Joker hockey legend Teemu Selänne took a stand on social media on Tuesday evening and criticized Team Jokerit Oy’s latest move.
The federal board of the ice hockey association was supposed to process Team Jokerit Oy’s league place application for Mestis at its meeting today. However, Team Jokerit asked for more time for their application at the last minute.
– “Confusion” is exactly the right word. Valuable and one of Finland’s finest sports brands is currently a national sports shame, bores Selänne with his Twitter account (you switch to another service).
The front man of the Old Chiefs ry Pass “Pave” Mähönen understand Selänte’s views and feelings on the matter.
– Teemu was initially involved in this as well (in Naurava Narri Oy, which the board of Jokerit ry did not approve) to save the Jokers, in that sense I completely understand his comments.
“You have to use the whip a little”
A lifelong Joker fan says that it is a shame for the club’s brand that it hasn’t actually progressed beyond the beginning, even though there have been plans.
– The matters have not been concretized in such a way that there would have been a result and evidence. You have to put a bit of whip in there too. I think that (Teemu’s) comment was quite good, adds Mähönen.
When Team Jokerit Oy unexpectedly asked for more time for the application, especially during the first few hours, you could read quite a lot of text about Jokers. Chairman of the Federal Government Harri Nummela emphasized to that the Jokers’ plan was not precise enough.
– However, the game is not lost yet. The crowd’s reaction was understandable when so many Jokers supporters had high hopes for Tuesday night. Many expected that by then the place in the league and the midfield would have already been decided for Mestis. It wasn’t a perfect evening, but the fight continues and we’ll see it to the end, Mähönen reassures.
Faith, hope and credit through testing
The license application for the Mestis season 2023–2024 must be submitted by March 31. Before this, the entity applying for a license must have a series seat granted by the federal government. The federal government will meet twice more before the final deadline.
– Even my own faith, hope and trust have faltering at times, but if this is a reflection of Joker’s history, then yes, we supporters are persistent and have also seen quite a lot. You have to believe in this situation, says the older man who has been a fan of his beloved club for over 40 years.
Mähönen emphasizes that the Jokerit needs a representative team if only because of the club’s brilliant A-juniors and the continuity of other lads.
– The fans need a men’s representative team in order to watch the matches. This is the last fight and there will be a rush here, but I believe that in February there may be some solutions and we can get the application done better.
According to the passionate puck person, the matter is as if on the table, and it has not been withdrawn.
If there was no license for Mesti, how would a basic fan accept the fact that Jokerit would play first in the Finnish series?
– Sometimes I myself said a little playfully that if we get out of the KHL, let’s go to the Suomi series. But in this case, I think Mestis would be the solution. The Suomi series would go a little too far.
– If we don’t get a license for Mesti, then the league and the Ice Hockey Federation should also think about how our juniors are doing. Then all the junior teams fall too.
Mähönen firmly believes that the funding is in order once this project has been started.
– It’s a big deal if we don’t get to play with the men’s representative team and a decent budget. Would that be a good thing for Suomi kieko? The fact that the Jokerit would come to Mesti must be quite a jackpot for the series, no matter what anyone says and what.
The leader of the supporters’ association sees that audience numbers and interest – also in terms of the media – would increase all over Finland with Jokerien’s Mestis entry.
– I think the puck people who decide on this issue should think more about the whole thing than – I don’t want to say Jokeri hatred, but – shoegazing nonetheless. Is it worth it?