Sooner or later, the NHL will have to open its doors to European coaches. Few people can guess when this will happen.
The Lions Olympic victory captured Jukka Jalosen position as one of the all-time Finnish coaches. In addition to the Olympic gold, there are two World Championship gold medals for adults, the World Championship Gold Championship for young people and the Finnish Championship.
At the same time, a familiar debate arose as to why Jalonen has still not had the opportunity to coach in the NHL.
If we talk about international achievements, Jalonen could not have given much better evidence to the NHL. Captain of Florida From Alexander Barkov was asked about the topic earlier this week at a press conference.
– I have been thinking about this and wondering how much success Europe needs to achieve in order to have a chance in the NHL. I think he has given enough displays at the World Cup and now the Olympics as well. Under his leadership, Finland has always won or at least been in the top positions. He would certainly make it in the NHL, Barkov said.
Although the debate in Finland has been hot, it is important to understand that the situation in North America has been completely different. The NHL did not participate in the Olympics, but ran its own series at the same time as the Olympics.
The Olympic hockey was watched in North America, but not with the kind of piety that would have been watched with the NHL. This is also reflected in the attitude towards the results of the Olympic Games or Jalonen’s achievement.
An anonymous journalist from the NHL who comments on the subject anonymously does not believe that Jalonen’s status has changed much.
– Yes, Jalonen has been known in the NHL for a long time, but I understand that the agreement has never been very close. And I have not heard that, after the Olympic victory, the debate about him has in no way intensified.
Old-fashioned culture
Why is the NHL still holding its door firmly on European coaches? Columbus About Jarmo Kekäläinen became the first European club leader in the NHL a few years ago. This season, Vancouver hired a Swede Patrik Allvinin the club becomes GM.
However, no head coach can be found in the league.
A long-range hockey influencer who has served as a player observer in the NHL, among other things Göran Stubb says North American culture is still old-fashioned.
– A lot is like a coach has a friend or old playmate as a GM and through that a good brother network works. Of course, GMs also protect their own interests in this way, mainly their jobs, Stubb says.
– GM fears that if you hire an unknown European coach there and the pilot fails, your own job will be in jeopardy. Everything like that is in the background.
The NHL reporter does not explicitly deny Stubb’s view.
– Language skills, understanding of NHL culture and practices, and so on. I think these are the reasons why many hesitate. This may not be right, but it takes courage from club leaders to get out of this box.
What makes the situation special is that hockey, as a sport, has long been globalized. According to Stubb, 30 percent of current NHL players have been educated in Europe. Yet club leaders don’t think Europeans will be able to coach in the NHL world.
NHL’s first European head coach Alpo Suhonen does not beautify the truth. Suhonen coached Chicago for a year in 2000. Suhonen and Ivan Hlinkan since then the door for Europeans has remained firmly closed.
– The fact that Jukka (Jalonen) is not there is the narrow-mindedness of North American nationalist economic culture, Suhonen uploads.
– Of course, these are words that the sports world does not like.
Suhonen also offers the idea of where the North American hockey community feels inferior to European know-how.
– Their perceptions of practice, the dynamics of the game and all this are not at a very high level on average. This battle of fatigue is happening here now and it has been a long time since the NHL admits that coaching and leadership skills do not recognize nationality.
Suhonen does not believe that the NHL would see Jalonen in a different light after winning the Olympics. Not especially when the NHL itself wasn’t involved in the kinkers.
Does the door open?
Both Stubb, Suhonen and an NHL insider reporter believe that the door to European coaches is opening. It’s just a matter of time.
At the same time as there are two European club leaders in the league, more and more women have been recruited for various positions in club leadership.
– Things are changing in the NHL all the time. New types and new ways of thinking are being introduced to club leaders, so it is natural to think that changes are also promised at some point in terms of coaching. From Jalonen’s point of view, this change will take place in time, I am not at all sure about it, the reporter says.
– On the other hand, Jalonen only needs one GM who trusts him. And no one can deny Jukka’s international displays.
Suhonen believes that one successful recruitment will open the door once and for all.
– Then it’s going. When Hlinka and I were there, a certain kind of common language with the team was completely missing. It was a pretty impossible equation then, but now it’s easier. There are no more cultural differences today.
In January 2020, the Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon said in an interview with Sports that the right path to becoming an NHL head coach is through the Farm League AHL.
– AHL is an excellent league, played in the same style as in the NHL and the players are young, Tallon said.
One step on the road to becoming an NHL head coach would possibly also be the assistant coach’s position on the NHL team. For example, a German Marco Sturm has worked on the Los Angeles Kings coaching team for several years.
About Finns Tuomo Ruutu clearing his way in North America on the Florida Panthers coaching team.
“Competence and relationships are important”
There is a common consensus on both continents about Jalonen’s displays on the ice of Europe, but for some reason culture is not ready to seek new thinking from Europe on the new continent. Stubb and Suhonen have no doubt that Jalonen will make it to the NHL.
– The guy has won two World Championship golds, the June World Cup gold and now the Olympic gold, and there were no big stars last time. Jukka’s screens are such that he should definitely get there as head coach, Stubb assures.
– Competence and interpersonal relationships are important, Jalonen is good at them. What matters is also how many European players he would have there and what level they would be. Of course, the solidarity of the coaching team would also be important. Jukka shouldn’t have any problems there, Suhonen says.
Jalonen’s next big challenge as a coach is the World Championships in spring. They will be played in Tampere and Helsinki from 13 to 19. May.