MTV expert Karri Kivi: these Liiga clubs have weakened the most during the summer

MTV Sports expert Karri Kivi evaluates the biggest losers of the League’s summer transfer market. According to him, the spring 2025 Finnish champion KalPa has taken the biggest hit in the player market this summer.

KalPa has lost many of its key players over the summer. The list of departures includes Tim Söderlund Leger, August Tornberg, Filip Westerlund, Benjamin Korhonen, Jaakko Lantta, Patrick Curry, Otto Mykrä, Andreas Okany, and Talyn Boyko. On the incoming side, however, there are Jesper Kotajärvi, Jesper Piitulainen, Elias Vilén, Otto Somppi, Samuel Jung, Joonas Lyytinen, and Mitja Jokinen.

– The biggest loser in the League without a doubt, Kivi states.

According to Kivi, the second most weakened team after KalPa is last spring’s silver medalist KooKoo. MTV Sports’ editor-in-chief Teemu Niikko highlights the new players, including the familiar Axel Holmström from Sport and Arttu Pellin who arrived from Ilves, but the team has experienced significant losses over the summer.

– When considering last season, (Joonas) Oden, (Kalle) Loponen, (Otto) Paajanen, (Jasper) Ahlroth, and (Jimi) Suomi are really big pieces, Niikko noted.

Next up is SaiPa, which reached bronze last spring and silver the spring before that.

– The list of departures is quite something. We can pick out Teemu Kivihalme, Emil Kuusla, Antti Kalapudas, Maxime Fortier, Henri Nikkanen, Otto Kivenmäki. A pretty crazy list, even though they have also brought in Mikko Perttu, Aarne Intonen, Petrus Palmu, Petr Fridrich, and Einar Emanuelsson, Niikko lists.

Kivi also notes that SaiPa has lost many quality players. Additionally, many of the new names arriving at the club have had a lackluster season behind them.

– (Sports Director) Harri Aho managed to exceed all expectations a couple of times with Raimo Helmisen, but that list is now such that it would take quite a performance to do it for a third time, Kivi analyzes.

The League season starts on September 1st.