The league club’s expenses are thought-provoking in small towns. The winner of Mesti will qualify for the hockey SM league at the end of the season.
Linda Inkinen,
Tanja Perkkiö,
Petri Julkunen
Eastern Finnish ice hockey clubs are ready to be eliminated from the league if all the pieces fall into place. Iisalmi’s Peli-Karhut holds the first place in Mesti and Joensuu’s Kiekko-Pojat takes second place with the same number of points.
This year, Mestis has more stakes than before, as the winner of the series gets to qualify for the league place with the losers of the playout series of the last two teams in the SM league.
However, finances can become a threshold issue, because the budget of a league club is in a completely different category than the expenses of a mestizo team.
Head coach: Iisalmi could play in the professional league
In Iisalmi, the hunt for a league place is partly viewed with mixed feelings. In terms of gameplay, the level would be sufficient, but the threshold question could be the hefty budget required by the league team.
IPK’s head coach who previously piloted Kiekko-Poiki Simo Karjalainen can’t directly say whether IPK could play in the current SM league. The club’s finances may become an obstacle.
– In terms of playing, Iisalmi would be among those who could be in the professional league, he emphasizes.
CEO of IPK Jarmo Ylisipola told last year that IPK’s financial resources are not enough for the league. Simo Karjalainen is calling for a change in the series systems, which would enable more teams to have a place in the professional level series.
– I hope that there would be changes in the entire Finnish ice hockey field.
In IPK, who won Mestis last year, they also know how to enjoy the moment and fight for success.
IPK striker Samuel Timonen dreams of league games. Like the other interviewees, he describes the series as flat.
– It’s hard to imagine a better place to pursue a league place than Iisalmi.
However, Timonen thinks that it would not be possible for Iisalmi to play in the league for financial reasons, at least not yet.
– The hall should be renovated. At least the stands should go around the entire rink.
In Joensuu, we believe in league promotion
Moving up to the league is the goal of Joensuu Kiekko-Poikie in 2-3 years. JoKP manager Jaakko Lipponen however, it won’t hurt if the league’s doors open already at the end of this season.
– Let’s say that Kiekko-Pojat never says no.
The club has already invested in businesses that increase the economy, with a possible league promotion in mind. Lipponen emphasizes that business operations must be in order.
Also the head coach of JoKP Kasper Vuorinen sees league promotion as possible.
– If only in terms of sportsmanship we reach the goal. It requires keeping a good mood.
Kiekko-Pojat will be able to play in the fully renovated Mehtimäki ice rink at the beginning of December. The team has played its home game in Outokumpu during the renovation that lasted more than a year.
– The team has welded together when there have been so many away trips, defender Atte Lehikoinen tells.
Lehikoinen believes that league games will be played at Mehtimäki at some point.
– As a young boy, I have been watching the league qualifiers. It would be great to get there with the team. Yes, this team can do it.