SM league superstar Teemu Turunen is a great example for juniors, writes Urheilu’s Simo Arkko.
Simo Arkkourheilhu journalist
The ice hockey championship league season has contained many twists and turns, but especially in Oulu, the mood has fluctuated one way or the other.
In October-November, Kärpät was at his worst slump of the season and the fans loudly demanded the sacking of the head coach Ville Mäntymaa.
However, one player saved or at least had a significant effect on Mäntymaa not getting kicks in the end. He is Teemu Turunenwho returned to the rink in December after an injury.
Without Turku, Kärpät was the second weakest team in the series before Jukurei, when in 18 matches the points tally accumulated by 16 points. With Turunen, however, Kärpät has received 1.86 points per match. After Turku’s return, the average is exactly two.
Although Kärpät has also strengthened its defense, the importance of Turunen cannot be overemphasized. It is not for nothing that he is the most expensive player in the SM league, who earns According to Ilta-Sanom gross about 350,000 euros per season.
Why is Teemu Turunen so good? There are many reasons, but the star’s extreme conscientiousness and dedication stand out in particular. There are no overtime days or overtime changes in Turuse. He is a super competitor and cares about his team.
These words often sound like buzzwords and things that can be said about many players. In the case of Turunen, however, the actions in the rink’s struggling situations and the block statistics speak for themselves.
Turunen is among the top 30 in block statistics among forwards who have played at least ten matches, despite the fact that when he is on the court, the puck is more often in the opponent’s end.
According to those who know Turku better, he creates a level of demand for all other team members with his own actions. The 29-year-old winger does not want attention, but has grown into a natural leader for Kärpi.
The crowning point is the points that the cunning Turunen has scored in 23 matches, 10+17=27. The scoring average is the third best among those who have played at least 20 matches.
For me, the attacker’s cunning is illustrated by one goal from ten years ago, when he played in Jukurei for Mest. Turunen skated towards the goal in the situation and received a pass in front of the goal.
However, he didn’t shoot directly at the logo like most players. Turunen took possession of the puck, made a small deflection to the left and was able to hit the puck into the empty goal.
Even then, he was good at recognizing situations and the goalkeeper’s movements near the goal. Even today, he excels in his anticipation of the game and his skill with the puck.
When talking about Turus, it’s good to remember that he wasn’t a child star. Of course, the forward was involved in national team camps, but he never played in the World Youth Championship or got a reservation in the NHL.
However, Turunen learned quickly and became a top player in Mestis with his humble work. Eventually Antti Pennanen took Turunen with him to HPK and the story ended with the fairytale Finnish championship in the spring of 2019.
Turunen already scored 54 points in the regular season and 14 points in the playoffs. Last season, on the other hand, he won the series scoring crown with 30 hits.
Turunen is a great example for juniors who dream of becoming a professional. You can go far with humble work and patience.