In Jukka Jalonen’s vision, Liiga and Mestis would both have 14 teams. The weakest in the league would fall and the best in Mestis would rise if they meet the criteria.
This spring, the Ice Hockey Championship League has come across the same phenomenon as in the previous springs, i.e. so-called clearance sales. Teams at the bottom of the league table sell or rent their players to reduce their salary costs.
At the same time, they practically give up the fight to get to the playoffs. There’s a chance for that, because you can’t drop out of the series.
This season, SaiPa and Sport have done so. Sport’s announcement last weekend about the sale of players caused irritation because it still had at least a theoretical chance for the playoffs. The phenomenon causes situations where teams that have sold their players end up in losing streaks.
With the head coach of the Lions On Jukka Jalose has clear views of the situation and solution models.
– This is about the economy. For some of the clubs that say they won’t make the playoffs, the only way to survive the situation is to start selling players. The clubs have certainly lived a little beyond their means, Jalonen stated.
Jalonen lists the problems caused by the situation.
– It is an image disadvantage for the league and is not a good thing from a sporting point of view. It is also unfair that the teams playing against them get points more easily. Supporters can choose not to come to games, which can continue into the next season as well. In the very short term this is understandable, but in the long term it doesn’t work.
The opening of the league has been discussed for a long time and the discussion has intensified again.
– It is clear that this would not happen if there was a risk of falling to Mestis.
Jalonen reminds us that even today, in principle, it is possible to move up to the league, even though it is really difficult, but you cannot drop from there.
– It only increases genuine competition that there is a chance to rise and the danger of falling. I would recommend that two high-quality series be built, Liiga and Mestis. Whatever that way would be, it could be fixed, but I think it could be that every year the weakest in the League would fall and the best in Mestis would rise.
– Of course, the best of Mesti should meet certain criteria. It would bring electricity in a completely different way, Jalonen envisioned.
Jalonen also points out that the situation in the Swedish SHL is the exact opposite of that in Finland. The teams at the tail end of the series are specifically trying to find reinforcements for their teams and avoid relegation. There is no similar clearance sale in any of Europe’s big leagues as in Finland.
Jalose also has a position on the number of teams in Liiga and Mestis.
– I am in favor of having 14 clubs in Liiga and 14 in Mestis. I’m a realist, dropping three or five teams from the league won’t work. Kiekko-Espoo is coming very soon and so will Jokerit at some point, so there would be competition for the 14.