Liiga week's tops and flops: HIFK's high-profile acquisition hit a snag

This time, the top and flop of the league week focuses on goalkeepers. There are surprises in both positive and negative senses.

Tops

1. Daniel Mäkiaho has been one of the few bright spots for HIFK this autumn. The game of the team from the capital isn’t working, but Mäkiaho is able to create scoring chances out of nothing and even finish them with his elite-level shot. While HIFK struggles at the bottom of the standings, Mäkiaho has risen to the top of the scoring leaderboard with stats of 9+9.

2. The sports management of Vaasan Sport deserves a hat tip. During the season, the team has acquired forwards Oula Palve and Brett Harrison. Both seem to be excellent signings. Palve’s hockey sense is among the best in the league, while Harrison has impressed with his straightforward style of play. In four games, Palve has collected two assists and Harrison has stats of 3+1.

3. At the beginning of the season, KalPa has had many underperformers but also one big positive surprise: goalkeeper Rasmus Korhonen. The 23-year-old goalie acquired from HockeyAllsvenskan is playing his way into becoming the number one for the Kuopio team. He has been very steady between the posts, which has also helped the team’s defense to stabilize. After five games played, Korhonen’s save percentage is an impressive 93.9.

In the previous two seasons, Rasmus Korhonen played in Västerås. Photo: All Over Press

Flops

1. HIFK needed reinforcement for their goalkeeper department and acquired Florida NHL prospect Olof Gliffordin. The 21-year-old Swede’s stint in Helsinki has had a terrible start. He has played two games with a save percentage of 83.1 and an average of 4.80 goals allowed. So far, it looks very much like the acquisition was a major miss.

2. Pelicans’ Patrik Bartosak and Jussi Olkinuora were considered one of the best goalkeeper duos in the league at the start of the season. Recently, neither has been able to make a save. When Pelicans’ offense is underperforming, the goalkeepers need to keep their team in the game. Instead, Bartosak and Olkinuora have allowed several easy goals, which has cost Pelicans dearly in terms of league points.

3. KooKoo’s Eetu Randelin was one of the best goalkeepers in the league last season, if not the best. This season, however, he has been among the weakest in the league. In nine games played, Randelin has allowed over three goals more than expected. This figure is the second weakest in the entire league. Only Sport’s Joni Ortio has fared worse.