The Jokers are allowed to refine their game in Mestis in peace and at the same time watch as the probable opponent of spring is confused, writes Jussi Paasi.
Jussi Paaser Sports Editor
Mikkeli Jukuri against Helsinki Jokers.
It has the most likely pair of the SM League this spring qualifying series.
The Jukurit has cemented their place as a league jumbo. The Jokers dominate the mest.
Actually, the only club who can change the situation is the Pelicans of Lahti. The last two seasons silver teams are in crisis. Nothing right now suggests that the Pelicans’ downward spiral is interrupted.
The last and last teams in the League regular season will play the Playout Series first to avoid qualifying with four wins.
The setting is just grim that the Pelicans and the Jukuri have underestimated their chances in the important games of spring.
Both teams have moved their head coach to the side. The solution has proved to be wrong in both Lahti and Mikkeli. The deck is even worse.
With new pilots, Pelicans Jussi on Taipale and the yukuri Jonne Virtanenthere is no previous experience in the work of the league team head coach. And that’s what the going looks.
It may be that Lahti can still be recruited for some emergency aid, but turning the course of a crisis club in a month and a half is an almost impossible trick.
However, the realization of the worst scenario for the Pelicans, that is, in the qualifiers, seems unlikely. Thanks to the Jukurs. In Mikkeli, the pieces of the puzzle have fallen to the floor long ago.
The rumbling seems to be laughing
The Jokers of Helsinki rally in Mestis towards the superior win of the regular season. Proper resistance does not seem to be found. In high probability, the same pace continues in the playoffs.
The Jokers are allowed to refine their game in peace. And watch as the league’s tail peaks mess up. I think the rumbling seems to be laughing.
If you take a peek behind the team’s player bench, you will see an unfair setup. In all possible broths cooked head coach Risto Dufva I am responsible for the total inexperienced Virtanen (or Taipale).
There are players in the team led by Dufva who know what it takes to win important games. Valtteri Filppula, Juhamatti Aaltonen and Antti Pihlström. Stanley Cup, Olympic gold, World Championship.
I can’t get excited about league qualifiers.
The best day before the trio is already gone, but the experience is a trumpet in spring games.
In addition to the tangles, the Jokers include young people who are looking forward in their careers who have enough desire to show. Most importantly, they are committed to the goal of their team.
A significant question for league qualifiers is: how committed the league team players are to rescue their club? Most of the contract may have an agreement somewhere else for next season.
If the Pelicans were in the qualifying series, it would be really interesting to see how over a dozen foreign players would come to fight for the future of Lahti hockey.
Well, the Jukuri should make sure we can’t see that.
What about the level difference between the series? There is a big gap between the Mestis and the SM League, it is clear to everyone. Only one of the series is a professional series. Have the Jokers get too easy, is it really ready to challenge the league team?
It is a good idea to watch both questions in the video below Topi Nättinen answer.
However, an expert is not needed for one question.
Which follows the SM League needs, Jukurs or Jokers?
Everyone knows the answer.
See the latest episode in the Paasi and Nättinen: 5 minutes series. Topi Nättinen, an expert at the hockey round, and Jussi Paasi, a journalist, once a week, spoke the SM League in five minutes.