Noora Räty, 33, continues her career in North America. Venla Hovi consulted Räty about other goalkeepers, but they ended up negotiating a contract with each other.
Hinn Hirvonen,
Ossi Saarinen
One of the best hockey goaltenders in the world Nora Räty, 33, continues his career in North America. Räty moves to the ranks of the Metropolitan Riveters, who play in the PHF league.
The team is coached by the former striker of the Women’s Lions Venla Court. Last season in the ranks of the team Eveliina Mäkinen, Anna Kilponen and Minnamari Tuominen.
Räty says that the agreement came about in a way by chance.
– Venla consulted me about my opinion on certain goalkeepers they would be interested in acquiring. The conversation got a little sidetracked and then we talked about what I would do, says Räty.
– I said, half jokingly and seriously, make an offer. When I saw that, I decided to take the job that pays me the most.
Räty has been part of the board of PWHPA, whose goal has been to create a professional series for women in North America. The new league is scheduled to start next fall.
According to Rädy, his decision was also greatly influenced by the fact that the Riveters are coached by Venla Hovi.
– The new league would have really interested me, but with the board seat I knew what I would have earned there. It would have been a pretty bad personal business decision if I hadn’t taken PHF’s offer, Räty explains.
The new league does not cooperate with the PHF league, where Räty is now moving to.
Räty represented HPK in the Women’s League last season.
The Finnish goalkeeper has been chosen several times in his career as the best goalkeeper of the World Cup. The last time Räty was seen in the Women’s Lions jersey was at the 2019 World Cup home games, where Finland won silver. Räty told about the end of his national team career in 2022.
Räty went to university in Minnesota in 2009, and has had a great time in the United States since then. Husband too Karel Popper lives in the USA.
After university, Räty has played in Russia and represented Chinese teams in both Canadian and Russian professional leagues. Räty has also played in the men’s Suomi-Sarja and Mest in Finland.