– Quite a hero. He is a 19-year-old man who bows down to no one, the konkar striker of the Jukurs Pekka Jormakka describes.
Niko Huuhtanen has not apologized in the SM league. The youngster has tackled and dribbled, but above all scored numerous goals in Jukurie’s shirt.
Huuhtanen leads the rookie point exchange with 9+7=16.
– He is such a power forward from the old union, who is, so to speak, extinct in today’s hockey, Jukurie’s head coach Olli Jokinen seal.
– That is, players like that who tackle, go to the goal and always give the first blow. He is appropriately jagged and appropriately mean, Jokinen continues.
Like Jormaka, Jokinen has described before For Iltalehti (you switch to another service), that Huuhtanen does not bow down to anyone. Let’s let Huuhtanen open up what they mean by this.
– I guess that there is a certain jaggedness in my playing style, as I am a power forward type. The power forward gives the Tackles to the end, goes into situations hard and doesn’t look to see if it hurts or not. I let go and give everything to the ice.
You might think that the playing style of the tackling youngster is not to everyone’s liking. However, Huuhtanen says that he has been able to be quite at peace in the Finnish league.
HIFK’s pakkijärkäle in Helsinki Ilari Melart arrived to remind the youth about the tackle. According to Huuhtanen, this was the first story session this season.
– He said that it would be the last time. I answered that, well, let’s see if it was. Let’s accept it, it’s part of the game and it happens sometimes, says Huuhtanen.
Huuhtanen is not yet a very familiar name to the people. That may change within the next couple of weeks, when Huuhtanen will be seen for the first time at the Under-20 World Championships.
The new “Chief”?
Jokis and Huuhtase have the same features. This has also been stated by Jokinen, who has described Huuhta as 18-year-old Olli Joki.
What does this parable consist of?
– Maybe because of character and the fact that you are not here to apologize or bow down too much. Your own personality in the game and as yourself 24/7. That’s what Niko does and that’s what I did when I was young.
At the age of 18, Jokinen once arrived in HIFK’s locker room with his jacket open, said things directly and got his well-known nickname “Päällikkö” based on this.
At that time, he was a rooster boy who celebrated the youth World Championship gold in the Helsinki Arena in the winter of 1998 with a cigar in his mouth.
Huuhtanen has quickly risen to the professional league and excelled in the SM league, especially with superiority. The Espoo hockey school graduate has scored nine goals, six of them by force.
Although he has played fewer games than others due to hip problems, he is right at the top of the league in the number of power play goals.
Huuhtanen has scored several goals from the same position as Patrick Laine in the NHL. Button passes have been offered by the team captain Juhamatti Aaltonen.
– I have received good passes from “Juhis” from the right point. It’s been nice to get to know them.
In addition to his hard shot, Huuhtanen is also a strong fighter, according to Jokinen. The youngster’s willingness to fight pleases the head coach’s eye.
– He is very good near the wings and has a very strong stick. Coaches usually like players who are the first to go to the puck to fight and brazenly approach situations.
An example of this was seen in the home match against JYP. Huuhtanen went to the goal with an upper hand, and even after falling, he brazenly hit the puck from the goal line into the net. The attacker fell on top of the goalkeeper and a more violent mass punch was ready.
– Huuhtanen shouts at everything that moves, C More’s commentator Ari Vallin comment on the broadcast.
It wasn’t the first time Huuhtanen felt the opponent’s blows in his skin. Earlier in Vaasa, he fought in a heated match Valtteri Hietanen with and had to shower.
– Last season there were a few of them, so now one was taken out from under, Huuhtanen says about his fight.
The most things to improve in skating
According to Jokinen, Huuhtanen is a very liked player in the team. Huuhtanen, on the other hand, knows his own value when it comes to the costume shop and, according to Jokinen, he has the character of a street guy.
Outside of Kaukalo, Huuhtanen likes to spend time with friends, and he does not enjoy being alone.
– I am really friendly and consider others. I want to help others, Huuhtanen describes.
Jokinen wants to enjoy coaching a player of Huuhtanen’s caliber, because he realizes that the player’s future is not in Finland but in the NHL.
Jokinen, together with the rest of the coaching team, tries to guide the youngster in the right direction, because there is enough to do outside the rink, for example, considering North America.
– What does professionalism mean? It’s a daily workout, how to take care of the body, how to eat and do all such small things. Niko is just on his way with that and there is a lot to do, says Jokinen.
Game-wise, the most things to improve are in skating and reading the defensive game. In terms of skating, straight skating, fast turns and the first few kicks need to be improved.
– When skating gets better, we start talking about a world-class player, says Jokinen.
Huuhtanen has also heard a little joking among his teammates about his skating.
– Aaltonen said before the HIFK match that my skating shows From Ryan Reaves. I laughed a little that I skate a little better, but I don’t know, it could be something the same, Huuhtanen laughs.
The attacker becomes aware of his development target. Just before leaving for the World Junior Championships, Huuhtanen laughed at his own speed in the TPS match.
Space opened up for the youngster to counterattack, and a clear cry was heard from Jukurie’s bench, skate! However, the momentum was not enough, and the TPS defense got involved in the situation.
– My own speed wasn’t quite enough for that, Huuhtanen laughed as he walked past ‘s camera to Jukurie’s dressing room.
Huuhtanen has also realized what Jokinen’s mentioned work outside the rink means. This season has been the first when the youngster has suffered from ailments.
– In the fall, the hip went again for the second time. Maybe that’s a warning sign that you need to take better care of your body in order to last long games. Now there have been a lot of games and you can see it. We also have a couple of guys injured and the body is screaming for help, says Huuhtanen.
An old coach pilots Canada
The 188-centimeter attacker will not be seen in the SM league bowls for a while, because he is with the Young Lions in the World Cup. At the same time, he gets to ask his coach from last season, From Dennis Williamswho pilots the Canadian national team.
Williams was an important part of Huuhtanen’s development last season in the WHL. A total of 77 points were accumulated in 65 matches (37+40).
– I really got a lot of help from him. He really helped a lot in playing and he gave them from his heart. Now I get to see him and ask him about the news.
Huuhtanen goes to the Games with good thoughts. According to Huuhtanen, Jokinen has stated that he does not need to change anything in his playing.
– I have experience in a small rink from last season. My style of play is definitely suitable for a small rink.
Due to the ailments, Huuhtanen’s games in the national team were few in the fall. However, in three matches he scored a goal and had three assists.
In a training match against the United States, the youngster was given responsibility in the first team of the Young Lions Oliver Kapanen and Ville Koivunen with. It certainly suits Huuhtanen, who wants to be victorious on the pitch and in the role of the decider.
– I want to solve games. The goal is to get to the upper hand and to the winning fields.
As a team, the Young Lions aim for the world championship again.
The Under-20 Ice Hockey World Championships will be played in Halifax and Moncton, Canada, from December 26 to January 5.