Ismo Lehkonsen’s strong statement about the NHL’s attitude towards the SM league – here are the toughest tacklers in the SM league

– Why Nazem Kadri decided to leave in the middle when he knew that Jacob Trouba is on the field?

Urheilu’s experts wondered about this Ismo Lehkonenwhen he saw a New York Rangers defenseman tackle Calgary center Kadri.

Trouba is one of the toughest tacklers in the NHL. He makes an average of three tackles per match and ranks tenth in the league in statistics.

Tackle statistics corresponding to the SM league are not available, and in domestic leagues there are also not the same number of tackles.

The Puheen Jääkiekkokierros highlighted the teams’ best tacklers on Friday. The names can be viewed from the list below. You can listen to the discussion in its entirety via the following link.

According to Ismo Lehkonen, it is not the players’ fault that there are no tackles in the SM league. He blames the system. For example, punishments aimed at the head have mainly resulted in bans of more than five matches.

Lions head coach Jukka Jalonen and KalPa, also called the “pig team”. Tommi Miettinen have criticized discipline for excessively long suspensions earlier this season.

Read also: Criticism of discipline from the head coach of KalPa, named as a pig team – this is how the league’s discipline boss responds

According to Lehkonen, the players would like to tackle and receive them. However, the current situation causes problems for players.

– Big penalties and big bans are given for tackles. Recently, it has also seemed a bit like certain players take advantage of this in order to get the other side into trouble with big penalties, says Lehkonen.

According to Lehkonen, at the moment the SM league players avoid contact and play “with the handbrake on even more with fan hair”. The players certainly don’t tackle, especially in the third period, because the matches are decided by a goal difference one way or the other.

– In the current regular season, taking three points will move you up the rankings. Winnings are hugely important

“It’s not worth playing in the SM league”

In North America, tackle play plays a big role in exploit play. Lehkonen claims that Finland’s situation in the NHL has already been noted.

– An awful lot of young players also want to reach their dream goals, i.e. North America. That’s where the thought pattern is born that it’s not worth playing in the SM league, because the standards are not sufficient when it comes to playing in tackles, playing in tackles and above all receiving tackles, says Lehkonen.

Lehkonen reminds that Tackles are often aimed at skill players, which Finland should also produce. However, according to Lehkonen, tackles are not known in Finland, because the players are not offered enough tools and experience in the situations.

Therefore, players can receive penalties in situations where the opponent is even slightly in the wrong position.

Do foreigners want to come to Finland?

According to Lehkonen, suspensions for tackles also affect the desire of players, especially foreigners, to play in Finland. You have to pay fines out of your own pocket for game bans.

– Players currently have to make decisions about where and what kind of game they want to play. Above all, foreigners, do they dare to come to Finland, if five or six of those tackles are clicked all the time and you still have to pay? Lehkonen asks.

Lehkonen is not satisfied with the disciplinary line.

– This is the fault of the system. Discipline is terribly afraid of what the afternoon papers will write and how the media will react. Let’s take care that it doesn’t just spill anywhere, that there won’t be negative writing, Lehkonen claims.

Lehkonen also points out that the players have not been included in the discussions about the SC league’s gameplay guidelines. The sports directors, head coaches and referees of the SM League had a discussion on the matter last summer.

Lehkonen hopes that the new line would be discussed among the judges, coaches and players.

Why are the smaller players Jerry Turkulainen, Tuomas Kiiskinen and Kalle Maalahti on the list of the best players in the Ice Hockey Tour? And who is the heavy pickpocket of the SM league or the habitual criminal of the loan? These are discussed in the broadcast of Jääkiekkokierros, where the best tacklers are analyzed in more detail.