SS: The long-time trusted horse of the league club changed scenery - spoke directly now: "There could have been a lot..."

The previous ten seasons represented by Jukurit and having served as the team’s captain, Jesper Piitulainen left his long-time club behind and moved to KalPa. KalPa announced last spring that they had signed a two-year contract with Piitulainen.

For the 34-year-old Piitulainen, this is a significant change in his career and life. He served as the face of Jukurit for a long time and was in many ways one of the team’s trusted players.

– I don’t want to say that the tank was empty for that organization. I still felt that if the old farts leave, it cleans the air of the organization and the team, Piitulainen tells Savon Sanomat.

Piitulainen mentions that he was not just a player at Jukurit, but he also got to participate in the organization’s activities more broadly. He says this was sometimes heavy.

– I got to participate in the background operations on a small scale and ponder how things would go for us on that side. There could be a lot of calls in the late evening. It also taught me that hockey is not just about what happens for 60 or 65 minutes on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. There are thousands of small parts behind it.

One of the most significant reasons why Piitulainen decided to move to Kuopio now is precisely that he would get to be just a player.

– That was one of the reasons why I wanted to move here at this point in my career. The facilities are in good condition, the sport feels very good, and the passion for hockey is probably greater than ever.

– This is the best possible change, both athletically, as a city, and as an organization. The kids are of an age (1 and 3 years old) that makes it easy to move. Even though I’m getting older and the kids take energy, I still feel like I’m in a balance between family and hockey that gives me enough energy, Piitulainen says.

Piitulainen also mentions that he made the decision about the club choice with family in mind. He additionally notes that KalPa’s playing style influenced his move, as he feels his playing style fits well according to his close circle.

Last season, Piitulainen finished with 33 points (13+20) in 58 games. He has played 710 regular season games (128+178=306) and 45 playoff games (2+7) in his Liiga career. In the early stages of his Liiga career, he also represented SaiPa and Lukko.