IS: HIFK’s star acquisition delivers a straight message – “I wouldn’t have gone to Jokerit”
Niko Huuhtanen, one of HIFK’s star signings for the summer, has started the mental warfare against local rival Jokerit, who are making a comeback.
After a broken season spent partly in North America and Switzerland, the 23-year-old winger returning to the league admits directly in Ilta-Sanomat’s SM-liiga supplement that he didn’t even consider Jokerit as his new team.
– Returning to Finland, IFK was a logical option, Huuhtanen, who previously played under current HIFK head coach Olli Jokinen at Jukurit, states.
– I told my agent that the options were the capital region, practically IFK or K-Espoo. I wouldn’t have gone to Jokerit. IFK was the top choice, especially since OJ was here, Huuhtanen remarks towards the Jokerit camp.
Huuhtanen spent his junior years in Espoo, first with Blues and later with Kiekko-Espoo juniors.
In the league, he made his debut in Jukurit’s jersey in the 2022-23 season. Having enjoyed two seasons in Mikkeli, Huuhtanen recorded impressive stats of 19+27=46 in 52 games during his second season with Jukurit.
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