Joonas Kemppainen, 34, returned to the League in a flash after a seven-year break.
Jussi Saarinen,
Joel Sippola
Joonas Kemppainen is one of Kärppie’s numerous top reinforcements this season. When Kemppainen last played for the Oulu team in the 2014–2015 season, he was a guarantee for the Kärppie champion team.
The powerful two-way center formed a tough attacking trio Joonas Donskoin and Julius Junttilan with. Donskoi is currently playing in North America, but the third link in the old result chain, Junttila, can be found on the team instead.
On Wednesday, Kemppainen played in his league season opener against Pelicans, Junttila and Ville Leskinen with. The trio showed their danger by hitting the Kärppie’s first hit of the league season. Junttila and Leskinen passed and Kemppainen finished.
– There were a few good exchanges, but there was still a bit of searching. However, we managed to score one goal, which we have to be very satisfied with. Kemppainen stated.
Kärpät scratched Raksila with a 3–2 victory in overtime. The winning goal was scored by Kärppi’s foreign reinforcement, a Swedish defender David Rundblad.
Along with Tappara, Kärpät is the strongest champion favorite in the series. Kemppainen says that external pressures do not affect what the people of Oulu do.
– We have a good team this year. I believe it will be a good season.
A rejuvenated League
Kemppainen played in Kärpi last time seven years ago. During those years, Kemppainen has played in, among other things, the NHL and in Europe’s top leagues.
What kind of Joonas Kemppaineno returned after a seven-year hiatus?
– I am at least seven years older, Kemppainen says.
– I have grown a lot as a person and as a player. I have been able to play more than the Finnish league. I think I have developed a lot as a player.
In seven years, the League has also changed. How does Kemppainen see it?
– It’s hard to say when only one game has been played. When you look at the player list, it is definitely better compared to, for example, last season. Of course, it has aged a lot over the years.
– When I came to the League myself, there weren’t a lot of young people. The average age was probably something like 28 years. Even the Pelicans now had a lot of players in their twenties, Kemppainen said.
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