Jukurit is struggling in important matches this week without the players of its two top chains. According to head coach Olli Jokinen, the depth of Jukurie’s team is now being measured.
The battle to win the regular season of the Ice Hockey SM League is getting closer, when there are ten to fourteen matches left, depending on the team.
Ilves is currently in the top spot in the regular season, five points ahead of Tappara, but it has played four more matches than its local opponent. The difference between Jukurei, who have played three matches less than the tassel ears, is nine points.
This week in Sweden 8.–11.2 brings its own spice to the victory struggle. the dreaded EHT tournament. Five players from Jukurei, four from Ilves and two from Tappara will go to the EHT tournament.
Two top teams from Jukurei will enter the tournament, because Leijoni was selected Niko Huuhtanen, Patrik Puistola and lastly Pekka Jormakka. On the other hand, the brothers from Mikkeli will travel to the Czech team Michael and Ondrej Kovarcik.
Jokinen stated more than a year ago to Urheilu how playing Liiga during EHT matches is incomprehensible. He also thanked at the time Kari from Jalowho did not select Jukurie’s Czech players for the national team due to the backlog of matches.
Now he took a more moderate approach to the subject.
– I don’t really have any opinion on this. I came here three years ago and heard that there is such a practice here. Coaches coach, players play and then there are others who make these decisions. We live with them, Jokinen tells Urheilu.
– This has been known even at the beginning of the season, that this could happen. There’s nothing to it. Now we measure the depth of the organization and whether these players who replace the national team players can rise to the role they have wanted all season. It doesn’t help to cry in any direction, on the contrary, Jokinen continues.
A chance for others
The five going to EHT hold the top positions in Jukurie’s internal points exchange. They have also scored almost half (72/156) of Jukurie’s goals.
Jokinen states that now the other players get a great opportunity to play, for example, with superiority and also with more ice time.
– Those players who have asked about overtime and ice time will now get a great screen spot. Every team has players who are unhappy with their playing time and role, no matter how well the team does.
Jukurit will face Tappara on Wednesday at home and TPS away on Friday. In addition to the Jukurit match, Tappara will play against SaiPa on Friday, but Ilves will only play one match in Lahti as a guest of Pelicans.
– We are playing for big things, when the victory of the regular season is still in the air. I expect these players to be able to play our game. This is a great place for them.
Jormakka returns to Leijon
The latest to join Leijon was Jormakka, whom Jokinen already praised last week as an EHT-level player at the post-match press conference. Jokinen already stated then that it would be great to see Jormakka in the national team.
Jormakka, who was last at the 2018 World Championships, has spoken many times in interviews about how he wants to get back into the national team this season.
– This is a very big deal for “Jore”. He deserves it though. Even if he went as a substitute, maybe he would have somehow earned a place in the original team.
– Of course, there is always the question of whether it is possible to take so many players from one team. Now injuries happened and it’s good that we did (Jere) Lehtinen with to be in the same place in the evening. We got in touch with Jore pretty quickly and got him to EHT. A good thing.