The Columbus Blue Jackets made a surprise hire this summer Niklas Bäckström as the club’s new goalkeeper coach.
Pesti is rare in Finnish terms, because before Bäckström, 45, only one Finnish goalie coach has been seen in the NHL, the Colorado Avalanche Jussi Parkkila.
– Of course, it’s a big honor to be able to get back to the NHL and to work with the team on a daily basis. I’ve been happy and full of enthusiasm, but everyday life has come pretty quickly. It has been long days, Bäckström tells Urheilu.
Pesti can be considered surprising in that sense that Bäckström has not coached full-time at any other club. Bäckström admits that he was surprised by the interest.
– After the season, there was an inquiry from Columbus asking if there was a willingness to move to live there. We thought about it for a while. The family was the most important and they were full of enthusiasm, Bäckström describes the process.
The family got excited
Bäckström went for an interview and in the end he was selected for the position rather quickly. It was the family’s attitude that was a big question mark for Bäckström, because the family has enjoyed themselves very well in Finland.
– But they were excited, ready for this adventure and to seize this opportunity. After that, it was easy to make a decision.
Bäckström’s path to becoming a goalkeeper coach is very interesting. GM of Columbus Jarmo Kekäläinen played a significant role in Bäckström ending up in coaching positions and as the club’s development coach.
Kekäläinen contacted the goalkeeper in the spring of 2019 just three hours after the season ended with Tappara’s bronze medal match.
– Little by little I got the feeling that after the end of my career I want to be involved in hockey. When Kekäläinen got in touch, there was no need to think and reflect.
What role did he play in you signing an NHL contract with Columbus?
– Of course, as a manager, he has a big role, but there are many others and a big group that makes decisions.
– But of course. Jarmo has the biggest say in matters on the Kaukalo side. He had a big influence on that and a very big influence that I ended up in Columbus at one time.
The attitude changed
Bäckström says that when he was playing, he focused on everyday life, and goalkeeper coaching was not in his mind. However, after returning to Finland and the SM league, he was able to work with good young goalkeepers, such as HIFK Kevin Lankinen and Tapparan Christian Heljangon with in the same team.
– I was able to enjoy more that I was able to help and support them. That they would get something for their own career and be able to improve their performance, says Bäcström.
– As a younger goalkeeper, he is selfish and thinks about his own performance. As I got older, I found that I enjoyed being able to help with something else.
A familiar guard from Ässi
In a way, the circle also closes. When Bäckström started as Columbus’ development coach, the NHL club’s current second guard Daniil Tarasov played in Äss. Bäckström often went to Pori to follow the guard’s practices and games.
– I got to know him and the connection has been maintained, the friendship has deepened. Now we are more involved in daily activities. It’s great to see that the young goalkeeper has improved. It is still possible to take many steps forward.
Columbus’ goalkeeper situation is interesting in the beginning of the season. Last season Elvis Merzlikins played only 30 games due to injury with a save percentage of 87.6. A total of six different players guarded the goal during the season.
Bäckström reminds that this season starts from scratch.
– History is good in the way that you can learn from it and fix things from there.
– We have a lot of good goalkeepers and we have a lot of faith in them. None of them have reached the maximum and their career is still on the rise. That’s great.
You have to get to know goalkeepers as people
Bäckström has not been in any club as a daily goalkeeper coach. However, he says that he studied goalie coaching for four years and spent many weeks with Columbus’ NHL team.
– I’ve been at training camps all the time and during the season I’ve been there once or twice and got to know the everyday life.
However, Bäckström reminds you that you are never done as a goalkeeper coach.
– There will certainly be challenges, and that’s right. One challenge is getting to know the players and goalkeepers as individuals, and what works. However, everyone is different. There is no one book that suits everyone, says Bäckström.
Bäckström wants victories in his coaching duties, but even more his own mind is warmed by the development of most goalkeepers.
– The greatest honor is if I can coach so that the goalkeeper plays the best games under me.