Kimanttia podcast: New revelation in the Lions' head coach scandal

In the Olympic ice hockey tournament, HBO Max expert Kimmo Timonen shares new information about the Lions’ NHL controversy on the Kimanttia podcast.

Ilta-Sanomat reported last week that Florida Panthers’ championship coach Paul Maurice was considered for the coaching team of the Finnish Olympic team. According to Timonen, the initiative originally came from Maurice himself.

– I have information that Paul himself expressed his desire to join the Lions.

– The matter then reached Aleksander Barkov and the Lions’ leading players. The request did not come from the Lions, but the other way around, Timonen claims.

– Paul has told the guys that he would like to coach in the Olympics. Someone told me that he has had a falling out with the Canadian federation to the extent that he will never coach there again. At the same time, he was interested in coaching in the Olympics.

Timonen reminds of the Panthers’ strong Finnish connections also outside the player roster. The general manager of the reigning NHL double champion is Bill Zito, who has strong ties to Finland both from his own playing career and from being Jarmo Kekäläinen‘s second-in-command, as well as through his previous agency.

– Knowing Florida and their GM Zito, he is a “Finland guy” and there are many Finns there. Through that, the idea has surely built up for Paul that Finland could be the place where he can coach in the Olympics, Timonen continues.

The Olympic semifinal match between Finland and Canada will be played on Friday starting at 17:40.