IL: HIFK's plan has been revealed – it includes a name that is too well known in Finland

HIFK continues the search for a new assistant coach for the next season after Toni Lydman left his position in the club’s coaching staff. The future sports director of the Helsinki club, Janne Laukkanen revealed to Iltalehti that options have been actively reviewed in recent weeks.

The future sports director of HIFK, Janne Laukkanen, told Iltalehti that the club has gone through several options in recent weeks.

– We have been mapping and interviewing candidates for a few weeks. At first, we had a long list of names, but it shortened quite quickly, Laukkanen says.

However, HIFK has not publicly commented on individual names that are involved in the final stages of recruitment.

According to Iltalehti, one of the strongest candidates for the position is the Swedish Anders “Masken” Carlsson. The 65-year-old Carlsson has been involved in the coaching staff of the SHL club Brynäs as an assistant coach in recent years.

Carlsson has held positions in sports management at Leksands and Rögle BK, and has worked as a European scout for the NHL organization Colorado Avalanche.

As a player, Carlsson had a long career in Sweden’s top league and also appeared in the NHL after being drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 1986 draft. He participated in six World Championships in the Swedish national team jersey before ending his playing career in 2001.

In Finland, Carlsson is particularly remembered for the 1986 World Championship tournament in Moscow. At that time, he scored two goals within just nine seconds during the final moments of the match between Sweden and Finland, dramatically ending Finland’s gold medal hopes.