Unique technology, a kind of humor and a unique guy – this is how the breeding of NHL booths became the hottest player in the Finnish Championship.

When KooKoo announced in May that it had signed a 1 + 1-year contract, only a 19-year-old Czech goalkeeper Nick Malikin with, hardly anyone expected him to become one of the toughest comets of this season.

Although Malik was familiar from the country’s youth national teams, not even the much-experienced goalkeeper coach of Kouvola Kari Lehtonen could not be sure of the pressure resistance of his new shield.

Lehtonen had watched several videos of Malik and heard comments from talent scouts, but Malik still had an unknown ability when he arrived in Kouvola.

– The tapes and reports do not necessarily show what a person is like and what their mental abilities and pressure endurance are. Despite his young age, he has been able to take responsibility, Lehtonen, who was reached by telephone, told Urheilu.

Malik shared the responsibility for the regular season Oskari Setänen but in the playoffs he has proven to be the so-called winning goalkeeper. KooKoo, who started in the playoffs as an underdog, defiled Pelicans first in the first round and Jukure last in the semi-finals.

In the semi-finals of the seven-game series, Jukurit scored only ten hits for KooKoo – thanks to Malik.

A peculiar technique, a kind of humor and a peculiar guy. Lehtonen admits that during his long career, he has gone the longest with Malik before he has had access to his soul life.

In the early part of the season, the goalkeeper was very quiet and in his own worlds, but as the season progresses, new aspects of him have begun to unfold.

– He has an extremely good sense of humor in a certain way, he is a very confident and nervous guy. Not much of a dizzying situation. He is a slightly different person and an exceptional young man in many ways, but only in a positive sense, Lehtonen said.

According to Lehkonen, the player’s uniqueness can be seen both in the civilian and on the playing field. He is quiet and invisible in everyday life and does not make a big fuss about himself, but the playing field may be unpredictable and make interesting decisions.

Malik’s fighting style is also different from Finnish goalkeepers and he has clear Czech guards. In Lehtonen’s opinion, Malikia cannot be compared to a Finnish technician who was taken through a goalkeeping school and a junior mill. If Malik and some Finnish guards were to wear similar equipment and not tell who is behind the mask, Malik would stand out.

But in Lehtonen’s opinion, it doesn’t matter.

– It’s not the style that always makes you blissful, it’s whether the rubber sticks or not – and it’s good, Lehtonen said.

Nick Malik is a second-generation top hockey player, as his father Marek Malik played for as many as 13 seasons in the NHL. Nick Malik said in the autumn to Ilta-Sanomat (you will switch to another service)how he has gotten on his social media anger about his neck because of his famous father.

Indeed, a little boy was born in the United States into an exceptional world. Dad was playing in the NHL, and the boy was spinning in a locker room surrounded by superstars.

Marek Malik did attempt a finish, but from an awkward position, sending the ball into the away fans.

– Whenever we played some games when I was younger, I always went to the finish line. In all possible species. I never even tried on the field, Malik told Sport.

With his father, the NHL games became familiar to Malik, and he says he admires some NHL goalkeepers and the way they move. But he reminds everyone to have their own style.

According to Lehtonen, Malik’s strength is above all in speed. He is quick to react to discs, fast to move and fast to move to second discs. Malik knows how to read the game well and recognizes disc-free threats so that he can make his decisions in a timely manner.

At that point, he doesn’t play himself out right from the first shot. When combined with good racket play, the desire to win and nerve control, the package is complete.

However, this was not the case at the beginning of the training season, as Lehtonen wanted to change something as fundamental as Malik’s position in the goal. However, the Czech Republic proved to be easy to coach.

– It was easy for him to justify why it was being changed and what was most gratifying, so he was able to quickly transfer the new thing to rehearsals and the game. Trust was found through change and when he found that change works.

Malik himself praises the duo’s cooperation, but admits that they don’t talk much with Lehtonen during the playoffs.

– He wants to leave me alone. But every time we talk, it’s good for me, Malik said.

Lehtonen thinks Malik has been easy and good at shaping, but now the practice has been left in the background and focused on games.

– At the moment, it seems that things are working and there is no need to interfere with anything anymore. It’s more about fine-tuning.

Malik himself takes the hottest goalkeeper title modestly and is not sure if he deserves it. He shares his praise with his teammates and says he plays “just fine.”

KooKoo dropped the second Jukurit in the league’s regular season, but next is a degree harder: Tappara, the number one in the regular season. Malikia does not pre-empt KooKoo’s chances of confusion.

– Everyone said that we will not go on from the semi-finals either, but anything can happen. Although Tappara won the regular season, that doesn’t mean they’ll make it to the finals as well. At least we make it difficult for them, Malik assured.

KooKoon head coach Olli Salon according to the secret of the team’s success and tenacity has been the players’ big heart towards the team. And of course the goalkeeper game.

– We have had great goalkeeper play and two really good goalkeepers throughout the season. We have stubbornly defended and we know it must always be okay in order to fight for victory, Salo said.

Malik will be a lot of a guard in the coming games, but Lehtonen believes that the young man will be able to withstand the pressures. He recalls the old wisdom that the goalkeeper is just as good as the last game has been, but Malik has lunch to soar.

– A really young guy and playing his first season in the main series at that level. There are good ingredients for the growth story. I am confident that that guy will still work much higher, Lehtonen said.