Improving its chances. Jokerit season preview
The Finnish franchise is always a contender but is yet to get past the playoff’s second round. However, spot-on acquisitions on the transfer market and more significant experience in its coaching staff may make the difference for the Jokers in their seventh year in the league.
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Last season
Last year, Jokerit emerged as the Western Conference’s third force, behind SKA and CSKA. In the playoffs, the Jokers got rid of Lokomotiv with a 4-2 score, and then they were the first to withdraw from the season due to the rise of the pandemic.
Lightening the lamp 184 times, Jokerit had the second-best offense in the league, second only to CSKA’s 202 goals. However, the Finn franchise conceded a few goals too much. HC Sochi, who didn’t qualify for the postseason, allowed the same 164 goals. With a bit more attention to the defensive side, Jokerit will most likely be one of the Western Conference’s contenders.
Head coach
The young, but experienced, Lauri Marjamaki will be at his third season on Jokerit’s bench. The coach, who had a two-year stint with the Finnish national team before signing in the KHL with Jokerit, is known for his excellent systems and offensive play.
Marjamaki, 43, has shown ductility and excellent abilities in reading the game and is expected to showcase these skills next year — especially in the playoffs.
Key departures
After five seasons, it won’t be the same seeing the Finnish franchise without his former captain Peter Regin. The Danish forward made history in Helsinki, and it won’t be easy for the Jokers to replace his presence on the ice and in the locker room.
It will also be strange to see the new KHL season start without Petri Kontiola. The veteran forward played 11 seasons in the KHL, signing there for the first time in 2009, and will line up for HPK in the Finnish Liiga next year.
Key arrivals
Regin apart, it can be said that Jokerit didn’t lose much quality in the offseason. Things could have been different if Mikko Lehtonen didn’t return. The D-man had a tremendous rookie season in the KHL, then signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL. However, due to the uncertainty around the upcoming season, he was assigned back to Jokerit.
Rejoining the Jokers will also be Eeli Tolvanen. The young Finnish forward was a sensation a couple of seasons ago, when he netted 25 goals for the Finnish franchise. Tolvanen, 21, had a solid couple of seasons in the AHL, and playing another year with Jokerit will further hone his skills.
As said, Jokerit allowed too many goals, and the Finnish side signed three exciting options on the blue line in Jakub Krejcik, Jonathan Pudas, and Niklas Fridman.
Replacing Regin as the team’s first center should be Jordan Schroeder. The American forward was excellent with Torpedo last year, topping the team 41 (19+22) points in 60 regular-season games in his debut season.
Star player
Marko Anttila is not a top scorer, but he’s one of the Finnish franchise’s faces. The veteran forward, who also enjoyed tremendous success on the international stage, in particular as a member of the gold medal-winning Team Finland of 2019, will be in his fifth season with Jokerit. Anttila, who first joined the KHL with Metallurg Novokuznetsk, is expected to bring to Jokerit’s lineup size, grit, energy, and leadership.
The towering winger, one of the tallest players in the league at 6-foot-8, can bring to the table an enormous experience and example for the younger players.
Expectations
At its seventh year in the league, it’s about time for Jokerit to have a serious run in the playoffs. Despite being an ever-successful team in the regular season, the Finnish side is yet to go past the playoff’s second round, as it was in 2015 and 2018.
However, this year’s work in the transfer market and Lauri Marjamaki’s more significant experience may give Jokerit a bigger chance in the playoffs.
