Surprise acquisition: Raimo Helmisen’s pair of radar moves to SaiPa!
SaiPa announces that they have hired Vesa Viitakoski, 54, as the club’s new assistant coach. The former top player’s contract covers the 2026-27 season.
Viitakoski, who hails from Lappeenranta, is a product of SaiPa and is particularly remembered from his playing career as a long-time line mate of SaiPa’s current head coach Raimo Helmisen at Ilves.
– It’s great that we now have the entire coaching team assembled for the upcoming season. The hard work in daily routines continues under Raipen’s leadership. It’s a good thing that the head coaches of the U18 and U20 teams for the future are also clear – the rest of the coaching team for these teams will be finalized later, says SaiPa’s sports director Harri Aho in the announcement.
Viitakoski played 803 regular season games in the SM-liiga during his career and scored 540 points in those games.
As a coach, Viitakoski has experience from Ilves and HPK, among others. For the last three seasons, he has served as a mentor coach in Hungary at Fehervar Hockey Academy 19.
SaiPa’s assistant coaches also include Janne Hietaniemi and goaltending coach Tomas Duba. Viitakoski will take the place of Santeri Immonen in the coaching team.
In the junior section, SaiPa’s U20 team will be coached next season by Lovro Bajc and the head coach of the U18 team will be Elmo Scharin.
Raipen tiimissä jatkavat myös apuvalmentaja Janne Hietaniemi ja maalivahtivalmentaja Tomas Duba. SaiPa on valinnut myös uudet U18- ja U20-joukkueidensa päävalmentajat.
saipa.fi/fi-fi/article/…
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