeenlinna is not yet an excluded option. Even after last season, no one believed that Michael would have continued with us, HPK’s CEO reminds.
Joly believes he can still play in the NHL.
– That step is not that big. It just requires adaptation – the same thing I did when I entered the SM League. I think I could do well in the NHL. By playing it, you learn in which area you need to improve.
Although the NHL is the dream of almost every hockey player, Joly does not rule out the option that he will also play in the SM league next season. Now he focuses on playing in HPK.
HPK will face Luko on Friday in the guest bowl. You can listen to the match and other matches of the day’s SM league round live on Puhee starting at 18:00. Jussi Paasi in the hockey tour studio and Topi Nättinen as an expert.