After playing most of the last season without crowds, Liiga teams welcomed fans back to their arenas with open arms. While some teams still played with limited capacity over the first few weeks, with the Finnish government lifting more restrictions, the upcoming season is looking brighter for the fans' needs of live games.
The fans also have a huge impact on the game. The cheering crowds very visibly give players an extra boost whether it is showing more physicality in the game or celebrating goals like it's their first one ever.
OJ watch: Inexperienced defence in trouble
When Mikkelin Jukurit announced Olli Jokinen would become their new head coach, many questioned whether that was the right move. This was because Jokinen has no experience at the elite level as he has previously only coached in his junior hockey academy in Florida.
But so far Jokinen's Jukurit has shown a lot of promise. Their game has been a little here and there but quite often they have managed to give a good battle to the opposing team and occasionally been the ones running the game. There are also talks of Jokinen bringing a more professional environment into the locker room.
It's the defence that has been Jukurit's downfall in the seven games they have played this season so far. The team allows too much space for the opposing teams and therefore allow as many goals as they themselves score. Operating with a small player budget also comes with a price, when the team's most experienced defenceman in the Liiga scene is a 21-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Axel Rindell.
Good news is that the 22-year-old goaltender Oskari Salminen, who was acquired from KooKoo in the off-season, has been excellent in the net. Salminen has only allowed 7 goals in five games. But unfortunately, he is not going to be able to carry the team throughout the season on his own if Jukurit do not manage to fix their defensive issues soon enough.
Beating the champions
The other teams changing their coaching during the off-season were HIFK, JYP, KooKoo, Kärpät, Lukko, SaiPa and TPS.
Lukko may have won the Liiga championship against TPS last season, but now TPS, lead by Jussi Ahokas, has shown some muscle by beating the reigning champions three times within the first month. First came the 5–3 win in the season opener, then the 1–0 win with rookie goaltender Eetu Anttila getting a shutout in his debut appearence, and the latest battle between the two teams ending 4–2.
The two teams will still meet each other three more times this season with the next match-up being in December. Maybe by then Lukko has figured out how to get past TPS's strong defence.
A man of thousand games and a new rising star
Tappara forward Kristian Kuusela made history this month by becoming the fourth player and the first forward to play 1,000 Liiga games. The 38-year-old forward has represented Tappara since the 2013–14 season and won two championships with them. He has also made appearances in Team Finland, and notably was part of the World Championship winning team in 2019.
One of the most interesting younger players to watch during the first weeks has been JYP's 17-year-old forward Joakim Kemell, who is eligible for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He has played with such drive that he has managed to leave his teammate, another draft eligible prospect, Brad Lambert in his shadow.
Kemell currently leads his team in points with 6 goals and 3 assists in eight games, whereas Lambert has only snatched one assist in seven games.
