Perspective: This league club is the giant surprise of the super season
The league’s super season starts from familiar positions. On paper, the teams from Tampere and Kärpät have very strong squads, Ässät and Pelicans are in the middle, and Sport and Jukurit are at the bottom.
However, one team has significantly raised its profile since last season. That team is HPK.
Last season, HPK was a major surprise, managing to fight its way to the league quarter-finals. For the upcoming season, the team from Hämeenlinna has strengthened considerably.
HPK’s goaltending department is among the best in the league, if not the best. Kim Saarinen, 20, was in incredible form last season. In the regular season, his save percentage was 91.6 and in the playoffs, it was 94.4.
As a partner, Saarinen has Jacob Crespín. The Swedish goalie had a strong season in HockeyAllsvenskan, and based on the preseason games, he also seems to be a key player.
In offense, HPK has three strong lines. Sami Päivärinta is a center at the EHT level, Brendan Ranford seems to fit excellently into the league’s playing style, and young players Roope Vesterinen and Oliver Kopiloff could make a significant breakthrough. Thus, the offense has both ready contributors and potential surprises.
The defense is HPK’s biggest question mark. Miska Kukkonen took huge developmental steps last season and showed impressive performances during the spring World Championship training camp. Otherwise, HPK relies heavily on new foreign acquisitions in defense. Chad Nychuk had strong stats in the ECHL, and Hugo Gabrielsson in HockeyAllsvenskan, so there is at least potential.
With head coach Mikko Manner still leading the HPK group, there is a strong package in Hämeenlinna. HPK also celebrated victory in the Pitsiturnaus. The significance of winning the preseason tournament shouldn’t be exaggerated, but generally, winning the Pitsiturnaus has meant a strong start to the season.
HPK is sure to be one of the most positive surprises of the upcoming season. Finishing in the top five is a completely realistic goal for this team from Hämeenlinna.
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