The Finnish Spengler Cup participant HIFK has been going through an extremely difficult phase since the start of the season. An unusually long injury list has pushed the club to the bottom of the standings – now the sporting management is looking to take countermeasures. At a press conference last Monday, the management presented its short- and medium-term strategy.

At the beginning of this month, no fewer than twelve players were on Helsinki’s injury list. This included the entire first line, the full captain crew, and a regular goaltender. A situation that likely no hockey club in the world could handle with ease. The result is clear in the Liiga standings: IFK sits in last place with only four wins from twelve games.

The sporting management has now responded and developed a comprehensive crisis strategy. "We will strengthen the team in the coming days," announced Sports Director Janne Pesonen last Monday. The club is looking for "two forwards, a defenseman, and a goalie." Despite the tense situation, Pesonen emphasized: "Even though the situation is urgent, we reject short-sighted panic solutions. The players we sign must clearly add value to the team."

However, finding reinforcements is proving difficult. North American players, for instance, are currently hardly available on short notice due to new visa regulations, said Pesonen. Nevertheless, the sports director remains confident: "We already have several good options for all the roles mentioned."

Since this summer, the most prominent man in Helsinki, head coach Olli Jokinen, has been behind the bench. He supports the strategy, praises the club’s response, and is convinced that the team can turn things around with the reinforcements: “Once all our players are back, we’ll have a team with the potential to go far. In the short term, however, two questions need answering: When will we have a squad that’s deep enough, and how do we make sure we don’t dig ourselves into too deep a hole before then? I believe we’ll be strong in the mid-term, but like it or not – for now, it’s going to remain a fight for survival.” Jokinen hopes to have all remaining players back – with the exception of Petteri Lindbohm and Bruno Jalasti – by the Spengler Cup at the latest.

Olli Jokinen has been serving as IFK Helsinki’s head coach since this season. It marks the closing of a circle for him: in 1998, as a 19-year-old player, he contributed to the Finnish championship title before making the full leap to North America. “IFK was an important part of my playing career. While I was overseas, I was involved in the background for quite some time as one of the club’s co-owners. That gave me insight into how the organization works behind the scenes,” Jokinen explains. “Now being on the front lines as head coach – I consider that a privilege.”

Text: Spengler Cup-Onlineredaktion   Foto: Keystone