According to Sami Kauhanen, CEO of the Ice Hockey Federation, the new head coach will be announced immediately when the selection has been finalized. Kauhanen does not confirm Hämeen Sanomat’s information about the selection of Antti Pennanen.
Roope Visuri,
STT Sports
CEO of the Ice Hockey Association Sami Kauhanen and Finnish lion icons Jere Lehtinen and Saku Koivu according to STT, have mapped the next head coach of the men’s national ice hockey team since June, but Kauhanen does not reveal the cards of the trio.
According to STT, the preparatory work group will give a report to the union’s board on Thursday, and based on media reports, Jukka Jalonen’s successor could be determined right away. According to Häme Sanomat The ice hockey association’s preparatory working group nominates the coach of the Ilves league team as the next head coach Antti from Penna.
Kauhanen does not confirm Hämeen Sanomat’s information about Pennase to Urheilu, but says “the process is still in progress.”
– No decisions have been taken to the end. The matter is still completely unfinished, Kauhanen tells .
According to Kauhanen, the new Lions’ head coach will be announced immediately when “the matter is finished.”
– We are fairly far along in the process. We have had suitable candidates that we can make decisions about. I hope we can finish the whole thing as quickly as possible, Kauhanen stated.
The working group began to map out Jalose’s successor, when the head coach who had accustomed the Finns to success announced that he would not continue with the national team after next spring.
In the media, Pennanen, who coached the national team for two seasons from 2014 to 2016, emerged as candidates for Jalonen’s successor. Kari Jalonen.
Pennanen’s coaching credits include HPK’s Finnish championship 2019, the World Cup silver and bronze of the youth national team, and experience as an assistant coach of the Lions and the top sports director of the association. Last year, he led Ilves to the SM bronze.
The task of Jalonen’s successor is to coach the Lions to at least the 2026 Olympics.
– It would be quite a special contract if we were to apply for a shorter contract covering the next Olympics, Kauhanen confirmed to STT.
– But these are ultimately matters of contract with the person who will be elected to the position.