#jokerit helsinki

[andreisvechnikov]

Part owner of the Helsinki Jokerit, Teuvo Teräväinen, and his teammate Sebastian Aho, visit the Jokerit U12 players at Scotiabank Arena after the Hurricanes game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on 12.30.2023

[badhockeymom]

Cup Besties talking

It's about this ⤵

And this ⤴

Can't recommend this enough if you know any Finnish. They were veteran dad and rookie son, winning the most coveted prize in the hockey world, one to start off his NHL career, one to finally get the crown on his before retiring.

This is just the beginning of the roughly 1,5 hour conversation of Teuvo as a guest on Kimmo Timonen's and Antti Mäkinen's podcast. Teuvo's deadpan sarcasm and his subtle chuckles that soften his wry chirps and self-mockery work like a charm, sending his forty-something hosts into fits of laughter.

May be continued but let me put this out there first.

Kimmo: Our next guest hails from Helsinki. He's full 29 years old, but still has the face of a child. He goes by the nickname Turbo, which I don't understand, because he isn't that fast. A produce of the Jokerit, he has got, among other accolades, the Finnish rookie of the year award. From Jokerit, he went to Chicago, where we won the Stanley Cup together in 2015. Nowadays he plays for the Carolina Hurricanes alongside Sebastian Aho. Welcome, my good friend, Teuvo Teukka Teräväinen, to the Kimanttia podcast!

Teuvo: Thanks a lot, (chuckle) nice to be here even though you forced me to come.

Kimmo: (laugs) For your information, listeners, I've tried to goad Teukka for a guest appearance for two or three years, but he has always, always declined before now. It's good, it's great to hear your voice, man.

Antti (co-host Antti Mäkinen): I was so sure that Teuvo has been on the show but it's great that you're there now.

Teuvo: Yes, I always say to Kime that someday I'll come, and now I felt it's time.

Kimmo: Are you in Finland, Teukka?

Teuvo: Yes, a few days ago. I came straight to the cottage, it's nice to wind down for a few days here. Nothing special.

(They go on asking if Teuvo has watched the Worlds, he reminds the hosts that Canes were still playing when the games started.)

Kimmo: I wanted to ask, before we start going through your career, how long are you staying in Finland, and will you spend time at the cottage or do you have plans?

Teuvo: I usually head back to the States in the beginning of September, to settle down a little before the camp starts. In Finland, this summer will be quite busy, all my weekends are pretty much locked down, I have so many weddings and bachelor parties this summer.

Kimmo: Oh, you're getting married? I haven't got an invitation.

Teuvo: Yeah, multiple times. (Antti and Kimmo laugh) No, fortunately it isn't my wedding. They're nice events, but they do take up your time.

Kimmo: Yes they do, weekends come and go.

(Antti tells a story about a golf live stream during the covid lockdown, where Teuvo played against Patrik Laine. Both played well but in the end, Teuvo lost. He left the course with very few words, and after an half an hour, posted a pic of his golf bag on his Instagram story, captioned "Clubs for sale")

Teuvo: I remember that. It's what it is, it's never nice to lose.

Kimmo: (laughs) That sounds familiar because I've also sometimes played golf with Teukka, and the round has gone fine, and he says, I'm quitting this game.

Teuvo: Yeah... We've played tennis, too.

Antti: How do you do against him in tennis, can you hold your own?

Teuvo: Well, I don't think i've yet won Kime, at least on his home court.

Kimmo: Well now, there we heard the truth.

Teuvo: But now i have my own homecourt here at the cottage, you're welcome to challenge me here.

Kimmo: (softly) I must come over.

Teuvo: On my own court I haven't lost to anyone else but Henkka Kontinen who's a pretty good player. (Pro tennis player, doubles specialist, career high rank 1 in doubles)

Kimmo: Oh. I'll have to come and challenge you this summer.

Teuvo: You'll have to.

Antti: Hey, that guy is a professional at that tennis hobby of his, he does have an advance.

Teuvo: Or used to be, he hadn't been playing for a full year when he defeated me.

~~~

So, that's just the first five minutes.

A little extra treat from the next segment:

Kimmo: I did some research about your junior years, and it said you started on Helsingin Kojootit (Helsinki Coyotes). Where's Helsingin Kojootit?

Teuvo: It's -- in Helsinki. (chuckles.) Like it says, Helsingin Kojootit, how didn't you pick it up from the name?

(Laughter, Antti is dying)

[nonametis]

hockey questions! 3, 18 & 21 :)

3. Team you recently became a fan of and how it started.

Hm, how recent is recently? :D I spent new year in Helsinki and my friend and I planned that we would go to one game of a helsinki or helsinki-adjacent team and it worked out that we got to see Jokerit, which we were interested in seeing anyways since they „returned“ to the Finnish leagues. And we had lots of fun and just. Yeah. That convinced me to become their fan.

18. who would be on your dream hockey team?

That’s such a fun question but also stressful.

Goalies: Lassi Lehtinen/Christian Heljanko (sorry Strahlie)

Dmen: Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Eemil Viro, Moritz Müller, Moritz Seider, Brent Burns, Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson

Forwards: Oliver Kapanen, JJ Peterka, Mikko Rantanen, Ville Järveläinen, Roope Mäkitalo, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Nolan Patrick, Matthew Tkachuk, Markus Nurmi, Parker Tuomie, Wojtek Stachowiak, Justin Schütz

Does this make sense with their exact positions? Are they on the same level of playing? Not at all. But I like them. No one said I had to be realistic

21. do you believe in any hockey curses?

Hm. I don’t believe in jinxing, that sounds like I could actively jinx something for a team, that’s not how it is. But I do believe that proclaiming a teams success way to early is jinxing their chances at actually winning.

[beardedmrbean]

Helsinki Areena in Ilmala has been empty and out of use since EU sanctions affecting its Russian owners made it impossible to pay them any money.

It's a big facility, and it leaves a big hole in the capital's sporting and music calendars. It has caused a problem for Jokerit, who had played in Russia's KHL league and used the arena as their home venue, but will now return to the second-tier Mestis league for the 2023-24 season.

The ice hockey world championships were held at Tampere's brand new arena for the last two years, with the capital unable to offer a suitable venue.

But there might now be a chance to take the arena back into use.

Ilta-Sanomat reports that the owners have failed to pay July's instalment on the ground rent, and a reminder has been sent. If the bill is not paid after a further reminder, the city could start proceedings that might lead to new owners for the venue.

If the city began to recover the debt, it could eventually lead either to the cancellation of the rental agreement or sale of the asset to raise the unpaid rent.

The municipality could also make use of legislation to execute a compulsory acquisition of the hall, which mayor Juhana Vartiainen (NCP) says he wants to see in western — or Finnish — hands.

Health centre problems

The last government brought in long-awaited reforms to Finland's system of managing health and social care. Rather than the 300 or so municipalities in the country, services outside the capital are now arranged by 21 wellbeing services counties.

Helsinki retained its right to organise these services, as the largest council in the country containing around ten percent of its population.

The goal of the reform was to save money and rationalise services, but the details are only now being thrashed out and those who think they might lose out are not happy with the plans.

Aamulehti reports that in Pirkanmaa, the region around Tampere, smaller towns are concerned about the plans. The local health authority plans to shut down 19 of the region's 40 health centres, increasing travel times to get medical care for large numbers of patients.

Now municipal leaders in many of those towns set to lose their health centres have signed a joint statement criticising the plans. They claim their residents are sicker than the average Pirkanmaa community's, and therefore it would be foolish to shut down their local health centres.

They also question the financial calculations underpinning the move to shut down their health centres, asking if it is actually cheaper to centralise services than to maintain smaller health centres' operations.

Inappropriate baseball

Helsingin Sanomat has a lengthy expose on harassment in the world of Finnish baseball (known as pesäpallo in Finnish). The sport resembles its American cousin and is mostly played in provincial, inland regions of the country.

The paper has interviewed numerous women playing in the top flight, finding evidence of unsolicited explicit photos being repeatedly sent, players being propositioned, sponsors making inappropriate comments and girls as young as 15 being targeted.

One of the interviewees reported being targeted by a male elite player who sent explicit pictures and videos. The interviewee had also been sent inappropriate messages from a series of unknown, prepaid mobile numbers. As soon as one was blocked, another would start sending explicit messages. She was under 18 at the time.

"As a child, I accepted it thinking that I just have to put up with it," said the interviewee. "As an adult, I've received several explicit pictures."

Research also supports the interviewees' statements. In 2020 the sports ethics body FINCIS found that 46 percent of female players at the highest level had experienced harassment of some sort. The same study found that 25 percent of male players had experienced something similar.

[goalhofer]

2024 IIHF World Juniors Finland Roster

Wingers

#18 Rasmus Kumpulainen (Oshawa Generals/Lahti)

#19 Konsta Helenius (Mikkelin Jukurit/Ylöjärvi)

#21 Samu Bau (Ilves/Helsinki)

#22 Kasper Halttunen (London Knights/Helsinki)

#25 Max Koskipirtti (Michigan Tech Huskies/Espoo)

#28 Jere Lassila (J.Y.P./Jyväskylä)

#29 Lenni Hämeenaho (Porin Ässät Ry/Hajaani)

#33 Jani Nyman (Ilves/Valeakoski)

#36 Janne Naukkarinen (Saimaan Pallo/Lappeenranta)

Centers

#20 Oiva Keskinen (Tampereen Tappara/Ylöjärvi)

#24 Aleksanteri Kaskimäki (H.I.K./Espoo)

#32 Emil Hemming (Turun Palloseura/Vaasa)

#34 Tommi Männistö (Michigan State University Spartans/Riihimäki)

Defensemen

#3 Otto Salin (H.I.K./Helsinki)

#4 Arttu Kärki (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds/Viala)

#6 Kasper Kulonummi (Tampereen Tappara/Helsinki)

#10 Emil Pieniniemi (Oulun Kärpät/Kuopio)

#12 Joona Väisänen (Dubuque Fighting Saints/Espoo)

#13 Kalle Kangas (Helsingin Jokerit/Vantaa)

#15 Jesse Pulkkinen (J.Y.P./Laukaa)

Goalies

#1 Eemil Vinni (Joensuun Kiekko-Pojat/Vantaa)

#30 Niklas Kokko (Oulun Kärpät/Oulu)

#31 Noa Vali (Turun Palloseura/Forssa)

[prettbesce]

i just realized the craziest thing, 2011 I went to a jokerit helsinki game in prague (it was the old european trophy tournament) and I just found out young teuvo was on that jokerit team omg. 3 days later he scored his first jokerit pro-goal against a different cz team. (I don't know if he actually played in the game I went to so like?? was he in the stands)

random screenshot from the goal against Brno

[chunkletskhl]

Barys Nur-Sultan have now joined Jokerit Helsinki in withdrawing from the KHL playoffs.  The league is meeting today to determine further steps, with Round 2 of the post-season scheduled to start tomorrow.  

[puckfans]

CSKA und SKA stehen mit einen Sweep in der nächsten Runde

KHL West Conference Playoffs: SKA St.Petersburg feierte bei Vityaz einen klaren 7:1 Erfolg. CSKA hingegen musste gegen Jokerit zum dritten Mal in die Overtime wobei dieses Mal Geoff Platt der zum Sieg für Moskau traf. Dynamo Moskau stellt mit dem 3:2 OT Sieg bei Torpedo in der Serie auf 3:1 und Dinamo Minsk verkürzt mit dem 4:2 Heimsieg über Lok in der Serie auf 3:1. http://www.puckfans.at/cska-und-ska-stehen-mit-einen-sweep-in-der-zweiten-playoff-runde/

[finnishhockeyplayers]

[liigainenglish]

Finland men’s U18 national team for World Championships

GOALTENDERS 1 Leinonen Topias, JYP Jyväskylä * 30 Kokko Niklas, Kärpät Oulu * 31 Vinni Eemil, HIFK Helsinki 

DEFENCE 2 Grönlund Thomas, Lukko Rauma 3 Kulonummi Kasper, Jokerit Helsinki 4 Laakso Elmeri, SaiPa Lappeenranta * 6 Salin Otto, HIFK Helsinki * 7 Minkkinen Niko, JYP Jyväskylä 25 Kärki Arttu, Tappara Tampere 29 Kiviharju Aron, TPS Turku 32 Heinonen Otto, Ilves Tampere

FORWARDS 10 Hokkanen Otto, SaiPa Lappeenranta * 12 Nyman Jani, Ilves Tampere * 13 Kemell Joakim, JYP Jyväskylä * 15 Uronen Tuomas, HIFK Helsinki 18 Männistö Tommi, Tappara Tampere 19 Lundell Kasper, HIFK Helsinki 20 Kaskimäki Aleksanteri, HIFK Helsinki * 21 Bau Samu, HIFK Helsinki 22 Hämeenaho Lenni, Ässät Pori 23 Halttunen Kasper, Jokerit Helsinki 24 Vuorio Oskari, Jokerit Helsinki 27 Raiman Lauri, Pelicans Lahti 28 Lassila Jere, JYP Jyväskylä 34 Rönni Topi, Tappara Tampere *

* has played in Liiga this season.

[seventhrounder]

I went thru my folder with old hockey magazines I had saved from around 2011 to 2015 and came across this one and thought it could be a fun to make a post about now in hindsight.

This is Jääkiekko magazine from May 2012, they always have a section of "99 questions with ..." and in this issue they interviewed Teräväinen.

I’ve translated the questions I found interesting under the cut! It ended up being about half of the interview. (*) are my additions.

On the cover "seuraava superjokeri" means the next super joker, he played for Helsingin Jokerit so it's a word play from that. Under, on the blue print it says: "The 17-year-old forward will become a first round draft pick in the summer. The natural goal scorer can dominate in SM-Liiga as soon as next season."

In the 2nd photo the headline and lead paragraph goes:

"A post with dents* - A year ago Teuvo Teräväinen was known only within a small number of hockey insiders. Few passers-by recognize him now either but after a flashy rookie season the Jokerit sensation is on the radar of every NHL team and is a strong contender to become a first round draft pick. Next season with Jokerit the talented second line center will be one of the main talking points in the SM-Liiga."

(*references the net Teräväinen had in his backyard and into which he practiced his shooting)

3. You've been described as a magician, top scorer, wunderkind and a prodigy. What do you think of these descriptions?

TT: Heh, those are some descriptions yeah. What can I really say? Don't really wanna comment on them much.

4. How nervous are you about the Draft?

TT: I try not to be nervous as best as I can. In a way I don't have anything to be nervous about since I don't care which team picks me or at what number I go.

6. Which is stressing you more, English interviews or physical tests?

TT: Maybe both. Bench press (laughs) and English interviews can be tough.

12. How far along have you planned your career with, for example, your parents or your agent?

TT: Haven't really planned things with others but I've thought about them myself. I try to go step by step and not jump too far ahead.

14. How does it feel to be so young with all the star players in Jokerit?

TT: How to say it? I haven't felt like I was young but a part of the team instead. The team's been very good with me and they haven't been looking down at me like: "oh he's young". It's been fun to play in an experienced team.

15. Is there a generational gap between players?

TT: You can see the age difference, older players look older but we're all childish, at least with our topics.

17. What does a 17-year-old do in the sauna nights of the team?

TT: I actually haven't been in any yet. I've always been at national team's camps or something.

19. Did you get the number you wanted?

TT: I did, yeah. I could've taken #18 but Semir (Ben-Amor) has it. But i'm happy with #86, it's good.

23. What are your strengths as a player?

TT: Offensive play and with that playing with the puck, passing, IQ, power play and skill, just the usual skill - skill with hands.

24. And weaknesses?

TT: They are to do with defensive play, strength and physicality. Battles and such but I think I took a step forward last season. That's a good thing.

25. Have you ever been "pressed into a mold" or has your playing style gotten to develop naturally?

TT: As a kid the play was mostly offensive/attacking, I didn't have to think about playing defence. Up until 15 years old, I got to attack pretty freely. Playing defence became more important when I started to play in A-juniors a couple seasons ago.

26. On a scale from 1 to 10 how determined are you?

TT: Maybe 8, feels like an 8.

32. What kind of role are you planning to take with Jokerit next season?

TT: I think a pretty big one. I try to be a top player and not just take others' example but give others example myself too. So that someone in the team can take something out of the way I do things on the ice and off the ice.

35. If you could pick anyone, who would be your car driver?

TT: Nico Manelius for sure. He's been my driver this season. I've had others too, like Riku Hahl but he's not nearly at the same level. Nico’s clearly the best.

36. What are the most important qualifications to be a good driver?

TT: The car is obviously important. Hahl's car is totally awful, he takes a lot of heat for it from the guys too. I wouldn't dare driving with him. Manelius is a steady performer, never lets you down.

38. What sports did you play as a 10-year-old?

TT: Hockey and floorball, probably football (soccer) during the summers at the time too.

42. When did you decide to focus only on hockey?

TT: So when I stopped playing other sports? Three years ago, before that floorball was kind of a side thing, I played a couple of games in the regular season and playoffs.

45. Do you follow floorball or other sports? Go to games?

TT: I don't go to games but I like to watch floorball on TV, it's an interesting sport. Sometimes I watch football too but I don't follow it much. Feels like they never score there.

47. Have you ever played with a wooden stick?

TT: As a kid I did play with a wooden stick.

49. You won the hockey players' golf tournament last summer even though there were more experienced players too. Are you good with all stick games?

TT: Well, I've been pretty good in all of them. I've played golf for a long time and still play it.

50. How is your swing?

TT: Pretty bold, kind of a hockey swing. I don't really care where the ball goes - as long as it goes far.

52. What do you think of off-ice training?

TT: Let's just say it's more stupid than being on the ice but you still gotta do it to be better on the ice.

56. Which word describes your professional relationship (with his coach, Tomek Valtonen), tranquil or colorful?

TT: Colorful of course. At times we're joking around, other times it's more serious but the relationship is really good.

57. Coaching you has been described in many words: good, bad, worse. What are they?

TT: Heh, well... I won't tell them here. He (Tomek) keeps the discipline during practices but sometimes when things haven't gone to a plan I've had to jump on an exercise bike in the middle of a practice.

58. What have been the reasons?

TT: I'll quote Tomek: "when I haven't been present".

59. Have you ever tried to turn the resistance of the bike to zero?

TT: (Laughs) Of course I have and sometimes I've even succeeded.

60. Describe your diet in three words?

TT: Greasy, healthy and good!

64. Your first name is not common for people your age. How did your parents come up with it?

TT: I actually don't even know. Maybe they didn't want a usual Ville*....

(*very common name for men of all ages in Finland)

66. Which of these is the most important: skill, unexpectedness or courage?

TT: Skill!

68. Your longest video game stint?

TT: Six hours, at least. I've played a lot of War of Duty lately.

72. The dumbest thing that has made you upset in hockey?

TT: Probably if I didn't get an assist on a goal even though I should have. Or even worse is if I score and they mark it down for someone else.

79. Have you had any concussions?

TT: I haven't had any, I've managed to always dodge them.*

(*ouch, tho it's good the recent one is his only as far as i remember)

84. In 2011 Team Finland finished in the 5th place at the U-18 tournament. Why only as 5th?

TT: Because we lost to Team Russia in the quarter final, just as well we could have won that game too.

89. You didn't get to be on the ice to accept the SM-Liiga bronze medal (because of the U-18's). When and where did you get it?

TT: I actually still haven't received it, I don't know where it is.

93. What is the population of Helsinki?

TT: There's like 5 million people in Finland so maybe around 500k in Helsinki? (to be exact 596k) Did i really get it right...?

94. Who's the mayor of Helsinki?

TT: I don't know, I barely know the president.

95. Do you think the municipalities in the capital city area should merge?

TT: Luckily I don't have to decide but they probably shouldn't.

96. What do you check first in the news paper?

TT: The sports section.

97. Your favorite tv show?

TT: Putous* was pretty good, I liked a lot of the characters. The grandma was pretty good.

(*Finnish live improvisation comedy/sketch show (there are still new seasons, the latest just finished). Every actor comes up with a humor character with a catchy phrase and one of them wins. "The grandma" is Marja Tyrni and I just got such flashbacks from typing this sentence.)

98. Last book you read?

TT: I don't read many books. The last book was a study book, a Finnish book. I wrote an essay on Tiki (Esa) Tikkanen's biography. An eventful book, great career and a lot of chirps.

99. Who should we ask the 99 questions next?

TT: Riku Hahl could have good stories, he's also seen a lot of the world.

[eagles-translated]

Answering Eagles questions before the season 3 finale (Part 2/2)

I've received a bunch of questions since 3x08 and 3x09 dropped, so I compiled all the questions into two posts. I had to split them up because Tumblr only allows 10 images per post. Anyway, keep reading to see my answers and enjoy! 👇

There might be some kind of collaboration between Amie and Ludde like last season—we have only heard snippets of Ludde's song submission to the music school and it wouldn't surprise me if we saw Amie perform the song in its entirety in the last episode. I touched on this a little in part 1 of answering these questions.

It seems like Amie singing at the end of the season has become kind of a recurring theme. She performed “Follow” in 1x08 and “Second Sight” in 2x10 (on the radio, but my point still stands). I wouldn’t be surprised if they followed this trend by having Amie perform a new song in the season 3 finale.

I'm not sure if she'll recommend Ludde to the record label, though. I honestly still feel like Amie's whole storyline with sending in a rather basic demo written by two teenagers with little to no experience and then getting praised on it with comments such as "it's going to be a real summer hit" felt so unrealistic to me. Maybe they only said that so Amie would accept their offer or something, but that's still very strange because she would have still said yes without a doubt.

I can understand that they thought Amie was marketable as a person and there was this bonus with her having gone viral before on Felicia's Instagram, but that demo did not seem good enough for me to be immediately released as a single and then have them decide on the spot that Amie would be given a contract.

I mean, come on. It never felt earned because we never really saw Amie struggling with her songwriting journey to achieve this dream. Sending in one demo to one record label and having them immediately want to make a whole album with you just doesn't happen in real life unless the song is extremely good or you have a very unique voice. Amie is really talented but there are hundreds of people just like her, if not thousands. I was never convinced by her getting signed so quickly in season 2.

I understand that they wanted to establish her as a successful artist, but that felt so rushed. I was so sure that the record label would screw her over and steal the song rights to record it with another artist who was already established, and that we'd have to see Amie work even harder to achieve her dreams. But we didn't get that at all. Where was the struggle?

Anyway, I'm getting a little off-topic here. To be honest I have a lot of problems with the writing sometimes, even if I still love the show and its characters. Of course I wanted to see Amie achieve success (and I was happy when she did), but the journey there was so bizarrely easy.

She didn't start to seriously work on making her music career become a reality until season 2. Amie had dabbled in music prior to that, like when she auditioned for the school band and did that performance of Follow, but she didn't truly start to work towards it until season 2 when she decided to have her work sent to professionals in the business. And then, just five episodes later, she gets contacted by the record label in Stockholm.

To put this into context—season 2 took place somewhere around March, and episode 5 around three weeks into April. So when Ludde first started helping Amie it took less than two months for her to get signed. You could argue that the song was just that good or that Amie is just that talented, but it never felt like a realistic storyline to me.

So, back to your question! I need to stop getting so sidetracked while answering these haha. I don't think it would be realistic for the record label to hire a teenager with no professional songwriting experience, likely a very small portfolio of his own work in both size and variety, having a criminal record, and on top of that being infamous in the press for abusing his ex-girlfriend. If Amie offered the ultimatum to her label that she'll only return with Ludde, who has an incredibly bad reputation right now, it feels like she would be running the risk of losing the contract entirely.

There's only so much her label can put up with. We've seen Amie ignore their calls with no intention of reassuring them that she's coming back soon. Honestly, with the way things are looking right now it makes the most sense for the contract to be dropped. By Amie or by the label, I don't know.

The episode description for the season finale says that Ludde will get some sort of justice and it could be about his music (or something related to whatever Andreas is doing).

I believe Amie will be doing a live performance of Ludde's song at a New Year's Eve party in episode 10 but I doubt that Ludde will be picked up as a producer. If he actually does I would find that to be a very unrealistic plot point, to be completely honest with you.

This is an issue I had with 3x08 and 3x09 as well. I had a hard time actually enjoying the moment between Felicia, Klara, and Amie knowing that her family was getting increasingly worried for her and even thought for a short moment that Felicia was lying dead at the bottom of the ocean. All that could've been avoided.

To add, it didn't make a lot of sense to me that when Klara finally decided to call someone she called Amie instead of Elias. An ex-friend of Felicia's instead of her brother who could've helped a lot more. What was Amie supposed to do when she showed up at the hotel, exactly?

I know there was the thing with Klara only knowing Amie's number off the top of her head, but there is no reason why she couldn't have gone down to the reception while Felicia was sleeping and asked to use a computer just to get a quick message to Elias. Like, "hey, Felicia attempted something bad but she's safe with me, we're at this hotel in this room but she didn't want me to call anybody, I don't know what to do". That would've been so much better than keeping quiet about the situation for nearly 24 hours.

I know that Klara probably has trauma from leaving her dad at the hospital after his suicide attempt and that she probably didn't want to go against Felicia's wishes. I understand the first part 100%. But Felicia was in a very bad place emotionally and was thinking that her whole family hated her when that wasn't the case. I feel like in a situation like that you kind of have to be the bad guy just to ensure the family that Felicia was safe. Even if everything turned out alright in the end, it could've gone so much worse if Felicia had wanted to be kept hidden for longer.

The ending of 3x08 was super tough to watch and I can't imagine the feeling of thinking your only daughter/sister drowned herself after you just yelled at her and showed no support. Klara couldn't have known any of this, but I feel like she should've at least contacted Elias if she wasn't taking Felicia to a hospital.

Elias calling Amie would've been an easy solution to this whole debacle but we would've lost the drama. It's still somewhat of a plot hole though, like you said.

Thank you for reading that whole post @detectivejulesohara!

The clip you're referring to was posted on Yandeh Sallah's Instagram account, so not in a trailer for this season.

I think that was either just fanservice or it will appear in season 4 since it was posted in May of this year, and I believe the filming of season 3 had already wrapped by then.

It might indicate that Elias and Amie will be a couple by season 4 (this actually seems very likely regardless if this is actually part of a scene or not).

I think Elias is getting increasingly frustrated with hockey and the fact that he doesn't really have any other ambitions to strive for. He was raised with nothing but hockey surrounding him and it's in his blood. Elias got drafted to the US at around the same age as Mats, but Elias left after a year because he just wasn't progressing.

That must feel like a huge step back, and on top of that Mats was probably thriving in his successful career around the age that Elias is now. It's a tough difference in success to have weighing on your shoulders when you're in a team that's second to last in the rankings.

There's even the accusation in the press that Mats paid for Elias to advance in the rankings, and I'm sure that's going to affect his career negatively.

I think Elias overworking himself could also be the result of him feeling like he has to prove that returning to Eagles—a small club that is probably having their worst season ever—was in fact the right choice and not the death of his elite hockey career. That choice was very questionable from the very start and his agent advised against it. Even Mats found it strange. Elias said that he didn't really have a choice most likely because of the clause in his contract, but then he also claims to Mats that things just turned out that way.

Ludde: You don’t regret coming back [to Eagles]? Elias: I didn’t really have a choice.

The idea that he didn't have a choice in the matter doesn't seem accurate. His agent told him there were other alternatives like Jokerit (a professional ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland) and that they could find something better than Eagles. Elias seemed kind of defeated already and the decision to return to Eagles didn't feel thought-through at all. It's almost like he just didn't care.

Agent: [...] Jokerit has called and I’ve had a great conversation with them, so they’re on. Elias: You know what? Let’s skip all the trouble. Let’s go with Eagles, it’ll be great. Agent: What? Elias: I’m so tired of moving all the time anyway, plus I’ll be close to my family. Agent: Wait, I thought that you— Eagles has big economical problems, and… Sorry, but their season started awfully. We can get a better team. You understand, right? Elias: Yeah, but we can’t get a team that needs me as much. Plus— If they say they want to see development, I’ll give them that. Agent: Wait— They’re under the line. We’re talking about qualifying down directly. You can’t in earnest believe you’ll change that on your own. Elias: It’s perfect. I’ll only go up, as you like to say.

It also seems like he's maybe realizing that hockey isn't everything and that there are other things he might want to explore and pursue in his life. I think Elias is feeling kind of stuck right now. He's been training his whole life for one purpose which is a professional career in hockey, and maybe he feels like Mats wouldn't allow him to quit. That option doesn't exist to him.

Like you said, Mats had that comment where he labeled Ludde a "quitter" and Elias stressed the fact that there shouldn't be anything wrong with losing interest and deciding to pursue something else.

Mats: Can you imagine that he’s just quitting? I mean, I’m completely— He really didn’t strike me as a quitter. So fucking close. [...] Elias: [...] Ludde, he’s… He’s not a quitter, he’s just didn’t want it anymore. That should be fair.

However, quitting is seen as failure to Mats. Mats dropped everything when he got drafted. He left his relationship with Petra seemingly without a second thought, because hockey comes before everything for Mats. Felicia even mentioned back in season 1 how her father was just a voice in a telephone for most of her childhood. He barely had any presence in her life because he was busy with hockey.

When Klara tells Elias that he's always putting hockey first, he gets angry but he doesn't outright deny it. In fact, he kind of changes the subject to shift attention away from Klara's claim.

Klara: This— You haven’t changed at all. You’re always putting yourself first. Elias: Excuse me? Klara: Yes, it’s either you or hockey. Elias: Stop! What the— Klara: I can’t take this. Elias: Are you leaving now? I wasn’t the only one you dumped. You’ve been acting like shit to Felicia. Yeah, and Amie and Ludde too, for that matter. You haven’t thought about that? So don’t come here and say I’m the egoist.

This is kind of an interesting thought—that maybe Elias subconsciously knew that was Klara is saying is true to some degree and that he has been putting hockey first. He decided to get on the train to the draft combine in Seattle instead of staying with Klara, and a year later he realizes that things didn't turn out the way that he'd planned and he returns to Eagles.

Maybe Elias is trying so hard to be someone who he just isn't, and it's affecting so many aspects of his life negatively. He lost Klara, he had to repeat almost his whole last year in high school because of moving to the US, and now he seems to be stuck in Oskarshamn. He's previously expressed to Amie that this isn't necessarily where he wanted to end up.

Elias: [...] Hey, is it just me or is there something about this town that… It sort of feels like no matter how much you try to get away, it… It pulls you back somehow.

It's kind of strange that he doesn't want to be in Oskarshamn, and yet he was the one who chose to return. Maybe he somehow feels like he has some purpose there because it keeps pulling him back. He just doesn't know what that purpose is.

Elias tried coming back to Eagles to turn things around for them, and they did win a game against the Capitals but that victory was later tarnished by the fight that broke out between the two teams (and to add to this, the loss of Ludde who used to be one of the star players and Klara as a sponsor). That kind of overshadowed their whole victory. Elias was very determined to do something to help and it very much feels like he needs Eagles to succeed—he needs to sort of "redeem" himself.

Elias: [...] Can I do anything? Can I go talk to— I could go talk to the sponsor. Mats: Let’s deal with it later. I’ll solve this. You have to go to school now. Elias: But we can finish talking— Mats: You can— No. Try to think of something else. Alright?

I think that Elias's desperation for Eagles to do well could absolutely lead to him eventually deciding to be a coach. He doesn't really seem to want the life that Mats had after seeing how success turned out for him—a broken family that he barely cares about because hockey occupies his mind more than caring for his children or repairing the relationship with Leila.

I think Elias being a hockey coach could suit him, but I would also love to see him exploring things outside of hockey—maybe even his interests outside of sport entirely.

I kind of agree with you on this. Klara has apologized to Felicia and been forgiven, but we've never seen her properly apologize to Amie for filming that video of her and posting it on social media. Amie and Ludde were in the wrong, yes, but that video being posted was humiliating for both of them. They had to deal with the ramifications of that for months after with the whole school judging them in silence.

To be fair, the video was posted a long time ago in the show's time frame (nearly two years ago if I'm right?) and they all kind of moved on from it. To add to this, maybe she felt it would've been kind of awkward to apologize with Felicia in the room.

Felicia was so hurt by that video being posted and I think it would feel very weird for her that Klara would apologize for posting the video when it's the sole reason Felicia found out what had been done to her. Without that video, she would've probably gone a few more months without being told what happened at the Halloween party.

I'm waiting for a Klara and Amie reconciliation in this season finale. I feel like this is something that should be discussed between just the two of them, and maybe they'll sneak in some blessing from Klara with the whole budding Elias and Amie relationship? I'd be happy with just a reconciliation, though, but I'm unsure if we'll get one. I have a feeling they'll start the season finale with a time jump and I don't know if Klara is even going to be in Oskarshamn by that time.

If we don't see them reconnecting in the season finale I will be pretty disappointed, to be honest.

Thank you! I really appreciate you too @lunawedlers (your gifsets are absolutely magical)!

This question was sent in a while ago but as season 3 had just started airing I was very excited to see the development of Elias and Amie, mostly because the director had been hinting on Twitter that something would happen between them this season. I've been really interested in them ever since 1x03 and so far the wait has been worth it.

I think all episodes have great visuals, but if I had to pick one I would probably say 3x06. All those shots of Elias and Amie on the walk through the park, the drone shots, and then the view from that bench spot were so gorgeous visually. That answer is more of a scene rather than a whole episode haha, but I think they really made the beauty of Oskarshamn stand out in those shots.

I think Amie will have some sort of performance in the final episode of a new song and that Elias will be watching her! After reading the episode description for the final episode and seeing that there will probably be some New Year's Eve party going on, I have a feeling that Amie will be performing. She's always had a performance of a new song in every season finale and this one should be no exception.

They tricked us a little in the season 3 trailer with us thinking that Elias would be at one of Amie's concerts in Stockholm, but now I'm sure that this scene fits in at the New Year's Eve party.

I think we should keep our expectations low for a kiss between Elias and Amie. They just started developing their relationship, and I like the slow pace they're going in. They're not rushing anything. I also have this feeling that their development has deliberately been so slow because they're sort of "saving the best for last".

Elias and Amie are fan favorites and their relationship has been very talked-about from the beginning. I can see the writers maybe having decided to push their relationship more towards the end of the show, which is why we haven't really gotten any Elias and Amie content until now. That's frustrating if you're impatient and I've seen some people thinking that maybe Elias and Amie won't happen at all, but I don't think we need to worry at all. The fact that Elias and Amie's development has been so slow should indicate that they're much more likely to be endgame.

A kiss in episode 10 could definitely happen, but I don't know. Maybe they'll drag it out further. As I've said before, if they don't get one in season 3 they will absolutely be getting one in season 4. I've noticed that it's always best to keep your expectations low when it comes to this couple.

The episode description for the season finale said this about Elias, which some have interpreted to be about Amie.

New Year’s Eve is here. [...] But is Elias brave enough to say what everyone else already knows?

This could mean anything, really. I'm actually leaning more towards this being about an individual thing rather than Amie being involved. It could be about Elias admitting that he's been overworking himself and not eating properly, or coming clean about the fact that maybe he doesn't want a career in hockey. This is something that everyone else already knows, so I think it might be about hockey.

Felicia has observed the overworking, Mats has told him to stop with it, and Ludde might've had some inkling about it while he was still on the team. Even Amie has probably also noticed that he's been spending a lot of time at the gym lately.

I could absolutely be wrong about this though.

Thank you for the question @lunawedlers!

This is a hard one because season 3 has had so many strong episodes already, and usually my favorite episode ends up being the season finale because it's basically the culmination of the whole season. I really loved 2x10 for this very reason since the ending montage was so well done.

If I had to pick between 3x01 - 3x09 though I would probably have to say it's a tie between 3x04 — Date night and 3x05 — Wounds! These two episodes showcased what Eagles should be all about so well, which is relationships plus the struggles you go through as a teenager in a small town, and then of course hockey. The hockey game episodes are really good, even if I don't think 3x05 topped 2x05 (the game where Ludde got tackled and knocked out).

I loved the contrast in Date night of the budding relationship between Elias and Amie and then that fight between Felicia and Ludde on the cliff. That whole scene between Felicia and Ludde on the cliff was actually really beautiful, especially when the sun had gone down.

It was interesting to see how this sweet gesture from Felicia turned into a fight between the two of them. I thought that was very realistic, because no matter how big of a gesture Felicia made to apologize there were still underlying problems that they needed to talk about.

I also loved the "non-date" between Elias and Amie in this episode. It was cute to see them goofing off before the movie started and then talking about it on the way home. I liked how Elias could connect to her on how they had both returned to Oskarshamn.

The recent episodes that dropped last week (3x08 and 3x09) were very strong and discussed some important subject matters, but I had a few problems with them that I discussed in a question above. They were dark, but not necessarily bad because they needed to happen.

However, I have to say that I prefer Eagles when it's about hockey and teenage relationships. 3x04 and 3x05 made me kind of nostalgic for season 1 and I liked the vibe they both had.

I agree, but I think we could maybe get a combination of both! Relationships can have all these romantic and sweet traits like you described, but also be more passionate and show public displays of affection.

I think Elias and Amie fit the more laid-back and sweet characteristics, but we have yet to really see what Amie is like in a relationship. We've seen her with a crush on Ludde and we got a glimpse of that thing she had with Robin (which was apparently a relationship but I did not pick up on that at all), but we don't really know what Amie is like in a relationship. Maybe she's never really had a "real" one, either.

Nevertheless, I'm excited to see what's in store for Elias and Amie. I'm very positive that they will eventually become a couple in season 4.

[badhockeymom]

Finnish and Latvian flags have been removed from all KHL arenas. Looks like a sign that Jokerit Helsinki won't return to the league either; Dinamo Riga has told earlier that they are leaving for good.

(source)

[beardedmrbean]

Lithuanian business mogul Gediminas Ziemelis, a new owner of the Helsinki Seagulls basketball team, has been flagged as a national security threat in Lithuania due to his companies' ties to Russia.

An investigation by Helsingin Sanomat revealed that Ziemelis — often called Lithuania's richest man with a net worth of 2.45 billion euros — controls Avia Solutions Group (ASG), a major player in the aviation sector with significant operations in Finland, including at Helsinki Airport.

Lithuanian authorities have previously halted Ziemelis's business activities due to concerns over his connections to Russia. These include ties to the Russian security services, according to the Lithuanian State Security Department (VSD).

ASG's involvement in strategic aviation projects in Russia, such as the construction of Zhukovsky International Airport in Moscow in a partnership with Rostec, a Russian state-controlled military-industrial giant, has drawn particular scrutiny.

Despite these controversies, Ziemelis's business empire, which spans over 100 companies in 68 countries, continues to thrive internationally.

Since purchasing the firm Aviator in Finland more than four years ago, his businesses have operated at Helsinki Airport.

However, the owner's name only made headlines in Finnish media a few weeks ago, when the Lithuanian Basketball Holding Company (BHC) bought part of the shares in the holding company of the Helsinki Seagulls basketball team. Ziemelis is an investor and adviser to the basketball company.

Seagulls' previous main owners, Janne Kulvik and Sinikka Kulvik, told HS last week that the background of the new owning group has been investigated, but some of the work is still ongoing.

Marius Laurinavicius, a Lithuanian researcher who focuses on Russia and has studied Ziemelis, told HS that Ziemelis should be seen as a Russian rather than as a Lithuanian businessman based on his business connections.

"Ziemelis and his company are a threat to national security. It's not just my view, there are court decisions on it in Lithuania," he told HS.

The tycoon's recent foray into sports investment has raised concerns, with some likening his involvement with the Helsinki Seagulls to earlier instances where Russian oligarchs used sports ownership to exert soft power, like in the case of ice hockey club Helsinki Jokerit.

Ziemelis has maintained that his companies have ceased operations in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. However, HS noted that it is difficult to verify this claim.

ASG and Ziemelis have a network of at least several hundred companies. There are or have been holding companies in Cyprus, Luxembourg, Dubai, and the British Virgin Islands. Ziemelis himself currently resides in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where he holds a "golden visa".

Catching more flies with vinegar

As summer draws to a close in Finland, many households are once again grappling with the annual nuisance of fruit flies. Tabloid Iltalehti examined which popular trapping tips are actually effective against these pesky insects.

According to Professor Susanna Valanne from the University of Tampere, fruit flies are attracted to the sugars and vinegar produced by rotting fruit, as these insects feed primarily on the bacteria and yeast found in decaying produce.

The most effective trap, she advised, consists of a mixture of one-third apple cider vinegar and two-thirds water, with a few drops of dish soap to break the surface tension, ensuring the flies drown once they land.

The University of Tampere hosts a large laboratory that studies fruit flies. The facility maintains around 500 genetically modified fly variants for various scientific studies, including research on innate immunity and mitochondrial functions.

These flies are particularly valuable in research due to their rapid life cycle, genetic similarities to humans, and the ethical considerations of using invertebrates in experiments.

Valanne told IL that fruit flies typically enter homes as eggs on imported fruit, hatching quickly in warm conditions.

If left unchecked, their population can multiply rapidly within weeks, feeding on fruit, food scraps, and sugary residues in kitchens. She warned that although fruit flies do not survive the Finnish winter, climate change could potentially alter this in the future.

Feeling kind of city?

Rural-focused newspaper Maaseudun Tulevaisuus covered a study on rural versus urban quality of life conducted by the Migration Institute of Finland.

Unsurprisingly, given the paper's bucolic bent, life out in the countryside beat out the hustle and bustle of cities in terms of perceived quality of life.

More than 4,000 people in Finland took part in the research study's survey, which asked respondents how they perceived quality of life in their locales.

"In most developed economies, such as Western and Northern Europe or Australia and New Zealand, the perceived quality of life is on average higher in rural areas than in urban areas," Tomas Hanell, a senior researcher at the Migration Institute of Finland, told MT.

Big cities can offer their inhabitants higher material living standards, a wider range of services, more freedom of choice and a more diverse labour market.

At some point, however, the negative aspects of a big city become so great that the positive aspects of urban life can no longer compensate for them, Hanell added.

This study bucks the trend that has seen rural communities depopulated over the past few decades in Finland, as young people flock to large population centres for study and work opportunities.

The study also revealed that those who moved in the past few years said they had a higher quality of life than those who stayed put, regardless of whether they moved from the city to the countryside, or vice versa.

"From the perspective of society as a whole, this dynamic may seem paradoxical, but from the perspective of the individual migrant, it is not. By moving, people improve their own perceived personal quality of life more than those who choose not to move," said Markku Mattila, another researcher from the Migration Institute.

[leeenuu]

the following is an opinion piece on the world's professional sport responsibilities and choices in light of russia's war crimes by an estonian sports journalist. it's an interesting read so i have translated it down below.

(note: since the author is estonian, there are references to estonian sport and politicians as well, i have added the wikipedia links for the leagues mentioned below)

professional sport is not at all important right now but since it is a field that enjoys having and has a big following around the world then the managing organisations of professional sports have a responsibility to take a clear stand on russia's initiated war.

taking away the football's champions league final from st. petersburg was mandatory and unavoidable hygiene. the problem is that uefa gave russia a chance to host in the first place. as well as the fact that in april last year, they gave the rights to belarus to host the 2025 women's u19 european championships tournament.

similarily, bc kalev/cramo leaving the vtb united league should not be praised but should be asked "what were you thinking, going there in the first place?". estonian basketball communities have been justifying taking part in that league for years and have attacked and/or ridiculed the people pointing out its unethical and amoral nature. the estonian security police drew attention to this back in 2013.

out of all estonia's athletic symbols, kalev's basketball team was at the end of the 80s and the beginning of the 90s probably the most important one and in general, a very essential symbol. for the last couple of years, this symbol has been taking part in russia's open championships. in that same russia who is murdering innocent people and trying to destroy free ukraine.

the estonian football association yesterday sent out a press release about estonian footballers fleeing ukraine and today about the new location of the champions league final. but none of the press releases have not even one word mentioning the fact that russia attacked ukraine. they speak about military action but not mentioning the initiator. why? because it is more simple that way. incomprehensible.

the (finnish) ice hockey team helsinki jokerit announced that they will not participate in this year's khl play-offs but didn't say a word about leaving khl because only what is absolutely necessary will be done. not a pinch more. similar to the international olympic committee before them and other international sport organisations after them.

the honorary president of the international judo federation is... the recent war criminal vladimir putin. in the last decades, russia (and other authoritarian regimes) have bought in the international sports communities a considerable amount of power by generously financing activities that is not supported by the logic of market economy.

leaders in sport have not had a clear enough moral beacon to reject the dirty banknotes and that's why beijing had the summer and the winter olympics and russia had the winter olympics and the football's world cup. there is a big number of other sports competitions that russia has hosted in the last 15 years.

if we only take the world championships in olympic sports, the list includes: fencing 2007, 2014 and 2015; wrestling 2010; judo 2014; taekwondo 2015; swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo 2015; shooting sports 2017; figure skating 2011; luge 2020; rowing 2014; ice hockey 2007 and 2016; boxing 2019; modern pentathlon 2011 and 2016; table tennis 2010; short-track speed skating 2015; speed skating 2013 and 2016; biathlon 2011.

this is not a exhaustive list and if we added the european championships, the world cup (final) stages, universiades, the junior world and european championships then the list would be even longer. certainly the list would be so long that no other country would not have a chance to surpass russia. this has been the russians' conscious choice with which they have gotten emotional and political capital.

so that now, when they are in ukraine, killing innocent people, that there would be as many as possible who are thinking (or even saying) that "of course, it's bad what is happening but things are not as clear-cut as we are shown and in reality, russia has many great sides as well". in short, pulling a oudekki and stalnuhhin.

exactly that emotional and political capital is the reason why even the reveal of the national doping system at the sochi winter olympic games (most tend to forget how difficult it was to prove the russian sordidness) did not bring specific but lazy sanctions to which the russians got apologies left and right, that "yes, sadly this time it's like this".

in professional sports, there are also a lot of responsible people. many are athletes who have begun to point out the political mistakes more and more these past years but it should be the sports leaders job, not the athletes'.

right now there can't be another opinion in international sports than to totally and unconditionally remove russian and belorussian athletes and teams from all activities. all the athletes, teams, referees and officials. that's the least professional sport can do.

unfortunately, there is reason to doubt whether this only possible step will actually be taken. there have been too many thomas bach and gianni infantino handshakes with vladimir putin for it to happen.

[goalhofer]

2021-22 Helsingin Jokerit Roster

Wingers

#12 Marko Anttila (Lempäälä, Finland) C

#13 Julius Junttila (Oulu, Finland)

#17 Nicklas Jensen (Herning, Denmark)

#18 Jesse Joensuu (Pori, Finland) A

#19 Veli-Matti Savinainen (Espoo, Finland)

#21 Brian O’Neill (Yardley, Pennsylvania) A

#25 Henrik Haapala (Lempäälä, Finland)

#33 Markus Hännikäinen (Helsinki, Finland)

#48 Henri Ikonen (Savonlinna, Finland)

#72 Aleksi Halme (Tampere, Finland)

#77 Teemu Turunen (Helsinki, Finland)

#81 Iiro Pakarinen (Suonenjoki, Finland)

Centers

#10 Jordan Schroeder (Lakeville, Minnesota)

#11 Kalle Kossila (Helsinki, Finland)

#37 John Norman (Stockholm, Sweden)

#42 Hannes Björninen (Lahti, Finland)

#63 Tommi Laakso (Helsinki, Finland)

#86 Kristjan Kombe (Kuressaare, Estonia)

Defensemen

#3 Niklas Friman (Rauma, Finland)

#4 Tommi Kivistö (Vantaa, Finland)

#28 Otto Leskinen (Pieksämäki, Finland)

#34 Niko Mikkola (Oulu, Finland)

#40 Petteri Lindbohm (Helsinki, Finland)

#51 Alex Grant (Antigonish, Nova Scotia)

#52 Philip Holm (Stockholm, Sweden)

#53 Jaako Manninen (Vantaa, Finland)

#73 Oliver Tuhkanen (Vantaa, Finland)

#90 David Sklenička (Rakovník, Czech Republic)

Goalies

#30 Janne Juvonen (Joensuu, Finland)

#35 Sebastian Katajainen (Helsinki, Finland)

#39 Anders Lindbäck (Gävle, Sweden)

#70 Samuli Tervo (Mänttä, Finland)