Jukka Jalonen: surprise appointment!

Coach legend Jukka Jalonen will be seen as the “boss” in the new season of Diili when the series returns to Ruutu and Nelonen.

Alongside Jalonen, the advisors will be angel investor Jenni Kynnös and work life expert Saana Rossi. The trio is responsible for evaluating the competitors and the tasks, which emphasize business and work life skills.

Jalonen is one of the most successful coaches in the history of Finnish ice hockey. He has led the Finnish men’s national team to three world championships and an Olympic gold. In recent years, Jalonen has coached the Italian national team.

In the new season, the winner of Diili will not seek a position directly from Jalonen’s organization, but the goal is to find an account manager for Train Factory – someone who can increase visitor numbers, bring people in, and turn the venue into one of the most attractive event centers in Helsinki.

– Jalonen has nearly 40 years of experience as an ice hockey coach and has recruited hundreds of players throughout his career, especially in the national team environment, where he has been able to select the best talents from across the country. He has an exceptional game sense and a strong ability to identify what kind of character and team player qualities make a person successful. Jukka’s philosophy is simple: a good person does good for the team, the Diili press release states.

Jalonen sees Diili primarily as an opportunity to leverage his long career as a top talent identifier and developer.

– Although I am not looking for an employee directly for myself, I have been searching for and coaching top talents throughout my career. I can find the hidden qualities in a promising individual that can be honed into diamonds. In this program, I get to use that skill – helping others grow into the best versions of themselves, Jalonen says.

The next season of Diili will be filmed next autumn and will be seen on screen in spring 2027. Previously, Diili was hosted by Jaajo Linnonmaa, who left his position as the program’s boss in November 2025.