Owing to family obligations, SKA head coach Oleg Znarok wil be unable to take part in the 2018 All-Star Game, and his replacement in charge of the Bobrov Division team has been named as Jukka Jalonen, current boss of HC Jokerit Helsinki.
“The KHL All-Star Game is always a glittering event and a grand spectacle, featuring the greatest players,” - said Jalonen on receiving the news. “My being chosen to be a part of this event is recognition of the great season we've been having, and it is an reward not just for me, but for everyone at Jokerit. I'm really looking forward to going there and meeting the players, the fans, and the other coaches.”
In a coaching career spanning more than a quarter of a century, Jukka Jalonen has led Team Finland to bronze at the Olympics and gold at the World Championships, and has also guided teams to gold at the World Juniors, the Championship of Finland, and as part of the SKA Saint Petersburg staff in 2016, the Viktor Tikhonov Trophy for winning the KHL regular season.
The revised coaching line-up now reads as follows:
Jukka Jalonen (Jokerit) – Natalia Clark (Match TV)
Tarasov Division
Igor Nikitin (CSKA) – Sonia Gudim
Kharlamov Division
Andrei Nazarov (Neftekhimik) – Maria Bass (Match TV)
Chernyshev Division
Andrei Skabelka (Avangard) – Daria Mironova (Match TV)
