The ice hockey championship league club HIFK has made significant changes to its management. A new CEO has been appointed Alexander Sneenas sports director Janne Pesonen and youth development coach Kari Kalto.
In addition, HIFK is establishing an expert group “to develop the competitiveness of its sports strategy”. They belong to the group Jarmo Kekäläinen, Mikael Granlund, Henrik Dettmann and as chairman Mika Kortelainen.
Jarmo Kekäläinen was the first European general manager of an NHL club in Columbus Blue Jackets, until he was allowed to leave in the middle of last season. Mikael Granlund is currently the toughest Finnish hockey star and the captain of the current Lions World Cup team.
Henrik Dettmann has been building the rise of the Finnish men’s national basketball team to the top of Europe as the national team’s long-term head coach. Mika Kortelainen is a HIFK player legend. He has worked as HIFK’s sales manager and Leijoni’s team manager.
Elected as chairman of HIFK’s board last August Jaakko Eskola says that the reason for the big changes is poor athletic success. HIFK’s board had discussed the situation among themselves and also with external experts.
– We concluded that HIFK has underperformed in relation to the resources. We made such changes to create a winning culture, Eskola explained in an interview with Urheilu.
Where did the idea for such a pop group like Kekäläinen, Dettmann, Granlund and Kortelainen come from?
– We have used a lot of external experts, also from outside hockey. Many of these experts were quite enthusiastic about putting together such an advisory group. When these people were asked, they were really excited to join. When they heard about our sports director, the whole thing was perfect, Eskola answers.
How did you get Kekäläinen, Granlund and Dettmann involved in this?
– HIFK is obviously such a tough brand and a traditional sports team. It wasn’t difficult, Eskola smiled wryly.
According to Mika Kortelainen, the development group called SAB will not make any decisions. Kortelainen described in HIFK’s press release that SAB is a pure expert body. They want to be a good cheerleader and raise standards in the entire club.
Strong support at Peltosen
Even though many things changed, the head coach Ville Peltonen stays on task. Peltonen was the subject of harsh criticism in the season that ended.
According to Eskola, the new sports director Janne Pesonen will sit down with Peltonen and they will start developing a winning culture. According to Eskola, the HIFK board had discussed Peltonen’s position as head coach. After the discussions, Peltosen has the strong support of the government.
– I am absolutely sure that we made the right decisions, Eskola says.
Pesonen has had time to talk a little with Peltonen.
– I have been really impressed by Ville’s professionalism and work ethic. A great professional. Ville is also ready and willing to do everything he can so that we can develop our operations. There is full confidence in that, says Pesonen.
Huge praise for the inexperienced Peson
Janne Pesonen’s choice has surprised the public hockey debate, because he has no work experience as a sports director. Pesonen studied sports coaching and management at Vierumäki. After his playing career, he has also been the team leader of the under-20 national team.
Pesonen is remembered for his playing career, for example, from the 2011 world championship team. In his career, he also won four Finnish championships, one Swedish championship and one KHL championship. According to Eskola, HIFK had seven candidates for sports director, of which three were interviewed.
– Janne knows a lot about hockey. He has a great career as a hockey player. His world of thinking, how hockey and hockey players can be developed from a young person to a representative team player, is very broad. He brings a winning culture to HIFK, Eskola reasons.
Pesonen admits that he will certainly have a lot of new things ahead of him. On the other hand, he feels that he has had time to familiarize himself with the requirements of his new job description.
– I don’t think there are any big surprises ahead. An experienced and competent support team is also in the background. From there you can ask for help if needed. In principle, I still see that certain legalities still apply in the sport. We are on the verge of those issues, Pesonen formulates.
At HIFK’s press conference, it was revealed that next season’s team is almost ready. The previous sports director has been added to the team Tobias Salmelainen under. Pesonen wants to be the first to help get the most out of the players and coaching.
What kind of HIFK will we see next season?
– We do everything to see the best possible HIFK. Everyone is doing their best and their best. The end result can then be seen on the ice, Pesonen shapes and also emphasizes patience.
The boss assures support for women
HIFK has been on the back burner also because almost all key players have left the women’s championship gold team. Helsingin Sanomat by the background was disappointment with the club’s operations and budget cuts. Some of the players anonymously directed their criticism at the former CEO to Markus Lindström.
The new CEO Sneen doesn’t know how to take a stand on the situation on his first day at work, but reminds him of the first sponsors of the women’s team, who were his former employer. Sneen’s previous position at Sinebrychoff was vice president and marketing director. He therefore considers the women’s team an important part of the club.
The chairman of the board, Eskola, wants to refer the head coach of the women’s team Saara Niemeä, when Urheilu asks the club boss about the situation.
– Saara said that a decision has been made to rejuvenate the team. Some of the players have left. HIFK has not made any decision that we would not develop women’s hockey. Of course, the financial resources are a little different due to this season, but the strategy is to develop women’s hockey, Eskola says, but does not specify the financial figures.