Liiga coaches: here are the biggest championship favorites for next season!
SuomiKiekko organized a traditional championship poll for the coaches at the Liiga media event. The Liiga coaches were asked which team is the biggest favorite for the championship in the upcoming season, excluding their own team.
According to the coaches, the overwhelming favorite is Tappara. The team received as many as ten mentions in the survey.
Jukurit’s Jonne Virtanen was one of those who voted for Tappara. In his reasoning, he also threw some shade at the previous head coach Rikard Grönborg.
– They won last year and now it is a much better coached team, Virtanen said.
KooKoo’s head coach Jouko Myrrä also considered Tappara to be strong.
– A successful organization, great roster, coaching, and other support staff, Myrrä stated.
As the second biggest championship favorite, the coaches surprisingly raised Helsinki Jokerit. The Jokers received four mentions in the poll.
– They come out of nowhere and they have an incredibly strong team. It could carry them all the way, assessed JYP’s head coach Petri Matikainen.
In recent years, Ilves has been among the biggest favorites according to the coaches. Now the team received only two mentions. One of those who named Ilves was HPK’s Mikko Manner.
– In my opinion, they have a very good and fast team. Hölö [head coach Tommi Niemelä] has done a great job for many years and Järvinen’s Miksa [Jan-Mikael Järvinen] has come in as the conductor, so my answer is Ilves.
From other teams, JYP also received two mentions. KooKoo and Kärpät collected one vote each.
Coaches’ Votes:
- Olli Jokinen, HIFK: Tappara
- Mikko Manner, HPK: Ilves
- Tomek Valtonen, Jokerit: Tappara, JYP or Kärpät
- Jonne Virtanen, Jukurit: Tappara
- Petri Matikainen, JYP: Jokerit
- Sami Tervonen, KalPa: Tappara, Ilves or Jokerit
- Jyrki Aho, Kiekko-Espoo: Jokerit
- Jouko Myrrä, KooKoo: Tappara
- Petri Karjalainen, Kärpät: Tappara or Jokerit
- Tomi Lämsä, Lukko: Tappara
- Sami Kapanen, Pelicans: Tappara
- Raimo Helminen, SaiPa: Tappara
- Lauri Mikkola, Sport: KooKoo
- Toni Söderholm, TPS: Tappara and JYP
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