Jukka Jalonen believes that the opinions of his former players and coach colleagues can be very decisive for the NHL place. He says it’s a shame the NHL doesn’t have all the best coaches in the world.
Kimmo Porttila,
Simo Arkko
Speculation on the Finnish men’s hockey team’s Olympic gold once again sparked speculation Jukka Jalonen opportunity in the world’s toughest hockey league. So far, no Finnish coach has been contacted about the NHL.
– Of course you may be interested and its time to show, but there is quite a lot of noise about the playoffs and the focus is probably this season, Jalonen tells Urheilu.
Jalonen says he hasn’t thought about training in the NHL lately either. In the World Championships, the puck will drop into the ice in a couple of months, so Jalosen has his hands full.
He has also learned over the years that it is worth focusing only on the essentials. Access to the NHL is now in the hands of others.
– I don’t feel like they’re in any terrible hurry about it. Wait and see. If nothing has been heard in early June, it probably isn’t.
– If something surprising comes, then what’s nicer. Time will tell and I will not be able to influence it at all. The screens are as if given.
One mountain to cross is North American culture.
– A lot of it is that a coach has a friend or old playmate as a GM and through that a good brother network works. Of course, GMs also protect their own interests in this way, mainly their jobs, Stubb said and continued:
– GM fears that if you hire an unknown European coach there and the pilot fails, your own job will be in jeopardy. Everything like that is in the background.
Jalonen also believes that relationships are required for the NHL wash, or at least useful.
– In that sense, I’m probably not terribly strong, because I haven’t been in a relationship there, it hasn’t been my way of doing things. If I had wanted to go there crazy, I would probably have worked harder to get the place open.
Jalonen believes that the opinions of his former players and coach colleagues can play a very decisive role if and when clubs find out his background.
– Someone says it’s not worth taking, it doesn’t work here and it’s right away in one sentence. Or vice versa, that is at least worth discussing, Jalonen summarizes.
So far, Jalo hasn’t been upset that he hasn’t been allowed to coach in the NHL. Jalonen states that he has been able to coach top teams and he is in a good situation at home in Finland anyway.
– Of course, at the end of my career, I might think it would have been great to go to the NHL if I couldn’t get there. However, it is such a world, Jalonen spins.
The 59-year-old coach hasn’t wondered what term he would like to coach in the NHL. However, Jalonen says he is no longer likely to coach for a terribly many years at the top.
– From their perspective, they may be wondering if the old man is 60, if he can train anymore. Kroppa has started to go on a trip, but at least this is where the head works, Jalonen assures with a laugh.
There are currently no European head coaches in the NHL. Finnish Tuomo Ruutu works in the Florida Panthers coaching team, but in addition to the Panthers, only the Los Angeles Kings have a European assistant coach, a German Marco Sturm.
There are two goalkeeping coaches from outside North America. Finnish coaches in Colorado Jussi Parkkila and a Russian in San Jose Sharks Yevgeny Nabokov.
“It’s a pity”
However, Jalonen is sure that even Europeans will have a chance in the toughest league in the world in a few years.
– Of course, there are as good coaches in Europe as in North America. It’s a shame that not all of the world’s best coaches train there.
And what kind of hockey would Jukka Jalonen play in the NHL?
Jalonen states that as a European coach, the style of his team would differ for the most part from other NHL teams.
– I do not consider it a terrible risk that someone or some teams that have not been in the playoffs or succeeded for many years would take on a European coach who would bring a little different things. If you do the same as before, you may not be able to continue. In that sense, a small change could do just fine, Jalonen says.
– I think I could make the team succeed there, there are not two words about it.