The MM hero justified his controversial decision – earns a huge salary in the KHL

The goalkeeper Henrik Haukeland, who was one of the main architects of Norway’s spring World Championship bronze sensation, has broken the silence regarding his much-discussed decision to move to the KHL next season.

The 31-year-old star goalie faced harsh criticism after his transfer to Traktor Chelyabinsk was confirmed. As a result of the decision, Haukeland also lost his place in the Norwegian national team.

Now the goalkeeper reveals in an interview with Norwegian TV 2 that he has been aware all along of the potential consequences of his decision.

– I have been aware throughout the process that the decision would provoke reactions. I did not make this decision lightly.

According to Haukeland, the KHL was not a new option for him. Offers from Russia had been coming in for several years.

– Since 2022, I have received several offers from the KHL and have turned them down before. Some of the offers have been very attractive both sportingly and financially. Therefore, this is not a decision that was made overnight, but something I have contemplated for a long time.

The goalkeeper rose to the ranks of Norway’s sports heroes in the spring by leading his country to a sensational bronze at the World Championships. Haukeland saved pucks with a 93.8 percent success rate in eight World Championship matches. He was named the tournament’s best goalkeeper.

After the World Championships, the Norwegian’s gaze was indeed directed towards North America.

– If an offer from the NHL had come, I would have accepted it. When the deadline passed and no contract was signed, I had to make my choice.

According to Russian sources, Haukeland will earn about 650,000 euros per season from his new KHL contract. This amount is significantly higher than what he earned previously in the German DEL league.

The goalkeeper openly admits that money was the main reason behind the KHL deal.

– I am not going to lie about it; financial matters played a big role in the decision. As a professional, the career span is limited, and it would be dishonest to say it doesn’t matter.

For Finnish hockey fans, Haukeland is also a familiar name from the Liiga. The Norwegian played for TPS during the 2018–19 season and then moved to KooKoo for a year before heading to Germany.

Now one of the biggest heroes of the spring World Championships is preparing for the most controversial phase of his career.