TAMPERE. Breakthrough Ilves forward Joona Ikonen you can still walk in peace in Tampere. Unknown patters on the back have not appeared, although the 24-year-old winger has scored the most league goals this season (15) and recently even topped the scoring market.
– I can be in peace for a while, that’s fine. I don’t know if I’ve ever been stopped for that, says Ikonen.
It is a surprise to the large puck audience and even Ilves fans that the name of his workhorse Joona Ikonen is at the top of the SM league point exchange. At the moment, he is not only the number one in the league in terms of goals, but also the leader in the statistics for superiority (7) and winning goals (4).
From the beginning of the season, the winger of the lower Ilves chains has become a formidable goal gun, who is only one goal away from the goal record of his league career.
Ilves captain Eemeli Finland has pulled the strings behind many of Ikonen’s goals. Finland has passed Ikonen on 9 of 15 hits.
Ikonen played a great November. His impressive streak of ten matches (10 shots 9+10=19) was interrupted a week ago, the previous Ilves match, where league leader Lukko was better than the top scorer 4–1 in Rauma.
“Peaceful, maybe quiet at times”
Defender of the lynx Jarkko Parikka knows Joona Ikonen well. The two spend a lot of time together, as they are neighbors and often make the same journey to practices and games.
– This (cannon season) has not been a surprise to me. He has played high-quality batting and has shown that he can play at a high level in both directions even in previous years. He has now gotten to the right pitch and has been able to score goals from it.
Parikka points out that Ikonen has always been an exemplary hockey player and always in good shape.
– He trains well, works hard and always plays for the team. Although successes have come in the form of goals, it doesn’t show in a bad way elsewhere. Work has continued.
Joona Ikonen is a big challenge for the interviewer, because he is modest as a person, one might even say quiet.
– He is quite calm in the booth, but such a good and smart guy. Although he may be quiet sometimes, he is always matter-of-fact, Parikka states.
Ikonen was promoted to Ilves’ vice-captain for this season.
– I belong to the quiet caste. I’m not one to be loud or the center of attention in the booth. I like to be more vocal on the bench. The vice-captain status hasn’t changed me that much, he says.
Talented scoring team in a rut, injuries slowed it down
Ikonen was a top talent when he was younger and collected a total of 60+59=119 points in the U18 Championship series in two seasons. In his first and only A-junior season, he scored 28+32=60 (+30) in the 47 matches he played.
For 24-year-old Joona Ikonen, the current league season is already the seventh in a row, of which the first two were, however, more or less getting to know the league circles.
Ikonen’s development into the bigger limelight has been hampered by injuries. He has had to rehabilitate himself from arm and knee injuries.
The jump from the junior leagues to the SM league required a lot of getting used to and adaptation from Iko. You have to know many things in the league.
Expectations grew, worse seasons came
Ikonen had its first proper league season in 2018–19, when the points bag was grabbed by a promising performance of 16+19=35. At the same time, expectations grew.
Now Ikonen’s playing time has increased from about 13 minutes last season to even 18 and a half minutes per match.
– It’s easier to make power and it’s always easier to play when you get those playing minutes properly. Last season I wasn’t nearly always in the upper hand, and now I’ve gotten to a good place, which has resulted in pretty good results. There are good players around, it’s nice to play there, praises Ikonen.
Ikonen has been and still is one of Ilves’ main forces when playing underpowered. For example, during November, Ilves did not concede a single goal when Ikonen was on the ice during a special situation.
– I like to play the underdog and be there as well. It’s good that there are no longer breaks during the game, it keeps you engaged in the game.
A new edition of Jere Lehti?
Former Ilves coach Joko Myrrä has, among other things, compared Joona Iko to the Finnish NHL legend Jere Lehtinen.
There are a lot of similarities between the two, although Stanley Cup winner Lehtinen is a few centimeters taller and a few kilograms heavier than Ikonen. Both wingers shoot from the right and are reliable two-way forwards.
– I want to be the same type of player. I try to be that reliable guy on both ends. Maybe that (parable) will come from there.
After the first full league season, Ikonen has been on the plus side in the power statistics every season. This also supports the comparison with Lehtinen. In addition, like Lehtinen, Ikosen has a tendency to always make chain friends better than usual.
However, as a small puck player, Ikonen was not a fan of Jere Lehti, his role models were elsewhere.
– When I was little, I liked skilled players, but I didn’t have the guts to do that, so I have to play with a slightly different style.
I liked it Petri “Konna” from Kontiola, Raimo from Helmi On the Ilves side, my favorites were NHL Alexander Ovechkin and Patrick Kane. The former idol Kontiola has become a teammate of Ikonen.
National team command ahead, work ahead of the NHL
Ikonen started his hockey career before the Ilves era in Nokian Pyry, which at that time had an exceptionally good age group. About the team at that time Juuso Välimäki and Otto Koivula are behind the curtain at the moment.
– I haven’t taken pressure from it or been jealous. It’s only positive that the guys from Nokia have made it this far. I have done my own thing and I like to play in the League as well. Very many people don’t even get here, Ikonen reminds.
Ikonen’s current contract with Ilves expires in spring 2024.
– If only I could develop steadily as a player here. At some point I would like to play abroad. Maybe that’s the goal.
The NHL is a series that Ikonen also dreams of. Fast, score-hungry and reliable forwards are in demand among big-money players, although ultimately, an NHL breakthrough requires the right timing and the right club. Luck also plays a big part in the NHL puzzle.
– Of course I will go if the place becomes available. Definitely, if the opportunity arises. There’s still a lot of work to be done, says Ikonen, who doesn’t have an NHL reservation.
His first planned EHT tournament was missed due to illness in November in Turku, but he was selected for the Lions’ crew that will play in the Swiss tournament of the Euro Hockey Tour from the 15th to the 18th. december In addition to him, defender Jarkko Parikka and forwards Eemeli Suomi and Tommi Tikka.
From Myrrä’s coaching to Pennanen’s teachings
Ice hockey’s news bomb came to light on October 5, when Ilves, who was at the top of the series, announced that it had postponed the fourth season of Ilves’ head coach Bunch of Myrrh aside Antti Pennanen from the road.
– Little things have been included in the game little by little. Faster than before, we strive to go up and apply pressure. Training is similar to the extent.
Ikonen thinks that in the first meters of Pennanen’s era, the players maybe had to think too much about things that are common in the game, and that is why the results were not desired at first. Now the rhythm is starting to be found and the profits are accumulating.
Argentina and Messi in the sled
Maalipyssy emphasizes that Ilves is an important club and community for him, with a great history and the mood of doing things in the present. It is clear from the speech that nothing but the Canada cup will do for Ilves this season.
– For sure (Tampere) would explode if we raised the stake in the spring. It’s still a long way to get there, says Ikonen.
On a day off, you can find Ikosen at Kaupinoja’s sauna and opening on the shores of Lake Näsijärvi. But not during the World Cup football tournament.
– World Cup football has been watched a lot. I’m in Argentina’s bandwagon, I hope Lionel Messi would get it (the world championship) taken care of, Ikonen, who also excelled in football when he was younger, gets excited at Nokia.