Strong suspicion about the Jokerit coaching selection – Topi Nättinen to IS: "It smells a bit"

Topi Nättinen criticizes Ilta-Sanomat harshly regarding the coaching change of Jokerit. The club fired head coach Tomek Valtonen on Sunday and promoted assistant coach Juuso Hahl to replace him.

Jokerit has lost seven of its eight matches this season. Nättinen considered Valtonen’s dismissal expected but wonders how the club management decided to change the head coach just a few weeks later.

– The club management needs to look in the mirror and think about how, just a few weeks later, they can be in a situation where they fire the head coach, the expert says.

Nättinen does not believe that promoting Hahl to head coach will improve Jokerit’s situation. He considers Hahl’s track record as a head coach in the league to be thin.

– If Jokerit’s first two head coaches in the SM-liiga are Valtonen and Hahl, then that is a big, big, big failure from the club management.

Nättinen assesses that Hahl is now in a role that does not suit him.

– I have nothing against Juuso Hahl or his professionalism, but I do think he is in the wrong place right now. I don’t believe this is a very fruitful position for his career, Nättinen assesses.

Nättinen also suspects that Hahl was originally brought into Jokerit’s coaching staff with a potential coaching change in mind.

– It smells a bit that Hahl was originally brought to the club so that if the worst happens, he can be taken (as head coach) as an emergency solution. Why wouldn’t he leave now, when others have left? That if it doesn’t work with Tomek, then he is an easy and cheap option, he charges.

Nättinen reminds that Jokerit’s problems do not solely stem from Valtonen. According to him, the team currently lacks a winning goalkeeper and a clear top defenseman.

– But this is not a solution.