On Sunday night, Vaasan Sport lost to Kuopio KalPa in the first round of the hockey league playoffs in their home hall. Thus, the 2023-2024 league season came to an end in Vaasa, when KalPa advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-0 match win.
CEO of Vaasan Sport Jonne Kemppainen already looked behind the disappointment caused by the end of the season and stated that the big picture of the season was that faith was restored in the hockey community in Vaasa.
According to Kemppainen, the number of spectators at Sport’s home games increased by 30 percent from last season.
– And the last three home games were sold-out games, which again was incredible in terms of atmosphere for the audience, partners and also the players, he said.
At the beginning of March, it was reported that Sport owes more than half a million euros to the arenas in the Vaasa region, which is responsible for, among other things, the team’s home arena. According to Kemppainen, the last sold-out games will replenish the club’s coffers, but there is still work ahead to correct the financial situation.
Preparations for next season are already well underway, because according to the CEO, the team is almost ready.
– Of course, there are still a few missing pieces, which the sports side is currently mapping out. Of course, our partner negotiations are also progressing, Kemppainen said.
The new coaching team will be announced in the next few weeks
One important piece is the future head coach and with it the entire coaching team for the next season. According to Kemppainen, it will be told in the next few weeks.
– Then we will open up the coach recruitment process in a bigger way, how it has progressed, where we have ended up and why, he said.
In Sport’s strategy, the goal is to play in the league mainly with own crops. The new strategy has been followed for a year now, and this season it hasn’t shown much in the way the team is assembled. According to Kemppainen, the goal is five years away.
– Pressing the button does not get you to the finish line, but let’s go piece by piece. We are definitely going in the right direction now, Kemppainen stated.
Dufva congratulated and thanked
Vaasa Sport’s outgoing head coach Risto Dufva performed an official congratulatory handshake to KalPa’s coach at the press conference of Sunday’s match Petri Karjalainen. According to Dufva, everything was left on ice, but this time it was not enough to continue.
– The opponent was better, no worries. The game has spoken, Dufva stated.
Dufva, who coached more than 900 games in the regular season, recalled that Sunday’s match was his hundredth time in the playoffs as a head coach.
– I’ve learned that if you don’t win a single game, the good thing is that you can go on vacation quickly, Dufva elaborated.
Sport made its way to the playoffs only in the last match of the regular season, when it defeated Pori Ässät. However, according to Dufva, against KalPa, Sport did not have enough playing power to threaten their opponent in either of the teams’ meetings.
– We also had our own plans, but yes, the better team advanced. KalPa was able to extract individual mistakes from our game, Dufva stated.
However, he thought that Sport’s successful end of the season and promotion to the playoffs gives faith in the hockey work in Vaasa.
Why don’t we pull the curtain down on this issue and think about something else
Risto Dufva
For Dufva, this was it, so to speak, as he ends his coaching career this season.
– Personally, I want to thank my family first and foremost for a long career. That support has always been big and paramount here, Dufva said.
He also thanked the clubs that have hired him, as well as his colleagues who have put up with him: players, coaches, guardians, and club managers. Finally, he thanked his friends and again his family.
– Shouldn’t we pull the curtain down on this issue and think about something else, Dufva stated.