If the Jokers cannot play in their former hall in Ilmala, the options are Helsinki Ice Rink or Espoo, according to the main owner Jari Kurri.
21.4. 13:23 • Updated April 21st. 13:38
The Jokers in Helsinki have until the end of October to meet the license conditions for the Finnish Ice Hockey League, if the club likes to join the league in the autumn.
Principal owner Jari Kurri says Urheilu that he has negotiated with the chairman of the Finnish Championship League Heikki Hiltusen Kurri has not had any discussions with the clubs.
– There’s a lot of work ahead. By the last day of October, the license terms must be ready on our part. Now that we’ve got our plan out, we’re starting to work to make it league-eligible, Kurri says.
One of the big questions in terms of league licensing is where the Jokers play their home games. The club cannot play in the hall in Ilmala unless there is a change in the Russian ownership base of the hall. For the time being, the hall is closed due to sanctions.
Kurri confirms the Jokers as an alternative to the Helsinki Ice Rink on Nordenskiöldinkatu and the Espoo Arena in Tapiola Sports Park.
– We need to have different scenarios and think about alternatives. It is hoped that a solution will be found in this hall. Everyone’s wish is that we would have our own home garage. It is clear that “Nordis” and Espoo are the other two options, Kurri says.
The Jokers said in a statement on Wednesday that the club’s representative team will not play in any series next season. Currently, the team has virtually no players or coaches.
– All our agreements are made with the KHL idea, so they are not valid. The agreements are currently being worked on and will be discussed in the future, Kurri says.
– We have only now been able to work on this. I think discussions will start coming soon. There is nothing concrete at the moment, Kurri says.
Curry and the Jokers have been the subject of much criticism in recent years. The topic of discussion is whether Kurri, who led the Jokers in Russian ownership and sat on the board of KHL, can remain a credible leader of the club and a leader in a possible new journey in the Finnish Champions League.
Kurri considers the most important thing for himself to be able to create a continuum for the Jokers in the future.
– Time will tell how it will be built. My own nature is such that I don’t consider myself a front-end. Of course, the history of the Jokers is that there has been Aimo Mäkinen and Hjallis Harkimo in their own way as bow images. I personally feel that the players are those front-runners, but of course this personifies me at the moment as well, Kurri comments.