Liiga-provot: In Jokerit, the League's playoffs are followed in horror

In the Liiga-provot series, three sharp statements about the domestic top league are presented weekly. In these opinions, the curves are straightened without hesitation, and no mercy is shown or hostages taken. This week, the targets are Jokerit, TPS, and KooKoo.

Jokerit watches the Liiga playoffs in horror

Jokerit had a simple philosophy when assembling next season’s Liiga team. If someone plays for SaiPa, they must be brought to Helsinki.

Jokerit’s biggest signing was SaiPa’s golden helmet Maxime Fortier. In the regular season, the flashy Canadian scored 29 goals and 66 points in 58 games. It seemed that Jokerit had a real gem on their hands as the team fights to stay in the upper A-series next season.

Playoffs have surely been followed with horror in Jokerit. The highly paid Fortier has nearly disappeared from the picture. The Canadian forward is only visible on the ice in a negative sense. He has played eight playoff games with stats of 1+0. His performance rating is four points in the negative. He has accumulated 25 penalty minutes.

It was interesting when MTV Katsomo’s broadcast featured Jokerit’s advisor and former CEO Antti-Jussi Niemi criticizing Fortier’s terrible defensive play against KooKoo. The same man is expected to be Jokerit’s star next season.

There is certainly hope that Fortier’s true level is closer to the performances seen in the regular season than the terrible playoffs. And it is possible that Jokerit’s head coach Tomek Valtonen can bring out something from Fortier that Raimo Helminen could not.

Not likely, but possible.

In the playoffs, Maxime Fortier has been a problem player instead of a star. Photo: All Over Press

Lars Bryggman’s acquisition was a big mistake for TPS

TPS’s offensive play has been stagnant for years. Countless good players have moved to Turku, lost their confidence, moved elsewhere, and improved as if by magic.

For next season, TPS has acquired familiar winger Lars Bryggman from Pelicans. On paper, he is a strong reinforcement, but it is unlikely that a high-status forward less suited for Turku could be found on the market.

Bryggman, if anyone, needs high self-confidence. When the game isn’t going well, nothing works. When the game flows, everything succeeds and then some. In the euphoric atmosphere of SaiPa or KooKoo, one would expect Bryggman to be among the top scorers.

But in Turku? In Turku, where even guaranteed reinforcements like Aleksi Saarela and Tarmo Reunanen do not shine? How will Bryggman fare in TPS’s demoralizing atmosphere? My expectations are not high.

It’s time for KooKoo to take a breather

KooKoo leads the series against SaiPa 2-0 and is just two wins away from the first final spot in the club’s history. After the first two games, it seems that KooKoo’s worst opponent is KooKoo itself.

In both games, KooKoo played excellently, but the team took a bunch of silly penalties. Now star forward Marcus Davidsson is suspended for two games and defender Jiri Pärssinen for one game.

Now is the time for KooKoo to take a breather and calm down. In terms of play, the Kouvola team has clearly been ahead, but continuous foolishness against SaiPa will sooner or later backfire. A final spot will come if KooKoo learns patience and maturity.