Surprising appointment – Juhani Jasu received a significant position

The Finnish Ice Hockey Players Association has appointed Juhani Jasu as the interim executive director of the association. The six-month fixed-term contract came into effect on Monday, July 27, 2026.

Jasu moves to the position from the association’s board, where he worked for three years. He resigned from the board before the executive director contract was discussed and signed.

As the interim executive director, Jasu is responsible for the daily management of the association, implementing the board’s decisions, collaborating with stakeholders, and developing operations.

At the beginning of autumn, there will also be a traditional club tour, during which players will be met across Finland and current issues as well as player advocacy will be addressed.

Jasu concluded his long playing career last spring. The 38-year-old Jasu played a total of 907 regular season games in the Liiga from 2006 to 2025, which is the tenth highest number of games in the league’s history. Including all competitions, he accumulated a total of 1,061 Liiga games in his career. In the regular season, he finished his career with 215 points (99+116).

In the Liiga, Jasu represented Lukko, HPK, Tappara, TPS, and HIFK. At Tappara, he won two Finnish championships, and at TPS, he served as captain for four seasons. Last season, Jasu did not play a single game for HIFK due to injury.

Alongside his playing career, Jasu has studied business administration and sports business at Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences. Additionally, he recently received a study place at the University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Law.

The chairman of the Finnish Ice Hockey Players Association, Teemu Ramstedt, considers Jasu a suitable choice for the position.

– Jasu knows Finnish ice hockey, the player landscape, and the association’s operations very well. His 20-year career in top-level hockey, knowledge of association activities, and growing commercial and legal expertise form an excellent combination for us. It was great that he was willing to adjust his study plans and jump into the role on short notice for the common good of the players, Ramstedt said in a statement.

Jasu says he is excited to take on the new role.

– I accept the position humbly but excitedly. We have a strong community of players, and I want to make it even tighter. An important and busy autumn lies ahead, and we will tackle it together, Jasu commented.

According to the Finnish Ice Hockey Players Association, the goal during the autumn is to continue active advocacy work to improve the status of Finnish ice hockey players and to strengthen connections with players across Finland.