Ten games have been played in the ice hockey SM league regular season this season. In the lead is Tappara from Tampere, followed by Tampereen Ilves, HIFK, Rauman Lukko and Pori Ässät, who were far from the top ten during the previous season, with equal points.
The Ässäs have won seven of their 11 matches of the season, including two in overtime. One of the guaranteed players of the current league has been Lenny Hämeenaho. The winger, who will turn 19 at the beginning of November, has scored eight goals and assisted one in 11 matches.
Urheilu’s ice hockey expert Top Nättinen believes that Hämeenaho has surprised everyone – even himself.
– His previous season was a good rookie season. Hämeenaho collected more than 20 power points and claimed his place in the SM league as a young player. I believe that New Jersey’s second-round pick will now play his last season in Finland, Nättinen states.
At the end of last season, Hämeenaho was even speculated to be a first-round draft pick for the NHL. However, the New Jersey Devils selected him in the second round with number 58.
Nättinen describes Hämeenaho as an exceptionally calm, confident and greedy 18-year-old hockey player.
– His expression doesn’t even waver. Sometimes I would like to shake it a little to wake up, but the bat speaks for itself. There’s no need to get too excited about it.
Nättinen says that Hämeenaho will definitely improve during the current season, both physically and mentally. At the moment, the young player is taking big developmental strides.
– Belief in what you do, the club’s good condition and, to top it all off, a good attacking chain: Eemil Erholtz–Jan-Mikael Järvinen-Skirt skin. Lenni has benefited from the fact that the Aces have played well.
According to Nättinen, it should also be noted that out of Hämeenaho’s eight goals, only one was scored with superiority. Aces’ dominance percentage is the second weakest in the league at 14.29%. It is worse with the Lahti Pelicans, who have succeeded with only 8.57 percent efficiency.
– If that area also starts to work, Lenni will take further steps forward.
The silver medalist has goalkeeper problems
The Pelicans, who reached silver last season, acquired an experienced goalie for this season Jussi Olkinuoran. In the next few years, the Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion has made excellent saves in Russia and Sweden. This season, however, the top goalkeeper has been in an exceptionally bad mood.
– I think his season as a whole has gotten off to a really bad start. Olkinuora is probably one of the biggest disappointments of the early season in relation to expectations, says expert Nättinen.
The average number of goals conceded by Olkinuora is the second worst in the SM league (3.47) and the save percentage is the third worst (85.11%). The Pelicans have not won any of their six games in which Olkinuora has been in goal.
– The Pelicans have played poorly as a team. They have had problems in special situations such as playing 5 on 5. There will be a lot of superiority and counterattacks against the team.
Nättinen wonders why the Pelicans signed a contract with Olkinuora, which allows the goalkeeper to move abroad during the season.
– I am surprised that the club has agreed to the clause. Of course, if that has been the only condition to get Olkinuora, the club has taken that gamble. The Pelicans needed a goaltender because only (Jasper) Patrikainen and they could not start the season with their own juniors. The Pelicans were already a loser from the start.
The clause in the contract practically means that by playing well, Olkinuora would probably go to a Swedish or Central European club. Another option is that the 32-year-old goalkeeper plays poorly, in which case he is not wanted abroad.
– Doors do not open on these screens. The early season has been a really big disappointment when you think about how much has been invested in Olkinuora.
The top of the points exchange in Jyväskylä
JYP of Jyväskylä is currently at the top of the points exchange of the SM league Jerry Turkulainen. The winger has scored 6+10=16 in nine matches. Among those who have played more than five matches, he has the third best shooting percentage in the series: 27.3.
– Turku’s points have come in big bunches, but in many different matches, so we can’t just talk about streaks. That kind of start carries far into the season, even if there are a few worse matches, Nättinen estimates.
The expert believes that Turkulainen is currently one of the most dangerous players in the league. His game has also been helped by the attacking chain that has been struck since the beginning of the season Juuso Puustinen–Jere Lassila– From Turku.
– They didn’t play the first two matches together, but then (the head coach) Jukka Rautakorpi put them in the same thread. Since then, things have taken off.
Last season, the native of Turku recorded 54 points, and in the previous four seasons his scoring average has been over 40 points. The expert believes that with these displays, Turkulainen could find a bigger role in the Finnish national team as well.
– Expectations for this season were high. I thought that this season could be the one when he comes to the attention of the general public, if anyone has missed Turku’s man yet.
The native of Turku is 25 years old, but can already play the 400th regular season game of his career in the SM league next week. His career scoring average is 0.69 points per game.
– Turku’s native has been a big factor this season, even with JYP’s superiority. Ten of the 16 points have come with superiority. The back three has been from Turku-Sami Niku–Reid Gardiner and Lassila-Puustinen as other types. If Turkulainen continues this kind of scoring pace, we are already at record readings, or at least very close to them.