According to head coach Juuso Toivola, the renewal of the Finnish women’s national ice hockey team has been very successful.
Riku Porvari,
STT Sports
Juuso Toivola will continue as the head coach of the women’s national ice hockey team Naisleijonien until the end of the 2025–26 season. Ice Hockey Federation says on his website that he redeemed the two-year option included in Toivola’s head coach contract.
The contract period of Toivolan, 53, covers two World Cup tournaments and the February 2026 Olympic tournament.
The national team started preparing for the next season at the test camp in Vierumäki on Monday.
– The big message for the players is owning their own training and their own development. National team and club coaching helps and supports the player, but the player has ownership of his own development, Toivola emphasized on the opening day of the camp.
Toivola unexpectedly became head coach
Assistant coach Toivola got up Pasi Mustonen as the head coach of the national team during the Beijing Olympics in 2022. In those games, Finland finished third when the team defeated Switzerland in the bronze medal match.
The World Championships that followed the Olympics went poorly for Finland. The team did not reach the medal games when the Czech Republic won in the quarterfinals. In the placement matches, Finland beat Hungary, but lost to Japan. In the end, the female lions were sixth in the tournament.
The following World Cups were also challenging, when Finland finished in 5th place. The Czech Republic was again stronger in the quarter-finals, but Finland beat Germany and Sweden in the ranking matches.
Finland returned to the World Cup medal base in April of this year. In the initial group, the team struggled, but improved their grip in the playoffs. Switzerland fell in the semifinals, the USA was stronger in the semifinals. In the bronze medal match, Finland beat the Czech Republic in the winning goal contest.
According to Toivola, the spring games showed what qualities the players need to develop in particular, so that the team can challenge the sport’s powerhouses, Canada and the United States.
– Strength, speed, explosiveness, stops, starts. Based on the games, that’s where they are, Toivola lists.
The contract period covers three value competitions
Toivola’s extension contract covers three value races. In the upcoming season, 2024–25, the team will play four Euro Hockey Tour tournaments and the World Cup in the Czech Republic in April.
The highlight of the 2025–26 season is the 2026 Milan Olympic Games in Italy. The World Cup organized in the same year will again be played in Canada.
During Toivola’s tenure, Naisleijon has undergone a generational change. For example, Vierumäki, which is currently in full swing there are 20 players in the test campwho were not at the World Cup in April.
According to Toivola, the renewal at Naisleijon has been very successful.
– The team must have clear operating methods and culture, certain rights and responsibilities. In my opinion, this work has been done for the last ten years very successfully and we will continue to do so.