Jokerit ry chairman Kim Borgström promises more information about the club’s situation in the coming weeks. Urheilu’s expert Ismo Lehkonen rejects the idea of a giant league of 17 teams, in which Jokerit and Kiekko-Espoo would join.
Ann-Christine Karhu,
Henri Pitkänen
1.9. 20:12•Updated 1.9. 20:41
The Finnish Ice Hockey Championship hit the counter with hard news on Thursday when it announced that no new league license applications will be accepted for the 2023–2024 season. The decision closed the door for at least one more year from the Jokers, who have expressed their desire to return to the domestic puck map after the KHL years.
The league place has been prepared by a new background company, about which very little is known. The background company includes the junior organization Helsingin Jokerit ry, but, for example, the main financier of the company has not been disclosed publicly.
Chairman of Jokerit ry Kim Borgström told Urheilu that Joel Harkimo is involved in the new background company. Joel Harkimo has denied being the face of the new background company. Joel Harkimo is the former main owner of Jokerie Harry Harkimon son.
Kim Borgström was disappointed with the league’s decision.
– The decision came as a surprise, but of course we understand that the situation is difficult for everyone.
– Now there is no other option but to leave possible negotiations with the league and start talking with the Ice Hockey League, Borgström says and refers to the SM league’s announcement that parties seeking a league license will first be directed to apply to Mestis.
According to the league, “the shareholders consider that, under the prevailing circumstances, they have a need and an obligation to protect the interests of both the league and Finnish top hockey.” There has been a lot of buzz around the return of the Jokers in recent weeks, but still little concrete.
In the press release published on Thursday, Jokerit ry says that it has received two contract proposals with a return in mind.
The other one was Teemu Selänten centered around Naurava Narri Oy, with whom Jokerit ry ended negotiations. A new background company was chosen for the league project, the funding of which is not yet known.
– There have been things here. The main financier and everything else has not yet been made public. We have been loyal to good business practices during the process, Borgström formulates.
– We believe in our project, otherwise we wouldn’t have invested so much time in this. Jokerit is trying to come back.
“Let’s see Mest when the dust settles”
Borgström can’t say yet how interesting it would be for the leaders of the new project to apply for a position through Mestis.
– Let’s take a look at Mest when the dust settles and the disappointment is resolved. We are now going to promote the project from a slightly different starting point and see what the sky brings.
Next, Jokers can be expected to reveal who is leading the new project. According to Borgström, this will take a few weeks.
– As soon as the blocks are in place, we will come out with the whole. It may be September, but it may also be the beginning of October. Now we are not in such a hurry that we need to prepare an application for a league place. We start thinking about option B.
17 teams would be too many
Sports expert Ismo Lehkonen has worked in Mestis for a long time and has seen the creation of the series up close. Kiekko-Espoo, which has done excellent junior work, has also announced its desire to return to the SM league, and Lehkonen has dreamed for a long time that the SM league would open up to fair competition without behind-the-scenes games.
– The indisputable fact is that the Finnish top team needs a healthy, old Jokerit there. All those who don’t think their own pole is the most important hope that the Jokers will come back alive. Similarly, we also hope that Kiekko-Espoo, who is in good health, will join us. They are traditional clubs that have done good work and have been successful, says Lehkonen.
In Lehkonen’s opinion, the best way to get back on the league map is through Mesti.
– In order to be able to compete fairly, that light really needs to twinkle there. You can’t make any cabinet decisions about who gets promoted, who can’t get promoted and who has or doesn’t have money.
According to Lehkonen, Mestis is currently unable to do business.
– It has been seen as a “juice jug” and it does not light up. The series is at such a level that it is even worth sending young players there, because the activities are not of high enough quality on a daily basis?
Despite his wish, Lehkonen does not see the possibility that both Jokerit and Kiekko-Espoo would be promoted to the SM league in the coming years without anyone leaving the league.
– 17 teams would be too many, when 15 is also too much. The situation in the KHL clearly raises the level of the SM league, but a perfect series would be 12 teams. I can live with 14 too.
– Would the best system be that the last one drops out of the series directly and the one before the last one qualifies? From there, also through Mestis, certain kinds of playoffs will start, Lehkonen reflects.
Story edited 1.9. at 20:40: Clarified that, according to Kim Borgström, Joel Harkimo is involved in Jokerie’s new background company.