The new owner, Lätkä Lentää oy, owns a fair majority of SaiPa’s shares. The change of ownership was decided to secure the future of the league team.
The new owners of the ice hockey team SaiPa presented themselves at a press conference today, Friday. Lätkä Lentää oy, registered in Lappeenranta, bought almost 99 percent of the shares of the team’s previous owner, Liiga-SaiPa oy.
Changes take place immediately both in coaching and in the composition of the team. The head coach Ville Hämäläinen does not continue in his position, but has been offered other positions in the organization. The search for a new head coach starts.
Assistant coach by Ethan Goldberg the contract ends. Assistant coach Santeri Immonen continues in his position with a one-year fixed-term contract.
The team is strengthened with new players
The team also acquires new players. SaiPa will be joined by a 26-year-old Norwegian attacker Viktor Granholm. Granholm’s contract is initially for two years. Striker Lee Lapidin the contract will be extended to next season.
In the coming months, SaiPa plans to recruit at least a goalkeeper, 1–2 forwards and two defenders. At this stage, nothing more is said about the future composition of the team.
SaiPa’s transaction amount was not disclosed at the press conference. Originally, the intention was not to do a business transaction, but to buy a share of SaiPa’s shares. However, the change of owners was decided because it was found to be a better solution for the future of the league team.
The change of owners is said to have gone well. Chairman of Liiga-Saipa Jussi Okko received unanimous thanks from the owners.
The owners have a business background in Lappeenranta
The background of Lätkä Lentää oy Jussi Turunen, Ville Rämä and Juuso Lindqvist. Turunen is the company’s CEO.
Evening newspaper reported earlier, that 49 percent of Lätkä Lentää oy is owned by Rämä, while the other 49 percent is owned by Maju oy, a holding company registered in Lappeenranta. Juuso Lindqvist owns two percent of Lätkä Lentää oy.
According to Iltalehti, Maju oy is owned by Jussi Turunen and Maarit Mäkinen. Mäkinen owns 51 percent of Maju oy and Turunen 49 percent.
Mäkinen is the director responsible for teaching activities at Mäkinen Liikennekoulu oy in Lappeenranta.